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Here's How to Sort Smelly Feet in Time for the Heatwave

Photo credit: Unsplash
Photo credit: Unsplash

From Women's Health

Smelly feet, complete with that slightly fermented funky vibe, are no-one's idea of a good time. And yet, they're super common.

A 2018 survey found that one in 10 people living in the UK claim to have not-so-fresh soles 'all of the time,' while embarrassment around the area as a whole is pervasive.

Like, really pervasive. According to research commissioned by Scholl, 87% of people in the UK will experience at least one foot condition in their lifetime, while one in four people do not like their own feet.

Meanwhile, 33% are actively embarrassed by theirs.

Sounds pretty bad, hey? Good news is, the footcare people have teamed up with Embarrassing Bodies' Dr Christian Jessen and podiatrist Michael Harrison-Blount to start chatting about smelly feet and other issues south of your ankles .

WH sat down with the pair to get this biz sorted out, just in time for summer.


Smelly feet: why do they happen in the first place?

'There are a lot of bacteria living on your feet,' says Harrison-Blount. 'And it's actually the actions of the bacteria surviving that cause the smell.

'Then, it's often the environment that you put your feet in that exacerbates the odour.'

Photo credit: Janos Somodi - Getty Images
Photo credit: Janos Somodi - Getty Images

Why? Think of it like this. You might have a shower, dry yourself off, get to your ankles and stop. Then, it's a damp foot in a sock into a shoe.

The upshot is that you've created bacteria heaven: damp, warm and dark. This, to the organisms, is basically what an all-expenses-paid three week holiday to Bali is to you.

Those bacteria go about staying alive and multiplying– and it's this action that causes odours more sour than that jar of kefir that hung out at the back of your fridge for months.

'This then doesn't get rectified,' says Harrison-Blount. 'The next shower, the same thing happens. So, you have a cycle of not caring for your foot and then putting it in an environment where bacteria and spores can thrive and survive.'

Photo credit: Alena Gamm / EyeEm - Getty Images
Photo credit: Alena Gamm / EyeEm - Getty Images

Smelly feet treatment: your regime to keep them fresh

Okay. So how do you start to care for your feet, so that you're eliminating as much bacteria as possible?

Make sure that your foot is cleaned properly with soap and water. 'You don't need anything special,' says Dr Jessen. 'Just make sure that you get in between your toes; into every nook and cranny.'

Dry your feet properly

Make sure that your feet are dried properly – again, getting in between your toes.

Use a pumice stone

'It's in dead tissue where spores and bacteria start to develop,' says Harrison-Blount. 'So get rid of it, two to three times a week.'

Have a soak, once in a while

'If you have a bath, you're more likely to have a look at your feet and give them a clean, versus a shower, when you're standing on them. You want to lift them up and give them attention – if you do shower all the time, don't forget about them,' says Dr Jessen.

Are you more likely to have smelly feet as an active woman?

Short story: yes. But not because of a lack of cleanliness, but rather thanks to the environment in which you're putting your feet on the regs.

'When skin cells shed into your socks and shoes from your feet, these contain bacteria. This will then cause smelly shoes and socks,' says Harrison-Blount. So, how to get around this?

First of all:

Wash your socks at 60+

You need to clean your socks at a high temperature, 60 degrees plus, to destroy the bacteria.

Rotate your trainers

Rotation, rotation, rotation. Say you do a HIIT session or go for a run, pop your trainers off and often they haven't dried out in time the next time you put them on – you're piling up bacteria and layering up the smell. The solution is to have more than one pair of trainers to rotate to break the cycle.

Dr Jessen is on the same page. 'Shoes have a lot to answer for, he says.'It's often not the feet that smell – it's the trainers that smell.'

Because your trainers are tightly bound to your foot, there's not much aeration. Sure, you can get more makes now with venting, but you're still creating that environment that's good for bacteria, versus, say, a suede shoe.

What are the best shoes for smelly feet?

The pair agree that natural beats synthetic, when it comes to shoe choices.

'A leather shoe is better than something synthetic, in terms of not-smelling... if you look at Gortex shoes, for example they're good at keeping water out, but not at wicking sweat inside,' says Harrison-Blount.

Photo credit: Romina Dabraio / EyeEm - Getty Images
Photo credit: Romina Dabraio / EyeEm - Getty Images

And if you're vegan? 'Canvas, breathable shoes are a better alternative than a plastic fake leather than isn't going to breathe and will probably make your feet smell more,' says Dr Jessen.

Do genetics play a part in smelly feet?

A little bit. 'If you sweat a lot, you might be more prone to smelly feet – but there's a lot you can do about it,' says Dr Jessen.

'It might be harder for you [if you sweat so much that] your sports shoes get wet after exercise. That means that it's then ever more important to rotate your shoes.'

Photo credit: Roxana Valle / EyeEm - Getty Images
Photo credit: Roxana Valle / EyeEm - Getty Images

The one piece of footcare advice that the pair want you to heed

Top line: both agree that we spend too much time with our feet in shoes and socks and would benefit from airing them out more.

Why? It will help your body to create more vitamin D and keratin, which is essential for healthy nails. 'Sun exposure will help you keep your feet healthy,' says Dr Jessen.

When it comes to making your feet something you're not mortified by, then, follow this ritual.

Clean your socks at 60 degrees, rotate your gym trainers, choose natural materials for shoes and follow the footcare regime above – and smelly feet should be a thing of the past.