This is an automatically translated article.
Sweaty feet is a common condition in many people, especially those who often wear shoes, often move a lot or have strong sweat glands. Bad feet not only make you lose confidence but sometimes an obsession with the opposite person. So is foot odor contagious?
1. What is foot odor?
Bad feet or smelly and sweaty feet can be an embarrassing problem. However, the condition is quite common as these are problems that affect large numbers of adults and children on a daily basis.
It is not surprising that a person can experience sweaty feet from time to time. Feet are home to more than 250,000 dense sweat glands and bacteria - when aided by the presence of moisture from sweat is the main source of stinky feet.
Bệnh hôi chân gây bốc mùi khó chịu
When foot sweat is excreted, excess foot sweat will seep into the lining of shoes and socks. At this time, strains of bacteria that eat dead skin cells on the feet are created a favorable environment and grow, causing odors. These bacteria can also spread and grow inside shoes, leading to shoe odor.
2. What is the cause of foot odor?
Sweaty feet and ingested bacteria are the biggest cause of foot odor. People who wear poorly ventilated shoes, synthetic boots, or wicker socks made of polyester or nylon may be more likely to experience foot odor.
In contrast, some people have a genetic predisposition to hyperhidrosis. This means that the body will be able to produce more sweat than the average person, which can make feet smelly year-round, not just during the hot summer months or when you exercise a lot.
3. Is foot odor contagious?
People with foot odor are often worried, is foot odor contagious? It is because of physiological characteristics that each foot has 250,000 sweat glands and secretes about 500 ml of sweat per day. With hot and humid conditions secreted by sweat, bacteria are created a favorable environment to reproduce and thrive, which can cause unpleasant foot odor.
Therefore, foot odor can be spread from person to person, through a bacterial agent, with the situation when sharing shoes and socks, and especially if sanitary conditions are poor. Therefore, people need to know if bad foot disease is contagious to avoid bringing the disease to themselves or to others.
4. How to improve foot odor?
4.1 Foot care
The simplest way to prevent sweat and smelly feet is to make some simple lifestyle changes, which should start with foot care. Keep your feet clean and dry by washing them daily with soap and water, and drying them thoroughly between your toes. In addition, consider wearing sandals or shoes with straps or even barefoot when possible, in order to optimize ventilation conditions for the feet.
4.2 Foot hygiene
Excellent foot hygiene is key to treating and preventing smelly feet. This isn't just about washing your feet daily with antibacterial soap, but paying attention to the areas between the toes and incorporating other home remedies:
Exfoliate your feet: Using a scrub brush or pumice stone can help remove dead skin cells that bacteria love to eat. People with particularly smelly feet can use a pumice stone 2-3 times per week to avoid accumulation of dead skin cells. Salt soak: Salt is also a useful agent that helps kill bacteria on the skin. Prepare a bowl of warm water and dissolve half a cup of salt. Then soak your feet for 10-20 minutes and then dry your feet thoroughly.
Ngâm chân với muối hoặc giấm ăn giúp cải thiện tình trạng của bệnh hôi chân
Vinegar soak: Put 2 parts warm water and 1 part vinegar (apple or white vinegar is fine) in a bowl and soak your feet for 15-20 minutes. However, vinegar should not be soaked if the skin of the feet has any cuts, sores or scratches, as vinegar has the potential to irritate open areas of skin. Use antiperspirants: Deodorants can be used to cover foot odor. Although traditionally used for underarm skin, applying antiperspirant to the feet can reduce the rate of perspiration. If needed, your doctor may prescribe a stronger antiperspirant suitable for your feet. Another option is to use cornstarch, which is highly absorbent.
4.3 Footwear advice
Smelly feet can be embarrassing but not medically serious. It is because socks and shoes are a closed environment, stimulating the secretion and stagnation of foot sweat, making it easy for germs to multiply. A person can take several steps to reduce the incidence of smelly feet associated with footwear:
Socks: Wearing socks at all times can help reduce foot odor. Socks, especially socks made of sweat-wicking materials, such as wool, acrylic or polypropylene, can help increase sweat absorption and reduce odors. Besides, this type of accessory is also easily changed, so changing socks daily, or even more, helps keep the skin from getting wet, helping to reduce odors that can linger inside the shoe. Shoes: The more breathable the shoes, the more sweat evaporates and the moisture is reduced, which helps reduce foot odor. Accordingly, leather shoes and natural fabrics, shoes with mesh help the feet "breathe" better than synthetic shoes. Shoes made from plastic are hardly breathable and promote more foot perspiration, which further contributes to foot odor. Furthermore, allowing shoes time to dry completely between wear can help minimize particularly foul-smelling feet. This is done by wearing one pair of shoes one day, then another the next day, which can give the shoes enough time to dry. Shoe pads: Should add shoe insoles with anti-odor or antibacterial insoles. At the same time, it is advisable to change the insoles regularly, to avoid moisture because it will help bacteria and fungi to grow. In addition, anti-bacterial or antiseptic spray products can also be chosen instead of or combined with shoe insoles. However, this option will be less effective if it still does not dry the sole of the shoe completely.
4.4 Medical interventions
Sometimes, despite our best efforts with the above measures, bad breath still cannot be overcome. When this is the case, the person may wish to see a doctor for specialized medical assistance:
Electroconversion technology: This may be a treatment option for bad breath. The working principle of ion transfer technology is to deliver a gentle electric current through water to the skin to reduce the rate of foot sweat. Botox: Another option used in some cases is botulinum toxin injections or Botox. This medication is injected into the feet to inhibit the secretion of sweat glands. In fact, botox injections have also been used for excessive underarm sweating. However, these injections can be particularly painful, and results usually only last for 3-4 months and still require a combination of other treatments. In short, the underlying reason for most cases of smelly feet is bacteria and moisture. Therefore, foot odor can be transmitted if hygiene is not ensured. Although foot odor is not a danger, the condition can sometimes have a huge impact on your life, and you may wonder if it's contagious. Accordingly, apply the ways to improve foot odor above and patiently maintain it every day, hoping to soon improve, helping people love their feet more.
