With 250,000 sweat glands in the human foot, the average amount of sweat lost daily is around 2 ounces. Shoes worn every day gather up most of this liquid and hold it, causing problems such as smelly feet or worse, athlete’s foot.
Shoes need a minimum of 24 hours to dry out.
“The ‘hot house’ environment of the shoe is perfect for bacteria and fungi to grow,” said Dr. Daniel Aitchuler, a Santa Monica podiatrist. “These nice, hot, wet and dark conditions are perfect for athlete’s foot and smelly feet to develop.”
Both athlete’s foot and smelly feet are usually due to poor foot hygiene.
Athlete’s foot can present itself in different ways.
In one instance, the skin between the toes may look white and soggy. There may be an unpleasant smell and small fissures, or splits. The area usually itches, particularly when the foot is warm, such as in bed at night and after bathing.
Athlete’s foot may also appear as patches of skin, which are itchy and red with little blister-type eruptions. This commonly appears on the inside arch, but can cover the entire foot.
A third type of athlete’s foot is often mistaken for dry skin. This usually appears on the bottom of the foot and often causes dry cracks to appear around the heels.
Prevention is key
To prevent this fungus, try not to wear the same shoes every day. You should have two to three pairs to wear on alternate days. The accumulated moisture has to be given time to evaporate properly.
If you must wear shoes on consecutive days, use a hair dryer, set on medium, for a few minutes to dry out the shoe. Avoid the high setting as it may shrink the leather of the shoe. Also, do not leave shoes by direct heat.
Here are some tips on how to conquer those odiferous problems:
• Wash your feet every day and dry properly between the toes. This applies to after swimming or using the gym.
• Wear clean socks every day. Take spare socks to change into if your feet sweat a lot.
• Wear shoes with leather or Gortex uppers. Hard leather shoes retain more moisture than more porous, softer leather shoes.
• In general, natural materials, such as cotton and wool, are far better for your feet because natural fibers provide a wicking effect, which absorbs moisture and keeps the feet cool as perspiration rapidly evaporates.
• Even more effective are socks made up of synthetic and natural material blends, such as Coolmax, Drimax and Smart Wool, which wick sweat away from the skin, providing a constant dry layer next to the skin.
• Spray your feet with an antiperspirant deodorant, the type used for underarms.
• Wear open sandals as much as possible in warm weather. For leisure, wear well-made sports sandals.
• If your feet smell, wash them using an antibacterial soap. If this doesn’t work, see a podiatrist.
• If you use athlete’s foot treatments, follow the instructions properly. Most over-the-counter products need to be used for at least one month on both feet for it to be completely cured.
• At home, go bare foot as much as possible. However, those with diabetes should not go barefoot if they are experiencing numbness.
• If you use talcum powder, shake off all excess otherwise it ends up as soggy clumps between the toes and makes matters worse.
• Always buy shoes late in the afternoon because your feet swell throughout the day. Shoes should be comfortable when purchased.
• When possible, leave shoes outside in the direct, hot sun for a few hours as the sunlight helps kill bacteria.
