Sweating is a natural process which helps to regulate body temperature, thus preventing overheating. Sweat is an odorless fluid released from your eccrine glands (sweat glands). Once the fluid reaches the surface of your skin it changes from a liquid to a gas and evaporates, cooling down your body. Excessive sweating of the skin is called hyperhidrosis. It causes your body to sweat more than it needs to, sometimes for no apparent reason. Macerated skin and a changed environment can lead to negative symptoms such as sweaty feet. The result of that is often smelly feet and discomfort or, in more serious cases, skin or nail infections such as viral, bacterial or fungal infections. 

Excessive sweating changes the PH of your skin. The changed environment and skin condition are favorable for different microbes, which can accumulate rapidly on the surface. The metabolic process of the microbes results different chemicals which cause skin odour and smelly feet.

This condition may make you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed but it’s a common problem. A foot health professional or a podiatrist can provide you with help and educate you about how to treat your skin and manage symptoms such as foot odour. 

Advice given will include:

• The best products to use to treat your skin
• The types of socks which are most suitable
• How to take care of your shoes so as to avoid odour

Many adults and children suffer from sweaty feet, which can cause odorous feet or other negative skin condition such as infection. It causes them discomfort and anxiety, further increasing the symptoms. Excessive sweating causes changes in the PH of the skin, which is beneficial for some bacteria to growth too. In that welcoming environment its growth is rapid. Their metabolic processes result in different chemicals on the surface of the skin and in high occasion those cause of foot odour.

On rare occasions when the number of microbes increases substantially on the skin or under the nails, they can cause more severe infections with different symptoms. 

In the case of a Bacterial infection, a skin disorder such as pitted keratolysis may result or a nail infection may occur, which can cause green discolorization (Pseudonomas bacteria). 

Over macerated skin between toes and on the sole area increases the risk of fungal infections, which can also be to blame for smelly feet, but the symptoms are different from a bacterial infection and the treatment method is also different. See more information here: Athlete's foot or Fungal nail infection.

To treat foot odour, get your feet checked for bacterial or fungal infections by a foot health professional or podiatrist. 

Bacterial infections occur when the top layer of skin is infected, creating an unpleasant smell by the metabolic process of the microbes. If you suspect a bacterial infection, then the best course of action is to visit a professional. On rare occasions you may need to be referred to your GP for further assessment. 

Fungal infections like athlete’s foot can cause a variety of issues that make the feet produce an odour. More information about fungal skin or nail infections can be found here: Athlete’s foot or Fungal nail infection.

If you’re not suffering from a bacterial infection or athlete’s foot, but have sweaty feet, I recommend that you come for an assessment where I can provide you with advice about how to treat your feet at home in order to avoid smelly feet in the future and feel comfortable again.