Causes of unpleasant foot odor in adults and children. How to get rid of bad foot odor?

Unpleasant amber exhaled by the feet can bring a lot of inconvenience and worries to a person. People whose feet emit irritating nose odors often feel awkward at a party, in public locker rooms, are embarrassed to try on shoes in a store, and in general, try not to take off their shoes anywhere.

In addition, this problem is quite common among both men and women. Even small children sometimes fall into the category of people with foot odor. Therefore, we will try to figure out what is the reason for such inconveniences, and how we can deal with them.

Unpleasant foot odor causes

The only reason for the appearance of an unpleasant foot odor is the active reproduction of pathogenic bacteria and microbes on the soles of the feet. However, there are quite a few factors contributing to such a rapid spread:

  1. Shoes made of synthetic materials. Such shoes do not allow air to pass to the foot, which only improves the conditions for the growth of bacteria and increased odor.
  2. Socks and hosiery, sewn from low-quality materials. As with shoes, synthetic materials do not allow the foot to breathe.
  3. An individual feature of the body, consisting in profuse sweating
  4. Deviation from the rules of hygiene (wearing dirty socks, wet shoes, irregular removal of rough skin of the feet)
  5. Metabolic disorders due to malnutrition
  6. Certain diseases that cause excessive sweating (tuberculosis, menopause, diabetes, thyroid, circulatory, or nervous system problems)
  7. Stress and anxiety that cause sweating
  8. Excessively active lifestyle, sports
  9. Hormonal imbalance can increase sweat and odor
  10. Fungal infections
  11. Weakening of the immune system, disarming the body in the fight against bacteria

Unpleasant smell under the toenails, causes



  • The main reason for the appearance of an unpleasant odor under the nails are all the same microbes and bacteria. However, if the smell comes directly from under the nail, it could be a sign of nail fungus.
  • As a rule, the fungus is also accompanied by the appearance of a yellowish-greenish tint under the nail. Such a disease does not go away by itself - it must be treated.
  • To do this, you need to contact a dermatologist in a dermatological clinic. Only he can prescribe the necessary tests and treatment

There are several reasons for the appearance of fungus under the toenail:

  • Lack of hygiene and irregular foot washing
  • Weakened immunity, unable to overcome fungal bacteria
  • Wounds, abrasions, corns and cuts on the legs
  • Reaction to the use of antibiotics and other potent drugs
  • Excessive sweating in the legs

If the cause of the unpleasant smell under the toenails was not a fungus, then the factors that provoked its appearance can be called the same factors that contribute to the unpleasant smell of the feet themselves.



  • Oddly enough, but the legs of children emit an unpleasant odor much more often than the legs of adults. This disease is called bromhidrosis.
  • There are a lot of reasons for its occurrence in children - these are poor-quality shoes, and synthetic socks, and digestive problems, and fungal diseases of the feet.

In order to help your baby not experience discomfort from the unpleasant smell of his feet, parents should adhere to the following rules:



  1. It is advisable to buy children only leather shoes or shoes that can let air in. Also, the child is recommended to have several pairs of shoes so that they have time to ventilate or dry out after wet weather.
  2. A child needs to buy socks only from natural materials - a combination of cotton and acrylic is perfect (acrylic will help to quickly remove moisture from the fabric). The rule of daily replacement of socks should also become mandatory. If the kid plays sports, then he should have two pairs of socks for the day - one for sports, and the other for everyday wear.
  3. The child must eat a balanced diet in order to avoid problems with the digestive tract. After all, it is precisely because of the imbalance in the child's body that intoxication occurs, which comes out with sweat. Toxins naturally never smell good. Therefore, the child’s diet should include only natural products (more vegetables and fruits)
  4. Be sure to observe the drinking regime - moisture actively removes harmful substances and toxins from the body
  5. The baby can be given active supplements, such as chlorophyll, to combat body toxicity.
  6. You can also give your child daily baths using aromatic oils and add droplets of such oils to children's shoes.
  7. With the help of aromatherapy, you can not only get rid of an unpleasant odor, but also provide excellent prevention of its occurrence.

In any case, you can’t let everything take its course, and leave the child alone with this rather difficult problem. If all of the above methods of dealing with bad breath in children did not help, it is advisable to contact a specialist. After all, the cause of its occurrence may be a more serious disease that requires immediate treatment.

Sour foot odor: causes and how to get rid of it



  • At times, a person's feet can spray an unpleasant sour smell into the air, or, as some still associate it, a "cheesy" smell. At the same time, shallow pits may appear on the surface of the skin of the feet.
  • Sometimes while walking, a person may experience some discomfort and tingling in the feet. This phenomenon is called keratolysis.
  • Keratolysis is caused by a number of bacteria that, with the help of sweat or moisture from the environment, corrode the surface of the skin and release volatile, acidic odors into the air.
  • If you or your child experience these symptoms, you should see a dermatologist. He will most likely advise you to take a series of tests and prescribe treatment.
  • As a rule, the treatment of keratolysis consists in the use of a variety of ointments, creams or talkers based on antibacterial agents.
  • Even if antibiotics do not give the desired result, doctors prescribe a course of taking erythromycin in the form of tablets lasting a month.

What should I do if my feet smell bad? How to treat foot odor?



Do not panic about the fact that there is an unpleasant smell of feet. If you follow some rules and tips, you can quickly get rid of it. This will require the following:

  1. Hygiene. Wash your feet regularly and thoroughly with a washcloth and antibacterial soap. Do not forget about the area between the fingers - this is the most convenient place for life and reproduction of microbes and fungi
  2. After washing your feet, be sure to wipe them with a towel, because it is moisture that is the best helper of bacteria.
  3. Disinfection. After bathing, you can apply an alcohol-based disinfectant to your feet. If such a tool is not available, you can use ordinary alcohol and vinegar. To do this, you need to mix all the named ingredients in equal proportions and use a spray bottle to apply them on the skin of the legs.
  4. Deodorants. It is also possible to use special antiperspirants and deodorants. Before dressing, you need to wait until such a tool dries. If there is no antiperspirant for the feet, you can use some improvised products that allow you to dry the skin well and kill bacteria. These products include baking soda, talc and cornstarch.
  5. Shoes. When choosing shoes, it is better to focus on leather models, or those options that are made of natural breathable textiles.
  6. It is best to avoid materials such as plastic and rubber as they only increase the smell of sweat. In summer it is better to wear open shoes - open toe must be
  7. In no case should you walk in wet shoes - they need to be given at least twenty-four hours to dry completely. Because it is better to have several pairs of shoes
  8. If this is not possible, then you can purchase a special foot dryer - it can dry shoes in just eight hours.
  9. Shoes also need to be washed or washed regularly - in some cases, you can even use a washing machine for this purpose.
  10. Socks. When wearing closed shoes, be sure to wear socks. They help absorb excess moisture.
  11. Socks should also be made from natural materials - nylon or other synthetic fabrics trap moisture inside, which only provokes the spread of unpleasant odors. Socks need to be changed every day, and sometimes several times a day - socks must be dry
  12. You need to wash socks inside out - this way there will be more chances for complete cleansing of them from dead skin particles of the legs, and, accordingly, bacteria
  13. Baths. You can regularly pamper your legs with a variety of baths. The simplest are baths with soda (it creates an alkaline environment, extremely negative for microbial growth), salt (preferably sea) and a small amount of vinegar (a good disinfectant)
  14. Traditional healers offer foot baths with the addition of a variety of natural ingredients (oak or willow bark, horsetail, nettle, sage, mint, walnut leaves, chamomile)

Preparations for foot odor: Teymurov's Paste, Formidron, Burnt alum, Boric acid, zinc ointment, lavender oil


To combat unpleasant foot odor, pharmaceutical companies offer a huge selection of various drugs and products:

  • Foot cream for bad breath. We'll talk about them a little later.
  • Powders for feet
  • Foot lotions. Such lotions have a disinfecting and deodorizing effect on the skin of the feet. Before applying the lotion, the feet must be thoroughly washed with soap and dried with a towel. After application, you must wait until the lotion is absorbed, and only then put on shoes. The most famous foot lotion from sweat is considered "5 days" from "Galeno Pharm"
  • Ointments for foot odor. Pasta Teymurova- one of the most popular drugs used in the fight against unpleasant foot odor. This tool has antibacterial and drying properties. It contains salicylic and boric acid, talc and zinc oxide.
  • Before applying the paste, the feet should be thoroughly washed and dried naturally (without the help of a towel). Then the paste must be rubbed into the skin of the legs for a couple of minutes. The procedure is performed four days in a row before going to bed.
  • Another popular and fairly budgetary ointment is zinc ointment. It is able to prevent excessive sweating, eliminate odor and soften the skin. Foot ointments based on natural ingredients include DEO control. This ointment consists of shea butter, lavender, tea tree and cocoa, as well as vitamins. These components make it possible to provide DEO-control with good antiseptic and emollient properties.
  • lavender oil. Lavender oil has an antibacterial, antifungal and refreshing effect on the skin of the feet. This oil is used as an additive to the bath. A few drops of lavender must be diluted in milk and added to the bath. The recommended exposure time is twenty minutes. It is advisable to do this kind of bath a couple of times a week.
  • Formidron- a preparation based on formaldehyde, which has an antibacterial and refreshing effect on the skin of the legs. Formidron must be applied and rubbed into the skin of the legs. Since the drug has an excellent drying effect, you need to monitor its dosage, otherwise you can greatly dry the skin.
  • Alum burnt- a preparation based on potassium-aluminum alum with a strong anti-inflammatory, sweat-absorbing and bacteria-blocking action. Burnt alum is produced in the form of a powder, therefore they are used as a powder in the morning. Applying the drug in the morning on clean, dry skin, in the evening it must be thoroughly washed off.
  • Boric acid- a drug with a good antiseptic effect. Boric acid is poured directly into the sock before dressing. These socks should be worn on dry, clean feet. After using the socks, they must be sent to the laundry, and the feet should be thoroughly washed.

DRY-DRY foot cream, Lavilin, "5 days", Deo-control, Chistostop Deo, Folk healer, 911 nepotin, foot cream from Green Pharmacy



Consider the most popular foot creams to help deal with bad breath:

  1. Foot cream DRY-DRY. This drug, produced by the Swedish company Scandi Line, contains aluminum chloride hydrate and denatured alcohol. These chemicals block sweat from escaping through the feet and redirect it to other parts of the body. The drug should be applied to washed and dried skin of the legs one hour before bedtime. In the morning, you can wash your feet - the cream has already been absorbed, and its effect will be noticeable for five days
  2. Foot cream Lavilin. The drug is produced by the Israeli company Hlavin based on simple ingredients: talc, potato starch, zinc oxide, ethylhexylglycerin, triethyl citrate, calendula, arnica and chamomile. Lavilin foot cream, like the previous drug, organizes a kind of plug for the sweat glands, while all the formed bacteria are destroyed with it.
    Apply the drug should be on clean, dry skin. After some time, the feet can be wetted and washed, however, the components of the drug will still remain in the skin. The action of Lavilin lasts about a week
  3. Cream "5 days" from Galeno Pharm. This preparation based on zinc oxide, cetyl alcohol, camphor and menthol is able to reduce sweating, disinfect, dry, cool and refresh the skin of the feet. Apply the cream before going to bed on clean, dried skin.
  4. Cream Deo-control. The preparation from the Kalina concern was created on the basis of natural ingredients: shea butter, lavender, tea tree, cocoa and vitamins. The cream fights existing bacteria on the skin of the feet and creates a protective layer that prevents their reproduction. Deo-control should be applied to dry, washed skin of the legs. Subsequent application is required only when the smell returns again.
  5. Foot cream from Green Pharmacy. Cream based on zinc oxide, menthol, camphor and tea tree has a refreshing, drying and antifungal effect. It is necessary to rub the cream after a shower on dry, clean feet. The effect is five days
  6. 911 nepotin cream
  7. Chistostop Deo
  8. folk healer

Baby powder for foot odor



The main function of foot powder is to dry the skin. On dry skin, it is much more difficult for bacteria to multiply. You can buy foot powder at the pharmacy.

You can also use regular baby powder for this purpose.

Folk remedies for foot odor: talc, starch, salt, boric acid

If neither option suits you, you can use natural products that have a drying effect:

  • Talc
  • Potato starch
  • Corn starch
  • Food salt
  • Boric acid powder

Benzoyl peroxide gel Baziron AC from Oxy Silverot foot odor



Foot gels generally work in the same way as creams, just with a slightly different texture. The most common gels include:

  • Benzoyl peroxide gel Baziron AC from Oxy Silver. This gel is usually prescribed for acne, but it is also great for treating bad foot odor. The active substances of the gel have a detrimental effect on microbes. Baziron AS should be applied once a day to dry, clean skin of the feet.
  • Formagel reduces sweating, prevents the appearance of fungus and disinfects the surface of the skin. It is enough to apply the gel once a week on clean and dry skin of the legs, and then wash it off after half an hour.


In addition to the above methods and means of dealing with unpleasant foot odor, it is advisable to follow a few more tips:

  1. During experiences and stress, the body produces many times more sweat than in a calm state. This should be taken into account when regularly trying to eliminate foot odor.
  2. Crystal-based aerosols perfectly protect the skin from uninvited bacteria and fungi
  3. If the smell caught outside the house, you can wipe your feet with wet antiseptic wipes or alcohol
  4. Proper metabolism and the absence of toxins are the key to normal sweating. Another very important is a sufficient dose of zinc in the human body. It is the lack of zinc that can provoke the appearance of an unpleasant body odor.
  5. It is advisable to wash your feet twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. Doing sports means washing your feet after a workout.
  6. Socks need to be changed every day. Socks must be put on immediately before putting on shoes. Walking for a while in socks before putting on shoes, you run the risk of collecting excess bacteria.
  7. Trimming of toenails should be done regularly and carefully. After all, it is under them that microbes and fungi like to live most of all. And in the case of the formation of wounds or cuts during a pedicure, bacteria live even more fun
  8. Timely removal of keratinized skin on the soles of the feet allows you to deprive the bacteria of a convenient place of existence.

Video: How to get rid of bad foot odor?