Do you happen to know someone who has smelly feet? Or do you have smelly feet yourself? Known as Bromhidrosis, smelly feet can be embarrassing. The good news is, there are medical treatments to lessen or eradicate the smell. Podiatrists are the medical professionals for this job.
The medical term for body odour is Bromhidrosis. It is an unpleasant smell caused by sweating or perspiring. Perspiration does not have an odour. However, when sweat combines with naturally occurring bacteria and yeast living on the skin, they will break down the perspiration and foul odour will be emitted. The interaction produces a noticeable smell known as body odour.
We often see small holes on the sole of the foot and around the heels. Seen as small craters, those are parts of the skin that bacteria have already consumed. Dead skin needs to be shaved to lessen the amount of bacteria.
Having smelly feet is common among the following groups of people:
- teenagers with sweaty feet
- those who wear shoes for long periods
- those who work in wet environments
- smokers
- and those with high levels of stress.
There are many simple podiatry treatments available for your selection. Our podiatrists will prescribe a plan for you, which you should follow on a daily basis in order to lessen the growth of bacteria on the skin, and thus reducing or eradicating the bad smell.