Foot odor

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Foot odor (also spelled foot odour) or bromodosis is a type of body odor that affects the feet of humans.

Causes

The main cause is foot

human flora. The front part of the foot produces the most sweat.[1]

The smell is exacerbated by factors that increase sweating, such as wearing closed-toe shoes. Sports footwear such as

foot hair, especially on the toes, and may contribute to odor intensity by increasing surface area on which bacteria can thrive.[citation needed
]

Given that socks directly contact the feet, their composition can affect foot odor. Synthetic materials like polyester and nylon afford less ventilation to the foot than do cotton or wool, leading to increased perspiration and odor, although they can also reduce incidence of blisters by wicking away perspiration. Many synthetic socks are treated with chemicals to help reduce odor.[2]

Wearing closed-toe shoes (e.g.,

skin cells, dirt, and oils
, further contributing to bacterial growth.

Odor qualities

Munster their characteristic pungency.[3]
: 103 

Isovaleric acid (3-methyl butanoic acid), another source of foot odor, is produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis, a bacterial species normally resident on human skin[4] and present in several strong-smelling varieties of cheese.[5]

Other implicated

Pityrosporum.[6]

Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands received a 2006 "Ig Nobel Prize"[7] for demonstrating that the female Anopheles gambiae mosquito, known for transmitting malaria, is "attracted equally to the smell of Limburger cheese and to the smell of human feet".[8] Fredros Okumu, of the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania, received grants in 2009 and 2011 to develop mosquito attractants and traps to combat malaria.[9] He used a blend of eight chemicals four times more effective than actual human secretions.[10]

Prevention

Maintaining good foot hygiene is the best way to prevent foot odour as it eliminates odour causing bacteria and removes dead skin cells as well as

Alpha hydroxy acid containing foot peel preparation, can be used to remove dead skin cells.[11][12]
Using antibacterial soap to wash feet daily; keeping feet dry by changing socks daily and wearing cotton or wool instead of synthetic fibres can also help reduce moisture build-up. Using medicated insoles and foot powder can also help.[13]

Management

In some cases, medical intervention may be needed to treat the bacterial or fungal infection with a topical antibacterial or fungicide.[14][15]

As a paraphilia

Foot odor is one of the most widespread forms of

foot fetish were found to be aroused by smelly socks and/or feet, but most importantly by the intensity of the smell produced by such bacteria.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "INTERACTION OF SILVER NITRATE WITH COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE COTTON SOCKS; RELATIONSHIP TO THE ANTIBACTERIAL ACTION OF SILVER IONS" (PDF). February 21, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  2. ^ "Smelly foot (Foot Odor) - Information from ePodiatry". www.epodiatry.com. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  3. S2CID 33517719
    .
  4. PMID 16699586
    .
  5. S2CID 85336899
    .
  6. PMID 21401651
    .
  7. ^ "The 2006 Ig Nobel Prize Winners". improbable.com. Past Ig Winners. August 2006.
  8. S2CID 12571262
  9. ^ McLaughlin, Michael (July 15, 2011) [July 13, 2011]. "Scientists: Stinky Sock Smell Helps Fight Malaria". Huffington Post.
  10. ^ Susannah Palk (August 2, 2011). "'Dirty sock smell' lures mosquitoes to a sticky end". CNN. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  11. ^ "The solution - Stinkyfeet". Stinkyfeet. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  12. ^ VELASCO, PIA (March 25, 2019). "Read This Before You Try the 'Baby Foot' Peel Craze". Good Housekeeping. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  13. ^ "How to stop smelly feet". NHS UK. National Health Service. April 26, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  14. PMID 25712956
    .
  15. ^ "ATHLETE'S FOOT (TINEA PEDIS)". Summit Medical Group. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  16. ^ "The History of Footwear - Foot Fetish and Shoe Retifism". Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  17. ISBN 978-0-306-46490-4
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