Why your feet smell?

Some patients are more predisposed to excessive sweating from their feet.  There is a a condition called focal hyperhidrosis, secondary to excessive sweat glands.

Excessive sweat in our body is a protective mechanism of our body temperature. The sweat glands keep our body moist and fresh.

Normally, people sweat during exercise activities, high temperatures, or in situations of fight or flight.  Sweating is also part of our well being to eliminate our body toxins and eliminate fat cells.

However, there is a medical condition were some patients can have excessive sweating at all times. These patients suffer from active sweat glands in every situation.

The most common areas that the patients have excessive sweat is axillas, hand palms and feet soles.

This condition can cause physical and emotional difficulties since it can cause mal odor secondary to excessive toxins excretions. The funky smell from your feet is made by bacteria that accumulates in warm moist places as your shoes. The situation can cause embarrassment to the patients. In our practice we see a high amount of adult and children patients with focal hyperhidrosis in their feet.

The moist environment can cause mal odor in the foot wear and it can cause bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. It’s important that this condition is treated properly to avoid complications later in life.  This condition can be treated with topical medications that can reduce the size of the sweat glands. There is severe cases where we treat the soles of the feet with botox injections. It works by temporarily blocking a chemical in the body that activates sweat glands. Botox injections can reduce 80 % of excessive sweating in your feet.

Author

Mariola Rivera, DPM