The burden of smelly feet

PERSONAL HYGEINE

One evening as I was hanging out with my girlfriends, Sarah revealed to us how she had dumped her fiancé for among other reasons, having smelly feet and that he was not willing to do anything about it.

Whenever she raised her concern, he simply reminded her to mind her business.

In this case, she had no choice but to dump him and move away from the stench. What surprised me, before Sarah could finish narrating her ordeal; almost all the eight girls interjected sharing their encounters with either lovers, male friends, relatives, workmates or strangers who had smelly feet.

  "It's kind of embarrassing to tell him that your feet smell," most of the girls, exclaimed!
However, aside from men, women too face this problem.

Medical explanation
This condition is called bromodosis, which is a result of both life-style and medical factors.

Edwig Nagabirwa, a dermatologist with Skin Specialist Clinic at Silver Arcade Kampala explains that smelly feet are caused by either bacteria or fungi. It's common in people with sweaty feet. The common bacteria are called corynebacteria. They digest the sweaty skin and release a waste product which causes the smell.

Since the feet have thousands of sweat glands, in some people, this can lead to a whole lot of sweat. Besides, there can also be dead skin cells, dirt, oils, mold and fungus thriving there.

Brig Gen Kenneth Ocen Obwot, a senior consultant dermatologist with Bombo Military Hospital adds that when the sweat gets trapped inside the socks and shoes, bacteria and fungus thrive in this environment.

"The sweat, including that which comes from between the toes, facilitates overgrowth of infectious agents which can be bacterial or fungal, hence causing the smell," he elaborates.
 
Poor hygiene
Joseph Ssekamatte Kawuma, a dermatologist at Clara Skin Clinic, Kansanga says the most obvious cause of smelly feet is poor hygiene.
Nagabirwa adds that treatment in this case involves ensuring good foot hygiene as well as keeping them dry.

"The person with the smelly feet should, in the first place, be encouraged to observe good hygiene: wash their feet thoroughly at least once a day with soap and water. They should also scrub the thick skin," she advises adding that afterwards, they should dry the feet not forgetting the area between the toes. It is where the moisture usually collects.

Grace Mulyowa of Mbarara University of Science and Technology's department of Dermatology, emphasises that a general shower is not enough to keep the toes clean. One should, therefore, concentrate on the feet. Wash them thoroughly with an antibacterial soap daily.

He adds that to mitigate the smell further, protect the feet with powder, preferably, athlete's foot spray powder. It will protect the feet all day.

On the other hand, Ocen shares his remedy. "For stubborn odors, I mix formalin with water and let the patient soak their feet in the basin for at least five minutes. It works," he says.
 
Watch his shoes and socks
According to Ssekamatte, one cannot eliminate the smell without paying attention to their shoes and socks. Some of these add to the problem.

"Encourage your man to wear cotton socks that absorb sweat, preferably those used by sports people," he suggests. However, this is not enough. The man should change the socks daily as well. This calls for having different pairs, as this will allow for proper drying between use.

Besides, change of socks prevents the buildup of moisture and dead skin. If possible, he should also have at least a change of shoes to allow them to breathe.

Meanwhile, Nagabirwa stresses that the feet and socks should be dry before one puts on their shoes.Additionally, the shoes should be made of breathable materials such as leather or canvas. These provide for more ventilation and therefore limit the growth of bacteria. In this case, also, the person with stinky feet should steer away from tight fitting shoes.

"Wear open-toed sandals whenever it is convenient and even walk barefoot where it is acceptable," Ssekamatte explains.
It is also important to change shoes daily.

Avoid putting on the same pair two days in a row and endeavor to get rid of old shoes.
The shoe insoles (what some call shoe carpets) also harbor bad smells, though there are those purposely made to capture foot odor. Inserts help to comfort the feet but if not well maintained, they can act as a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi.

Therefore, while washing the shoes, remember to remove the carpets before sun drying them. If the smell persists, buy new ones and if you can do without them, the better.

Elsewhere, while some men decide to wear shoes without socks hoping that this will solve the problem, Mulyowa cautions against it.

"Wearing shoes without socks can lead to sweat accumulation.

This stimulates the bacteria to grow over time," he warns.
Where he keeps his shoes also matters a lot. They should be kept in a well-ventilated storage to allow them to air out. It is not healthy to throw them in a dark closet as some people do.
 
Is he diabetic?
Ocen highlights that diabetic patients are most likely to experience smelly feet."If your man is diabetic, encourage him to visit the doctor at any slight sign of odor. This may be an indicator of a serious complication," he advises.

In the same way, a man with a condition that causes excessive sweating of hands and feet which is also called hyperhidrosis, has an increased risk of having smelly feet. He should therefore seek medical advice early enough.

Ocen advises to look out for and treat wounds, more so, those between the toes as well cuts and swellings on the skin.
"Swellings, wounds or cuts may lead to severe bacterial infection of the skin or soft tissue hence producing a terrible odour," he explains.
 
Home remedies
Nagabirwa suggests using home remedies to eliminate this problem once and for all.
Apart from odor killing products like powders and sprays, one can come up with a solution to conquer smelly feet.
"Do apple cider vinegar soaks. Put three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in half a basin of water and soak your feet for 15 minutes. 

Those with sweaty feet can use antiperspirants, the same ones they use for the armpits," Nagabirwa elaborates.
The soak helps to kill fungus and odor-causing bacteria, leaving feet clean and smelling fresh.

However, she emphasises that these remedies will not be effective if your man continues to put on damp or dirty socks and shoes.
Similarly, you can also prepare salt baths and tea soaks for him.

For the tea soaks, add four to five tea bags to hot water and allow it cool before soaking his feet for about 20 minutes every day until the odor is eliminated.

Talcum powder, baking soda and baby powder can also help the feet to smell better since they absorb extra moisture.
 
Watch your diet
Oftentimes, the stinky smell may be as a result of what he eats. Nagabirwa advises the man to reduce on refined carbohydrates and instead focus on  eating a more balanced diet that includes proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.

Refined or simple carbohydrates include sugars and refined grains that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. These include white bread, pizza dough, pasta, pastries, white flour, white rice, sweet desserts, and many breakfast cereals.

He should also avoid too much alcohol, smoking, onions and garlic but instead increase the intake of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. This will help relieve the perspiration and odor.
 
Consult the doctor
Ssekamatte is of a view that if all the remedies fail to work, encourage him to see either a podiatrist or dermatologist.
"The doctor will investigate the cause, perform tests and prescribe oral medication or an ointment, depending on the cause," he adds.