Nobody wants sweaty feet. They stink, they flare up, they hurt, and they can even cause other health ailmeents. So, what are the most effective ways to stop sweaty feet? Hold tight, you’re about to find out.
What Causes Sweaty Feet
There are more sweat glands in your feet than any other area of your body. Therefore, if you notice your feet sweating more than the rest of your body, that’s perfectly normal. It’s only when the sweating becomes excessive that you need to be alert.
The main causes of sweaty feet are
- Bad footwear: Thick socks and unbreathable footwear may suffocate your feet and lead to excessive sweating. Wearing thick footwear in hot environments may also cause excessive sweating.
- Malnutrition: An imbalance diet will shake up the chemical balance in your body, which can lead to disturbed metabolism, fatigue, and excessive sweating in the feet.
- Hormone: Hormone fluctuations or hormone imbalance can cause sweaty feet. For the same reason, women may notice excessive sweating during their menstrual cycle.
- Stress and Anxiety: If you have had a rough time lately, you may notice increased sweating in your feet.
- Diabetes: High blood sugar level can damage your peripheral nerves, which can sometimes shock the nerves on your sweat glands. In other words, your feet sweat glands would stay in “ON” mode, which naturally lead to sweaty feet.
Health Concerns with Sweaty Feet
Think of where mold and bacteria grow: dark, moist, and warm environments. Excessively sweating feet can lead to various health concerns, including fungal infections (most commonly athelte’s feet), bacteria infections, heat blisters, heat rashes, odorous feet, etc.
Sweat creates an environment that allow bacteria, fungus, mold, and virus to grow. It als odamages the surface skin tissue and thus makes you more susceptible to the above ailments.
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Wash Your Feet Daily
The best way to prevent sweaty feet is by washing your feet at least once a day. However, if you had a heavy activity day, such as heavy workouts, you should wash your feet right after.
Nonetheless, over-washing your feet can strip the skin of nutrients, tissues, and essential oils, leading to skin-barrier disruption and inflammation.
Allow Your Feet to Breathe
Lack of ventilation is one of the primary causes of sweaty feet. Therefore, the easiest thing to do is letting your feet breathe. When you’re at home, try where sandles or slippers without socks on. You can also sleep without socks on during hotter weather if you struggle with night sweat.
Antiperspirant Foot Lotions & Creams
Antiperspirant foot lotions and creams are the most accessible over-the-counter solution for sweaty feet. These medical creams can stop excessive sweating, reduce odors, and prevent blisters by temporarily block your sweat glands.
However, that’s why you can also overuse antiperspirant and suffocate your glands. Therefore, always read the instruction manual. If you notice other complications on your feet after using antiperspirant to stop excessive sweating, consult a medical professional.
Foot Powder
Foot powder is another great way to stop sweaty feet. Sometimes, they are called body powder instead. It keeps your sweat gland deactivated, while allowing your feet to breathe. However, make sure you get the talc-free powders because talc can be highly toxic to your body.
If you’re not sure what to get, go with baby powder as they’re always less intrusive to your skin.
Baking Soda or Corn Starch
Baking soda and corn starch is a simple alternative for body powders. Their alkaline nature is what helps stop sweating feet. However, you shouldn’t use baking soda or corn starch directly on your feet because they can fill up your pores and cause other probelms.
To use baking soda for sweaty feet, mix 2-3 tbsp of baking soda into a basin-full of warm water. Soak your feet in there for 20-30 minutes and gently massage them. Use your hands and pat your feet till dry.
Alcohol Wipe
Alcohol wipes are convenient, fast solutions to sweaty feet. It doesn’t really tackle the root causes, but it’s an easy fix-up if you just need to stop the sweating for a bit. However, if your feet already have blisters or any other open wounds, using alcohol wipe will damage your tissues.
Women’s Menstrual Pads
Surprise! Lady’s pads are actually great for those with sweaty feet. These pads are far more absorbent than most shoe pads you can find OTC. They are also softer and made with gentle materials. If you stand on your feet all day long, try put a day pad in your feet as an insole. That should keep your feet dry and odor-less throughout the day.
Choose the Right Shoes
Having the right shoes is important with stopping excessive sweat in the feet. Make sure your shoes are in the right size and breathable. During summer days, opt for ankle strap sandals or open-toe slippers over flip flops so your feet can breathe without friction between toes.
For heavy activities, running and hiking sneakers are usually made with breathable materials. Leading sportswear brands like Under Armour, Puma, and New Balance sneakers are all great choices.
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Changing Socks Regularly
Changing socks regularly can reduce foot sweat effectively. The best socks to wear for sweaty feet are polyester (the best option), nylon, and wool ones as they keep your feet dry, cool, and comfortable.
If your feet sweat excessively, make sure to change socks at least once a day or after intensive activities. Always put powder or lotion on your feet and make sure they’re fully dried before putting new socks on.
Stay Hydrated
Sweating dehydrates you, and dehydration in return distresses the body and leads to more sweat. It’s a negative loop. Therefore, it’s important to stay hydrated if you have sweaty feet. Furthermore, sufficient hydration helps regulate your body temperature and blood sugar level, which help reduces sweating on your feet.
When to See a Doctor
If you notice other complications happening with your sweaty feet, such as blisters, bleeding, rashes, or infection, visit a healthcare provider immediately. Or, if there are reasons that made you believe the excessive sweating is caused by an underlying disease, you definitely should seek professional advice.
In the end, it comes down to trusting your gut feelings. Your subconscious most likely knows when something needs medical attention. So, if you are worried about your excessive sweating, visit your primary care provider or at least consult via the phone. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
