What is the cause of foot odor?
Smelly feet (foot odor; malodorous; bromhidrosis) can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are a number of things that can be done to help.

Feet can smell as the foot sweats and its trapped inside footwear. It is the interaction of these two factors along with bacteria that cause the smell. Feet have more sweat glands than any other part of the body, so they can sweat profusely which can not evaporate (like it can on the hands) due to being enclosed in footwear. The bacteria produce isovaleric acid which is what causes the odor.

A number of conditions can increase the chance for smelly feet, such as a sweaty foot (hyperhidrosis), stress, some drugs and hormonal changes.

Preventing Smelly Feet
It is relatively easy to control most cases of smelly feet by taking number of preventative steps:

Good foot hygiene to reduce bacteria to low levels is the first place to start:

• Bathe your feet daily in lukewarm water with a mild soap and dry thoroughly, especially between the toes.
• Change your socks at least once a day (change your shoes as well if you do sweat a lot).
• Use products with silver in them that help kill the bacteria that grows on the foot.
• Wear thick, soft socks to help absorb the moisture.