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Having extremely sweaty feet is called plantar hyperhidrosis
Having extremely sweaty feet is called plantar hyperhidrosis, and it can be very inconvenient. The feet may get soggy causing slippers to slip off. Other times, it may ruin the person’s shoes. People with sweaty feet may always experience cold feet because their feet are always wet. They also leave damp footprints while walking barefoot. If these are some of the problems you experience, then try some of these below products to counter sweaty feet:
- Antiperspirant products such as Certain Dri feet moisture control pads, Carpe antiperspirant lotion, and SweatBlock wipes and lotions
- Foot and sneaker powders for absorbing sweat and odor
- Peel-and-stick absorbent shoe liners or insoles such as Summer soles
- Sweat-proof socks that are made from wicking interior to pull sweat away from the body
- Shoe dryers to dry your shoes quickly and thoroughly
- Sneakers with breathable mesh top
- Antibacterial soap for your feet
- Antifungal foot spray or powder to be used at night
- Shoe dryers that are available online may help you dry the shoes quickly
What are the measures to prevent sweaty and smelly feet?
Sweaty feet can turn smelly if the sweat remains on the skin, and the skin’s germs break down the sweat to produce the characteristic smell. Sweating is fine, but stinky feet are undesirable and embarrassing.
Some of the preventive measures to keep sweaty and stinky feet at bay include:
- Wash your feet daily with an antibacterial soap; ensure that you wash between the toes to prevent the breeding of germs.
- Soak your feet in a salt soak or vinegar soak. To prepare salt soak, dissolve half a cup of Epsom salt in a tub or large bowl of warm water for about 10-20 minutes. For vinegar soak, combine two parts of water with one part of vinegar in a tub or large bowl of warm water for about 15-20 minutes once a week. Avoid using vinegar soak if your feet have open sores, scratches, and cuts or if the soak irritates you.
- Dry the feet thoroughly and apply cornstarch, foot powder, or an antifungal powder to your feet.
- Wear clean socks and ensure that your feet are completely dry before wearing.
- Wear wicking socks made of natural or acrylic fiber that draw moisture away from the feet instead of tapping it. Avoid using cotton or nylon socks, as they trap moisture but do not wick it away from the skin.
- Keep toenails short and clean.
- Remove hard skin from the soles of your feet using pumice stones—it can become soggy when damp.
- Avoid tight-fitting shoes that do not allow air to circulate.
- Avoid shoes made of synthetic materials.
- Alternate your shoes daily to allow them to dry thoroughly.
What are the other treatments for sweaty feet?
Treatment options depend on your symptoms. Some of the common treatments for sweaty feet include:
- Over the counter or prescription antiperspirant roll
- Botox injection that may temporarily control excessive sweating of the feet
- Oral prescription medications, mostly anticholinergics
- Iontophoresis, in which a low electrical current is passed through the feet to block sweat glands
- Microwave therapy, in which a high-tech device is placed against the feet that emits thermal energy that destroys sweat glands permanently
- Sympathectomy that disturbs the nerve signals associated with sweating; the doctors mostly prescribe this surgery in severe cases