VerySweatyBetty.com

Another blog on sweaty feet – and why not! It’s the season where we’ll be going from lighter Summer footwear to heavier, enclosed Winter shoes and boots.

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Sweaty feet are problem for many. They not only cause social problems but a great deal of personal problems too. Apart from causing strong odor, sweaty feet can also hamper your daily walks and life. Sweaty feet are a natural phenomenon and can be yours by birth. There are many ways to get rid of the sweaty feet. Here is some best information you may be looking for.

Sweaty feet are caused by the nature of your body. In the average span of the day, your body perspires naturally to regulate heat. In case of some people, this natural process of perspiration is overweening in the feet. This is what results in sweaty feet and in most of the cases sweaty palms too. This condition is known as hyperhidrosis; defined as the yield of perspiration more than what is important to cool off your body.

Excessive sweating is generally of two types-the first case is when your body sweats more naturally while in the second case, your body sweats more due to some conditions and diseases. The first case is known as primary hyperhidrosis and the second one is secondary hyperhidrosis.

The biggest problem that lies with sweaty feet is that they can even result in very smelly feet. It can be thus very embarrassing situation for the affected person. People frequently experience pieces of skin that is inclined to peel and be really painful. Sweaty feet can also result in Athletes foot, which is a common condition.

Tips to help cope with sweaty feet:

Take special precaution with foods and drinks that you intake. It is noted that certain foods and drinks can make you sweat greatly. Drinks that have alcohol or caffeine may provoke surplus sweating. In the same way, some spicy food may make some individuals sweat a great deal.

Sweating beyond certain limits may also be due to hereditary reasons. If you are facing problem of sweaty foot, find out whether your parents have this problem too. There are certain medications available in the market that can control natural perspiration. Always consult your doctor before taking these medicines.

If you are taking some medicines regularly, consult your doctor to know if these are the reasons behind excessive sweating. There are certain types of drugs that induce heavy sweating.

If you experience that you sweat more than enough, please consult your doctor to know more. You can not measure the tendency of normal sweating. Therefore, each one of us should know about their body that whether we are sweating more than normal or less.

Do not wear shoes that are made of synthetic materials, such as, tennis shoes and socks. These footwear are made of man made fabric which are actually contributing factors in the production of great perspiration.

There are good qualities of lotions, medications and powders available in the market that are good to help deal with sweaty feet. Certain medical foot bath treatments are good anti-perspirants excellent for sweaty feet.

Information found here

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME – aka Plantar Hyperhidrosis / sweaty feet

Among the important functions of our skin is to assist in getting rid of the excess heat from our body. This is accomplished by evaporative cooling (the sweat evaporates taking with it heat extracted from the body). When there is excess sweating or it is retained on the body, the sweat accumulates; this is called hyperhidrosis. Sweat ordinarily does not produce an odor. If the sweat stays on the skin too long, it can contribute to the growth of bacteria and the breakdown of skin chemicals. This bad smelling sweat is called bromhidrosis. The first condition can be a simple annoyance to you and the second can be an annoyance to those around you, especially in a oriental food restaurant.

RISKS OF SWEATY FEET:

Sweaty feet can also have a harmful effect on other aspects of your foot health too. The excess sweat can act as a chemical vehicle and solvent extracting chemicals from the linings of your shoes. These dissolved, shoe chemicals can cause skin rashes (contact or allergic dermatitis). The sweat can also lead the more rapid deterioration of your shoes.

Most importantly, the sweat also significantly changes the environment inside your shoes to not only dark and warm, but also damp — the perfect environment for certain yeast, mold, fungal and viral infections of the skin. Sweaty feet are thus more like to develop skin rashes, yeast infections, athletes foot, fungus toenails and warts (common or plantar). If you have any of these conditions, then controlling your hyperhidrosis is very important for treating these concurrent problems.

YOU CAN DO IT!:

Here is some helpful advice which you can follow if you have a problem stemming from or worsened by excess perspiration (sweating) of your feet.

HYGIENE is the first and simplest factor which must be addressed. If the feet, toes and toe webs are not well cleansed regularly and kept dry, sweat will accumulate, and foot odor and infections can result.

The feet, toes and toe webs MUST be “cleansed” well, NOT just rinsed off. Use a surgical-grade antibacterial soap such as Betadine® Skin Cleanser (VERY drying; not to be used if allergic to iodine!) or Hibiclens®, or their generic equivalents, available at your pharmacy. “Deodorant” soaps are NOT enough to control bacteria. Cleansing means gently cleaning with a washcloth and then lathering up the feet again with one of the antiseptic soaps and allowing that lather to sit on the feet for a minute before washing it off. Then it is important to thoroughly dry the feet and webs, if necessary with a “hair” drier.

FOOT ENVIRONMENT is the second, obvious area to focus on. We usually encase our feet in closed, tight, shoes which are often made of non-absorbent materials, such as patent leather, plastics, vinyl, and rubber. Frequently shoes are glued together instead of sewn. Do NOT were cotton socks in closed shoes (compared to sandals). Cotton socks in winter, outdoors, can make your feet cold and likely to get frostbite. Cotton socks in closed shoes guarantees hotter, wetter feet!

Whenever possible, wear shoes which closely match the shape and contours of your feet and toes. Limit the use of “stylish,” “designer” shoes. Wear shoes that fit properly; be measured for them before buying; and allow plenty of room in the toe box. If you cannot easily wiggle your toes in the shoe, it is too tight. Wear shoes with uppers made of leather, not impervious. Gortex is great for venting excess perspiration. NEVER wear the same shoes two days in a row; use shoe-trees between uses. Allow your shoes to DRY out a full day before wearing that pair again.

Powder your feet, toes and webs (NOT the shoes) with a good foot powder such as ZeaSorb® (which contains micro-fine cellulose) before donning your socks or stockings. In cool or cold weathers, a thin pair of polypropylene or acrylic socks worn under more absorbent socks of acrylic-wool blend will keep the feet drier. A medium-bulk acrylic sock would be a good substitute for the preceding combination. Cotton socks should be AVOIDED, especially in closed shoes! They are absorbent BUT they hold your own sweat against your skin – there to cause problems! Wear only clean socks – daily. If you have a significant sweat problem, change you socks or stocking half-way through the day, re-powdering your feet when you do.

At the end of the day, wear sandals, zorries or flip-flops around the house. Where appropriate go shoeless with or without a pair of fresh, clean socks. (Caution: may be slippery on tile and wooden floors and stairs!) AVOID foam-filled, terry cloth (usually cotton uppers) slippers.

STRESS makes you Sweat!
Perhaps the most difficult factor to control is the stress in your life. The more “tension” you are under, the more you are likely to have sweaty feet. Modifying your behavior and your psychological environment (at home and at work) to lessen excessive stress will help you control sweating. This is an ongoing task which you must confront, hopefully with the cooperation of the people you have to deal with. Professional guidance may help.

What more can be done?

Several other tools and techniques can help to lessen the problem of sweaty (and smelly) feet.

Soaking your feet in (yes!) regular tea (which contains the astringent tannic acid) daily can be helpful (though it may “stain” your feet). Wiping you feet, toes and webs with rubbing alcohol a couple times daily (or at least before going to bed) may be helpful too; allow it to dry thoroughly. In addition to a towel, consider drying your feet carefully with a hair drier (with heat off in summer and, if safe, on in winter).

For a severe sweating problem and cracking between the toes, place a wick of gauze in each of the web spaces, extending onto the top and bottom of the feet. These can be cut from a cotton gauze pad or from a roll of soft-woven gauze.

Rx: If simpler methods are insufficient, using prescription strength antiperspirants (NOT deordorants!) may be needed. DrySol® or Xerac-AC® is applied nightly to DRY/dried feet(above) and washed off in the morning several times each week. These strong preparations work so well that professional guidance is advised. If your own efforts don’t seem to be working, then call us and come in to see me! We will do our best to help you achieve a better level of foot health. We look forward to serving you, your family and friends for this and other foot and ankle concerns.

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