How to get rid of foot odor at home
The cause of the smell is excessive sweating. The foot is inhabited by tens of thousands of microorganisms, for which the epidermis is a place of life and development. There are about 20 thousand sweat glands there, emitting more than 200 milliliters of sweat per day. Under normal conditions, it should evaporate and not stench.
Sometimes this process is difficult, due to the vital activity and decay of pathogenic bacteria, sweat acquires a sharp and unpleasant odor. The question arises, how to get rid of this phenomenon at home? You need to understand the causes of the problem and choose the most suitable solution.
Precautionary measures
The choice of methods for treating unpleasant foot odor is quite large. These are recipes of traditional medicine, pharmacy drugs, home remedies. Follow the instructions exactly, apply the medicine correctly and observe the dosage.
When using any drug or folk remedy, it is necessary to conduct an allergy test. It is simple to do: smear a small part of the substance on the back of the forearm or in another inconspicuous place. Wait at least two hours, but rather a whole night, and evaluate the result. If there are no redness, blisters, rashes and other signs of allergy, you can safely use the product in the fight against sweating of the legs.
Why do legs smell bad?
- Foot fungus. Excessive sweating is accompanied by a pungent odor, because infection with a fungus provokes the multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms that cause stench.
- Footwear. Bacteria breed well in low-quality synthetic shoes.
- Hyperhidrosis is a disease characterized by profuse sweating. The amount of sweat glands in one person is greater than in another, therefore, more sweat is released. Stress, negative emotions and experiences are the main causes of profuse sweating and bacterial reproduction.
- Violation of personal hygiene.
- Socks or stockings made of synthetic fabric.
Excessive sweating is not always a disease. Perhaps this is a feature of the body or a genetic predisposition. It is worth highlighting some funds that can ensure an effective fight against the problem. All of them are divided into folk and pharmacy, which one is more useful and will provide a positive result, a person must determine independently, based on the characteristics of his body.
Video tipsFolk remedies against foot odor
Vinegar
This tool, widely used in cooking, successfully fights pathogens and resists fungus. Instruction:
- Take a small bowl or an unnecessary pan and pour one liter of vinegar (9%) there.
- Add the same amount of water, then heat to about 36-45 ° C to make your feet comfortable.
- Pour contents into a bath or foot basin.
- Place the feet completely in the solution, then wrap with a towel and hold for 18 minutes.
- Dry your feet thoroughly, apply moisturizer, and put on cotton socks.
To achieve a positive effect, 7 procedures are enough, but they should be repeated every other day. If the disease is started, then the number of procedures will have to be increased to 15-20. To enhance the effect, make the solution more concentrated, that is, add less water.
Tea
This bath is very simple. It is enough to brew strong tea, preferably black, to insist and steam the legs. The procedure should not last more than ten minutes.
Oak bark is one of the most famous, popular means that really helps to cope with the problem, because the effectiveness has been tested by people for many centuries. To prepare the bath you will need four tablespoons of bark and four glasses of water. The components are mixed, boiled for 2-3 minutes and allowed to infuse. Baths with a decoction of oak bark are done before bedtime. The course of treatment is at least one week, each procedure should last about 15 minutes.
Homemade creams
To prepare the product, you need 1 teaspoon of potato or corn starch, a third of a tablespoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of Shea butter (it can be found in cosmetics stores or pharmacies). Mix the ingredients thoroughly until a thick cream. Rub the resulting mass into the feet. If the smell seems unpleasant, add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil.
Herbal baths
The infusion of sage leaves will help with excessive sweating of the legs. To prepare the solution, take 3 teaspoons of leaves and pour 4 cups of boiling water. Insist 30-40 minutes and strain. Take baths at intervals of 1-2 times a day for 10 minutes. The course of treatment is 1 week.
An alternative to sage is horsetail. Prepare the broth from 4 teaspoons of grass, filled with 1 liter of water. Boil the solution for 5 minutes, strain, pour into another container. Dilute with 3-4 glasses of water. Take a bath for 20 minutes every day for 5 days.
Salt baths
Fungus and bacteria are afraid of salt. This is one of the easiest ways to get rid of foot stench. You need only 20 grams of table or sea salt dissolved in hot water. Steam in this solution for 20 minutes.
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An affordable cosmetic product is foot deodorant. It not only masks the unpleasant odor, but also neutralizes the cause of its appearance. Use the product every day and forget about the problem of unpleasantly smelling legs. The deodorant is not harmful to the body, does not have a side effect and serious contraindications.
Calendula and Echinacea tinctures are suitable for daily foot care. Tea tree oil, which can be bought in almost every pharmacy, will cope well with the smell if applied every night before bedtime and after baths.
If the fungus is the cause of the unpleasant foot odor, then this disease should be treated. The most effective remedies against foot fungus:
- Pasta "Teymurova". The composition of the drug includes boric acid and talc. These chemicals dry the skin well. Application: rub the paste into the nails and between the toes for 4 days for three minutes. ATTENTION! The medicine should not be applied to damaged skin!
- "Formagel" destroys fungus and excessive sweating. Use it only once every seven days.
- "911-Nepotin" cream. This drug is characterized by its antimicrobial and antiseptic properties due to sage, menthol and green tea, which is part of it. A week of use will allow you to forget about the smell and excessive sweating.
Useful Tips
- Observe foot hygiene every day and change socks and stockings in a timely manner.
- Shoes also begin to smell bad, so air them and neutralize the smell with soda or dry tea bags.
- Dry the insoles every day.
- Wash your shoes regularly, not only from the outside, but also from the inside.
- Wear socks, tights and stockings only from natural fabrics.
Follow these simple and uncomplicated rules and you will forget about the unpleasant smell of your legs forever. If the problem persists, consult a doctor. Careful foot care is the key to your health and good mood.