Stinky Feet (Full Version)

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Memaw. -> Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 11:05:11 AM)

My husband has the worst smelling feet ever.

A brand new pair of shoes will be ruined within a day or so of him wearing them, he sets them outside when he takes them off otherwise the room they are in will reek.
He washes his feet daily, dries them thoroughly before putting any socks or shoes on, puts Gold Bond Foot Powder in his shoes and yet, they are still horrible.

We thought maybe it was due to callous buildup so he (against his desire) went for a pedicure.
No change.

Any tips, advice?

PS. Yes, this is serious. [&:]



stellaluna -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 11:31:21 AM)

Hmm...try tomato juice to get rid of the odor from his feet. That was the only thing that worked on my brother's feet when he decided to wear his Chucks for a month with no socks. (We thought something had died under the house. My dad even crawled under there to check. [8|])

You can buy antimicrobial socks these days, although I don't know how well they work. Also, I have read that you shouldn't wear the same shoes everyday. You should have two or three that you alternate so they all have time to completely dry on the inside.



Memaw. -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 11:58:03 AM)

Tomato juice?
Ok, I am dense, how do you use that?



solo_soprano22 -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 12:04:31 PM)

Has he tried soaking his feet in water with tea bags? I think his feet may take on a tent of brown, but it's worked for some females. It might work for him.



Memaw. -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 12:08:52 PM)

Haven't tried the tea bags, actually never heard of using them for something like this.

Worth a try.[;)]



karlie -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 12:14:54 PM)

I use spray deodorant(the underarm kind) on my feet in the summer to keep my sandals from getting icky since I don't wear socks with them. It has worked like a charm. I spray my feet, then the insole of my sandal, and even at the end of an entire day in the heat we have here, no sweaty feet and my sandals never smell. It may not be strong enough for this situation, but it's worth a try!



Focusing -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 12:18:25 PM)

Eww ... I have brothers like this. [&:]

Soaking in tomato juice or vinegar has worked. 1 part to 5 parts water. Soak for 15 minutes.

Also, no synethtic socks! Use all cotton or wool because they are natural fibers. Switching shoes is important, and make sure to use a disinfecting spray in the shoes when he takes them off.



stellaluna -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 12:31:53 PM)

My mom poured a big can of tomato juice in a plastic dish pan and my brother kept his feet in there until they didn't smell anymore. [8D]



manda59 -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 1:06:15 PM)

Has he tried putting Odor-Eater insoles in his shoes (or whatever brand name you have over there)?



solomonsprayer -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 1:07:12 PM)

I was under the impression that most, if not all, bad odors are the result of either sweat or infection/bacteria? ...Like with bad breath, smelly under arms, stinky feet, etc....?....

If it is not sweaty feet and they've been washed, could it possibly be a fungus or skin/bacterial infection? I think the doctor may have something to help if so. ...Also, shoes can carry germs too if they are not washed. Maybe plop the shoes in washer with detergent and clean them out, in addition to the feet. That way you elminate cross-contamination.

I would mainly see a doctor, though, if it has not been cured after several homemade type remedies.

My roomate in college had the worst smelling feet on planet earth and it was mostly because he worked out in two different sports and was always active....He would sweat liike crazy and his shoes stunk. He had to constantly wash his feet and shoes and socks. Just one day without a good wash and it was unbearable. I thought I'd pass out many times when just sitting there across from him in our dorm.



solo_soprano22 -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 1:08:55 PM)

I haven't tried the teabag thing... I just hear people saying it worked. I actually got it from Dr. Oz.

Apparently, the secret for really smelly feet is to simply dry them out. And one of the best ways to do that is to soak your feet in tea.

Yep, Dr. Oz said to take some tea bags, place them in a bowl of lukewarm water, and let your feet soak in that for 30 minutes each day for a week.

The tannic acid in the tea will actually tan your foot a little bit, which will dry it out," he said. "That's helpful in reducing the amount of sweat, and the odor as well."

Dr. Oz said other home remedies may also be worth trying, but for people with really smelly feet, sometimes the only way to fix the foot odor problem is to dry out the feet with tea like this. From HERE

Here's another little page.



agapetos -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 1:35:00 PM)

quote:

could it possibly be a fungus or skin/bacterial infection?
My thoughts too.

Also, what are his socks made of? It could be that they're causing his feet to sweat and not absorbing the sweat.



solo_soprano22 -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 1:53:09 PM)

Bacteria are usually responsible for odor like this; if he has an infection I think he should get it checke out. Otherwise, I think stopping the sweat will keep the bacterial breakdown at a minimum, stopping the odor. And I've actually seen people not get the infection checked out but just took care of the sweating (no medium for bacteria to grow)-- so they ended up getting rid of their own infection. :)



Memaw. -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 10:00:12 PM)

Thanks for all the replies.
I'll have him try the tomato juice and the tea bag thing.
His socks are cotton only, he wears tennis type shoes (he has 2-3 pair he switches back and forth with).

I am wondering if he has a bacteria, because they used to not have any odor, it's only been within the past year or so that they have gotten like this, about the same time we noticed his toenails had gotten real thick and....icky looking.

So, it probably is a bacteria or fungus huh?

I wonder if a good soak in bleach water will do the trick?[8|]



agapetos -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 10:16:44 PM)

quote:

So, it probably is a bacteria or fungus huh?
Yep. You may want to see a doctor or pharmacist to see how best to treat it. Some of them do spread, so anyone else in the house may end up with it.



solo_soprano22 -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/20/2008 11:49:06 PM)

The toenail-thickening leads me to believe that it might be an infection. I know it's a sign/symptom of some of those that people get on the feet. I've used some anti-fungal meds in the past and they worked well (applied directly to the foot); I think they make prescription-strength meds (both by mouth and by direct appliction) that probably work well. Mine never got to that point...my sister is a cosmetologist and got me some good regular stuff. :) Perhaps he should try tomato juice and tea (not at the same time), if/after he gets it checked out. :) Good luck! I know it's a frustrating problem.

ETA: I'm not sure what icky-looking means... but it doesn't sound good. [&:]



stellaluna -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/21/2008 12:00:31 AM)

A lot of toenail thickening and yellowing comes from fungus. If the two happened at the same time, they probably are related. But tomato juice and tea won't hurt his feet and they certainly won't clear up or mask the symptoms of anything that's wrong with his toenails. Have you googled toenail fungus yet? Maybe you can find pictures to compare to help you decide whether to go to the doctor. (or dermatologist)



locomom -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/21/2008 1:09:41 AM)

What are his shoes made of? Does he alternate pairs of shoes so that he isn't wearing the same pair of shoes 2 days in a row?

A lot of tennis shoes have synthetic linings which can make people's feet sweat. Also if the shoes are made of man-made materials, the man-made upper will make feet extra stinky in someone who is already prone to stink.

www.footsmart.com is a good website for people with problem feet. I don't know much about the foot odor products specifically.



manda59 -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/21/2008 10:56:13 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Memaw.

Thanks for all the replies.
I'll have him try the tomato juice and the tea bag thing.
His socks are cotton only, he wears tennis type shoes (he has 2-3 pair he switches back and forth with).

I am wondering if he has a bacteria, because they used to not have any odor, it's only been within the past year or so that they have gotten like this, about the same time we noticed his toenails had gotten real thick and....icky looking.

So, it probably is a bacteria or fungus huh?

I wonder if a good soak in bleach water will do the trick?[8|]




Any kind of foot fungus tends to take a *long time* to clear up, so I'd recommend seeing the doctor for it. I doubt very much if soaking in "bleach water" would suffice.

I'd also suggest that he moves from tennis shoes to leather shoes, as leather is breathable and feet don't sweat so much.



Memaw. -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/21/2008 11:00:52 AM)

quote:

icky looking

Thick, yellow to grayish color and the nails on his big toes have "streaks" through them (one of the nails is actually trying to "lift" off the bed).

I tried to google to get a pic to compare but couldn't find one that is like it.

His tennis shoes are synthetic materials and that may be part of it, but even in sandals they are pretty bad.

I'm thinking I'm just going to get him into the doctor to find out for sure what this is.



his_chosen -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/21/2008 11:18:27 AM)

Ditch the cotton!!! It holds moisture. Bacteria/fungus loves moisture. Try running socks. They wick away moisture.

Regardless, given the discoloration, I'd have it checked out by a doctor.



TorchHeart -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/21/2008 11:58:24 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Memaw.

My husband has the worst smelling feet ever.

A brand new pair of shoes will be ruined within a day or so of him wearing them, he sets them outside when he takes them off otherwise the room they are in will reek.
He washes his feet daily, dries them thoroughly before putting any socks or shoes on, puts Gold Bond Foot Powder in his shoes and yet, they are still horrible.

We thought maybe it was due to callous buildup so he (against his desire) went for a pedicure.
No change.

Any tips, advice?

PS. Yes, this is serious. [&:]



Does your husband's feet sweat a lot? If so, he might have a condition similar to mine. My feet get very sweaty and tend to stink something horrible (my wife used to tell me that they could "gag a maggot"). I actually saw my doctor about it. He said that some people just have hyperactive sweat glands in their feet, and so they perspire more. His recommendations were to bathe my feet more often (if you have one of those foot massagers where you dip your feet into the water and let the air-jets run, that's great) and to go without socks more often so that my feet could air out and dry up. I wear sandles a lot in the summer, now (which feels great), and go without socks around the house in the winter. The odor problem has cleared up considerably for me. (Thank God, because I think my wife was actually considering using a chain saw on my lower legs.)

Another thing that I've heard is that diet can affect how much you sweat and body odor. I don't know how much stock to put in this, but does your husband eat a lot of spicy foods?



HisCovenant -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/21/2008 2:59:50 PM)

I have hyperhydrosis, like TorchHeart, too.

Wearing socks as little as possible helps me tremendously. Wearing open shoes and going barefooted helps. Maybe move to the south so he can do that year 'round! [;)]

Washing my self and my shoes as much as possible helps, too. It's a reset botton to the sweat glands and gets bacteria out of shoes. Also, make sure he is cleaning under his toe nails. I think a brush is a quick way to scrub them, but most men I've seen maintain their toe nails prefer to pick at them with a sharp object. [&:] And allowing the shoes to completely dry between wearings helps, too. If they are constantly wet, there is no way to stop bacteria growth. It's just a breeding ground.

Also avoiding synthetic materials in socks helps, too. I know you said your husband wore cotton socks, but cotton alone would not work in a sock (and is impossible to find.) Make sure he is getting the highest natural fiber content and lowest synthetic content available, because fiber content can vary greatly.

The Gold bond spray works better than the powder at eliminating odor in shoes. I use that in my figure skates which smell like a hockey player (and a hockey player is the worst smelling thing I can think of b/c they NEVER wash their pads. [:'(])



manda59 -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/21/2008 3:18:24 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Memaw.

quote:

icky looking

Thick, yellow to grayish color and the nails on his big toes have "streaks" through them (one of the nails is actually trying to "lift" off the bed).

I tried to google to get a pic to compare but couldn't find one that is like it.

His tennis shoes are synthetic materials and that may be part of it, but even in sandals they are pretty bad.

I'm thinking I'm just going to get him into the doctor to find out for sure what this is.





Memaw

Have a look at this link: Onychomycosis

There's a pic there too. If you want more, put Onychomycosis into Google and click on Images.[8|]

ETA: I did it for you: Further images

The smelliness may or may not be connected with the toenail issue, but IMO it would be definitely worth checking this out first and getting it sorted, as it will only get worse (sorry!)



stellaluna -> RE: Stinky Feet (9/21/2008 5:20:14 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: HisCovenant
(and a hockey player is the worst smelling thing I can think of b/c they NEVER wash their pads. [:'(])

I think this is the truest thing I've ever read on the boards. There is nothing like hockey player smell. And once you've smelled it, you will never forget it or mistake it for anything else.



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