When your feet are really sweaty you may suffer from hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis affects people on their hands, feet, and faces producing an abnormally high amount of sweat on a regular basis.

In this case it could be that commercial, over-the-counter antiperspirants or natural home remedies just don’t work.

You may have tried foot soaks, Certain-Dri or Sweat Block and even doctor-prescribed antiperspirants such as Drysol containing 20% aluminum chloride hexahydrate solution, to no avail.

Most of the several home remedies to help ease the symptoms of this condition, have the same method of action (potency varies per remedy) namely an astringent action. However, if your feet still sweat excessively this may interfere with your work and social activities.

If this is the case more serious, invasive and aggressive treatments may be required to effectively prevent hyperhidrosis. Your doctor will assess if there’s an underlying cause and start treatment. You could be referred to a dermatologist too.

In order to inform you on your options, here are three effective, common treatments for severe hyperhidrosis of the feet.

Iontophoresis

Iontophoresis is done with a device that uses small electrical pulses to create a current across the skin until you feel a tingle.

While you can do this home, many people elect to have this procedure done in a hospital or doctor’s office by a professional technician. Often you start out on a daily basis followed up by weekly visits.

In iontophoresis, your feet will be submerged in water for about a half hour in order to act as a better conductor for the tiny electric pulses they are sending through the skin of your feet.

How does it work?

This process causes your pores to temporarily stop being able to produce sweat in the affected area. This procedure is ongoing and will require many sessions in order to prevent your hyperhidrosis from getting out of control as the effect wears off over time.

Does it have side effects?

The procedure has minimal side effects that are minor skin reactions like blisters,dryness, and general skin irritation. Each visit to treat your feet costs on average about $40 per session.

Some hospitals offer treatment trials for you to find out if it works for you.

Iontophoresis is a topical treatment. Topical treatments are generally recommended as first-line treatments.

Botox injections

Another method of controlling the excessive sweating of feet is using botulinum toxin (Botox) injections. Injections are given under the skin of the feet and work well for some patients.

The Botox injection has to be administered by a trained and certified doctor because Botox can have some severe side effects if used improperly.

A case study published in The Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association was conducted in 2004 with two patients suffering from plantar hyperhidrosis. This study found that after the Botox injections the patients saw a large reduction in residual sweat even 3 months after the initial injection.

How do botox injections work?

The Botox paralyzes the eccrine sweat glands in your feet causing them to be unable to produce sweat. More specifically, the Botox inhibits the transfer of nerve impulses to the sweat glands.

Another study conducted published this past August compared two sets of patients with idiopathic axillary hyperhidrosis with one group receiving Botox injections and the other getting iontophoresis.

The study published in The Journal of Dermatological Treatment found that those patients that received the Botox sustained reduced sweat production longer and to greater degree than those that underwent iontophoresis treatment.

This treatment requires that several areas of your foot receive an injection usual resulting in dozens of injection sites in each foot.

You will only have to get a session of injections every six months in order to keep your plantar hyperhidrosis in control.

Does it have side effects?

The most common side effect of this treatment is bruising and pain from the injection sites, but after a few weeks this should go away. According to studies, injectable botulinum toxin as a treatment for plantar hyperhidrosis is effective and safe.

This is a costly procedure, usually running upwards of $1000 for each session.

Another downside of this treatment, the effects of the botulinum toxin (Botox) wear off after a while. So in order to keep your feet from sweating this treatment must be repeated every 4-12 months.

Botulinum toxin injections are recommended as second-line treatments.

Anticholinergic medicines

Two types of anticholinergic drugs exist. Systemic and topical. E.g. pills and ointments. Brand names are oxybutynin and Robinul.

Oral anticholinergic medications stop sweating. This is actually a side effect of the drugs. Since these medications can stop all sweating they can not be used by athletes. Side effects such as a dry mouth are common.

Oral medications are sometimes used to treat plantar hyperhidrosis. This line of treatment is however recommended if botulinum toxin injections do not work.

The topical variety in the form of glycopyrrolate solutions is applied to reduce sweating locally. This is commonly applied to the forehead and scalp and not on the feet.

Oral medications are recommended as third-line treatment.

Surgery

Medical professionals often recommend to opt for the so called conservative treatment modalities first.

These include Drysol antiperspirant, iontophoresis, and anticholinergic medicines. If you suffer from severe hyperhidrosis these treatments may not be successful but trying them first is recommended.

Surgery is a more invasive treatment, considered only if other modalities do not prove effective.

Opinions on the efficacy and risks of surgery differ greatly.

There are three types of sweat reduction surgeries,  local surgery, ETS surgery and  lumbar sympathectomy.

The ETS surgery is the most invasive, also called endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy surgery.

Also, local surgeries are not done for excessive hand sweating because other nerves in the feet may be damaged, so this is not an option.

Local surgery is recommended as fourth-line treatment. ETS surgery as fifth-line treatment.

 

Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) surgery

Unlike the other procedures this is meant to be a one time permanent solution for plantar hyperhidrosis. It is a day surgery a.k.a. ambulatory surgery meaning you don’t have to stay overnight at the hospital.

Does ETS surgery involve side effects?

Some sources discourage ETS surgery because of potentially “dire side effects”  and the irreversible character of the procedure.

On the National Hyperhidrosis Society website (SweatHelp.com) they write:

“because it [..endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS)] frequently causes serious, irreversible compensatory sweating (excessive sweating on large areas of the body or all over) as well as other dibilitating effects such as extreme hypotension, arrhythmia, and heat intolerance. In fact, most physicians do not recommend ETS surgery because of the serious negative side effects of the procedure.”

A study published in The Scientific World Journal in 2012, also stated that while patients saw reduced sweating in their feet, their bodies seemed to compensate by producing more sweat in the trunks of their bodies.

Lumbar Sympathectomy Surgery

This procedure is done under general anesthesia. Contrary to ETS surgery the patient is required to stay for one night at the hospital.

A surgeon will make a one inch incision in both flanks of the abdomen so that they can get to the Lumbar sympathetic trunk. Once they have gained access to the trunk it is clipped while the temperature of your feet are monitored.

The goal here is to interrupt nerve signal transmission from the spinal column to the sweat glands.

After this procedure you will typically have to stay in the hospital overnight for observation. This procedure is known to cause soreness in the groin area of the patient and in men can cause sexual dysfunction.

This surgery has a 95% to 97% success rate for relief for patients struggling with excessive foot sweating and the odor that often accompanies prolific sweating. The goal is described with the medical term: anhidrosis which means “the inability to sweat normally”.

Severe plantar hyperhidrosis can be safely and effectively treated by endoscopic lumbar sympathectomy using the clamping method. It can be accomplished on an outpatient basis with low morbidity, complete resolution of symptoms, and a significant improvement in quality of life. PubMed

Some medical professionals state that lumbar sympathectomy is the best and most effective surgical treatment for excessive foot sweating with a much higher degree of success (98%)

In order to find out the price of this procedure you will have to have a consultation with a doctor that is trained in this area.

A leader in this field is Dr.Rafael Reisfeld based in Beverly Hills, CA who has spearheaded research and procedures in the U.S.

This should be used as a last resort to treat your sweaty feet. Do your research and make sure that you talk with your doctor to know all the risks associated with this type of surgery.

Which treatment is best?

If nothing else works you have basically 4 options:

1. Iontophoresis
2. Botulinum toxin injections
3. Lumbar sympathectomy
4. ETS surgery

Again, mixed opinions and study results.

According to this PubMed study, surgery is your best option in terms of success rate.

Thoracoscopic sympathectomy is by far the best curative alternative for patients with clinically significant idiopathic HH. Topical creams containing aluminum hydroxide, use of iontophoresis, and use of off-label botulinum toxin type A (Botox, Allergan, Irvine, CA) injections are all less successful, time-consuming, and often costly.

However, as mentioned before, there may be serious side effects.

Also,

This PubMed study notes:

Unfortunately, after surgery, plantar hyperhidrosis may remain in 50% of patients, and compensatory sweating may be observed in 70%.

Note: thoracoscopic sympathectomy is also called video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy or endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy

Conclusion

If you suffer from plantar hyperhidrosis there are options for you. Talk with your doctor and find out which solution is the best for you. Don’t suffer through embarrassment with your sweaty feet any longer. You could find relief with one of these treatment methods.

Personally, I would be really hesitant to opt for ETS surgery. Too many drawbacks and horror stories.

I think I would get an iontophoresis device at home and use that religously and hope for the best. (Hidrex iontophoresis machines are powerful and some people have good results with them). Maybe opt for botox injections if that doesn’t work.

What do you think? Have experiences with any of these? Or have questions. Drop a note below.

Zinc is an essential mineral that is present in just about every aspect of our lives. This abundant mineral is present in our food, in the ground we walk on, in the air we breathe, in many of the products that we use each day, and even in the cells that make up our bodies.

That’s right, zinc is present in every cell of the human body. So, naturally, zinc is essential to our health and well-being. In our modern day it’s used in many forms, for instance in acne creams, as an active ingredient in antidandruff shampoos and for the treatment of Bromodosis (the medical name for smelly feet).

Foot powders, aka powder deodorants also often contain zinc sulphate.

Even doctors in ancient civilizations were aware of the medicinal value of zinc. In 2013, a team of Italian researchers discovered that zinc was present in medicine tablets found in the cargo of a Roman ship which had sunk off the coast of Tuscany nearly 2,200 years ago. The thin sealed vessels had been kept dry preserving the pills in the 2,000-year-old medicine chest for all this time.

The ancients were correct. Today, zinc is still coveted for its numerous health benefits. Not only is zinc used to enhance healing in the human body, it is well documented that zinc is necessary for the functioning of enzymes within the body, and that it also plays a crucial role in the development of healthy cells in the body.

However, it is not as well known that zinc – zinc creams, in particular – can also be used to cure foot odor. The science behind this claim is very simple. Foot odor is most often caused by an abundant growth of bacteria on the foot and their feeding on sweat and skin cells.

• Zinc just happens to be a natural anti-bacterial agent.

• Moreover, zinc sulphate is also a topical astringent. This means that it helps reduce excessive perspiration by closing pores and thus sweat glands. (pores are the openings of oil and sweat glands and hair follicles.

It is no wonder why podiatrists point to zinc deficiencies in patients who have suffered through long-term foot odor problems. Without a healthy level of zinc in their bodies, these patients simply have a hard time fighting off the bacteria that is causing their embarrassment. Therefore, sometimes zinc supplementation can be helpful in combating foot odor.

Attaining sufficient dietary zinc is a common problem. A USA study showed that 56% of the subjects surveyed (29,103 in total) were found to have an adequate zinc intake.

Zinc cream, an effective topical cure for smelly feet

Zinc cream offers a more concentrated dose of the natural anti-bacterial properties of the mineral, and this is why zinc can most effectively combat foot odor when used in a cream.

In one scientific study carried out to determine the effectiveness of zinc cream in the curing of foot odor, it was determined that 15% zinc sulphate solution performed extremely well.

Using two groups of subjects – one group being treated with zinc sulphate cream, and the control group being treated with a placebo – researchers were able to determine that 70 percent of the subjects in the group using the zinc cream were cured of foot odor after two weeks of this topical treatment.

However, barely 2 percent of the subjects in the other (placebo) group were cured of this embarrassing problem. Source, Scirp.org.

Owing to its antibacterial action, topical zinc sulphate has been tried and found effective in the management of axillary bromhidrosis and plantar malodor. Sharquie et al. [1]

Side effects?

According to the researchers no side effects were reported.
So, if you have tried various cures and still struggle with and continue to be embarrassed by foot odor you may want to try this promising cure available in the form of zinc cream.

How to use zinc cream?

In order to be used most effectively, it is recommended to follow the regimen the study.

• Make sure to apply the zinc cream to your feet – specifically the areas between the toes and the foot sole- immediately after washing the feet at least three times a week. 

• As a maintenance measure, to keep the foul odor from coming back the people in the study kept applying zinc sulphate ointment once a week for the next two monts.

Soon, just like the subjects involved in the study above, foot odor can be a thing of the past for you too.

Another popular agent often used to keep sweaty body parts dry and reduce body odor is zinc oxide powder. Zinc oxide is a common ingredient in medicated baby powders and ointments and lotions. It keeps the areas dry, works as a deodorant and anti-perspirant, and kills the bacteria.

Remember,

Make sure to wash your feet with a good antibacterial soap and wear the right socks.

Did you try zinc cream yet? Did it work for you?

Share your experiences below so we can all benefit from each other’s efforts.

1 K. E. Sharquie, A. A. Noaimi, and S. D. Hameed, “Topical 15% zinc sulfate solution is an effective therapy for feet odor,” Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications, vol. 3, pp. 203–208, 2013.

Antibacterial soaps are often overused. Most experts agree that washing your hands with normal soap is just as efficient for most normal day to day moments.

After all, we aren’t surgeons preparing for conducting an operation. But we do act as such feeling the need to almost obssesively sanitze our hands.

We have been led to believe by powerful marketing machines that bacteria lurk everywhere and we that are far from safe without our antibacterial wipes, soaps, and gels.

The truth however is that those antibacterial soaps may do more harm than good.

Don’t get me wrong here, using an antibacterial soap for your smelly feet is one of the essential elements of the cure.  (Or, for that matter,  another substance with a potent bactericidal activity such as a rub or lotion.)

However, for your hands, often you can do without such a potent germ killer. And for your feet it’s probably wise to be picky about which soap you use.

Be picky about your antibacterial foot soap

Many antibacterial soaps contain the active ingredient Triclosan. Which is a rather harsh substance.

The antibactericidal chemical Triclosan is absorbed by the blood (and even transferred to fetuses in pregnant women)

• is a potential endocrine disruptor,

• is known to encourage bacterial resistance to antibiotics,

• is linked to thyroid dysfunction,

• can disrupt hormones and impair muscle contraction

• is linked to liver toxicity,

• is linked to higher incidence rates of hay fever and food allergies  in children.

The dirty side of soap

A just published (Nov. 17, 2014) study conducted by researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine  shows triclosan causes liver fibrosis and cancer in laboratory mice. The development of the disease in mice follows a molecular mechanism that shows humans are also at risk.

On a larger scale it has also shown to end up in public water causing potentially serious problems.

The American Medical Association says its best not to use ​triclosan in the home at all.

Triclosan is ocassionally found in shampoos, toothpastes, deodorants, mouthwashes, and cleaning products.

Check the labels to be sure it’s not in your products or use the Think Dirty app that lets you scan health products and provides a safety score based on its ingredients.

Back to sweaty feet.

Which antibacterial soap should you use for you smelly feet?

If you can’t use an antibacterial soap for your feet that contains triclosan, which soap should you use?

When it comes to desinfecting, germ-killing soaps and rubs there are roughly four types based on their active ingredients:

Handwashes

• Derman plus (triclosan),

• Hibiscrub (chlorhexidine)

• Betadine (PVP-iodine)

Surgical hand rubs

• Sterillium and Softaman, (active ingredient=alcohols)

It’s clear we say goodbye to Derman Plus. Which one should we get? Hibiscrub or Betadine? Or one of the alcohol based products?

This PubMed study shows that Hibiscrub has a more potent antibacterial action than the other two handwashes.

All five products achieved a reduction of test bacteria within 3 min  [..]. However, only Hibiscrub, Sterillium and Softa Man met the requirements of prEN 12791, giving a mean reduction of resident micro-organisms (immediate and sustained effect).

The surgical hand rubs score equally as good regarding antibacterial properties so in theory these might be good alternatives as well. I haven’t used any of those though. Nor do many people if I’m correct. If you do, let me know if it works for you in the comments.

That’s why, for washing your sweaty smelly feet, I recommend Hibiscrub. It’s a popular choice. Many people use it to reduce the amount of odor causing bacteria on their feet.

Does this sound familiar?

You have tried everything.

You set out to tackle the problem by upgrading your footwear.

You bought shoes that breathe, wore them each other day or even less frequent. Started wearing the best socks you can wear to combat smelly feet. Heck, you even bought a UV shoe santizer.

On top of that you also powdered your shoes. Washed your feet as thoroughly as Cleopatra nourished her skin. Of course not with honey and goat milk, but with the best antibacterial soap you can get.

Yet still. Your feet keep smelling.

Frustration is your part. And your spouse and children’s part too. A whole family suffers from it. You taking off your shoes after a day’s work is appreciated as a fart in an elevator.

You keep wondering why? What’s wrong with your feet? It’s like you are doomed to walk this earth dispersing a foul cheesy whiff.

Well, here’s the thing.

There could be a perfectly reasonable and logical explanation for the fact that your feet still stink.

It may have nothing to do with your efforts. You may not have been plagued by a mysterious ailment .

Because being due diligent in attacking those bacteria, the culprits of the stench still isn’t enough in case..

You have a zinc defiency

Yup, you read that right. Smelly feet may come from a nutritional zinc deficiency. In fact it’s rather common and this can very well be the cause of your foot odor.

Actually, being zinc deprived occurs more fequently than you may think.

In developing countries it is widespread but also in our Western world it is estimated that roughly 10 percent or more people do not have adequate zinc levels. In older people this impaired zinc status is thought to be even up to 40 percent.

The most common reason is that we don’t get enough bioavailable zinc via our food. The past decades soil has been depleted of nutrients and minerals and as a result our vegetables and fruits have become less nutritional. As well as less rich in zinc.

Apart from inadequate dietary intake malabsorption may be a cause.

Zinc is not only known to play an important role in the immune system. It is one of the essential trace elements and, as such, in very small amounts it is necessary for human health.

In other words, zinc is a micronutrient that plays a prominent role in many processes affecting our health and well-being. And, supposedly, also in body and foot odor.

Vegan diet and zinc defiency

Does your vegan diet cause body odor?

Magnesium, vitamin B6, iron, copper and zinc, all crucial nutrients, are present in plant food but they are often blocked by things like oxalic acid and therefore difficult to absorb by the human body.

Particularly zinc. According to various nutrition researchers, the quickest way to develop a zinc deficiency is to just eat a vegan diet because you simply can not obtain adequate zinc from plant foods.

• *Oxalate (Oxalic acid) is known to reduce mineral absorption as it can bind to minerals present in the gut.

Signs of zinc deficiency

Visible symptoms of zinc deficiency that occur first are hair loss, diarrhea, eye and skin conditions, loss of appetite, scaly or just dry skin around your face and feet, and stinky feet.

Are there studies linking zinc deficiency to smelly feet?

No. Not as far as I know. I couldn’t find any research on PubMed, Wiley Interscience, Cochrane reviews  or other places.

Also Mayo Clinic does not list this ailment on their Evidence for Zinc supplementation page.

The only thing I found is this quote by Dr. Lobe in The Doctors Book of Home Remedies: Quick Fixes, Clever Techniques, and Uncommon Cures to Get You Feeling Better Fast.

“Foot odor is one of many symptoms of zinc deficiency”

In the section Kitchen Cures, chapter Foot Odor, he mentions zinc as an effective home remedy.

Dr. Thom Lobe, the founder and medical director of Beneveda Medical Group in Beverly Hills, California, a practitioner of alternative medicine with a strong interest in complementary and alternative approaches also mentions vodka and Jell-O as cures that actually work.

So why do you recommend taking zinc supplements?

Because it has helped numerous people. And on top of that, if you’ve tried everything, you are probably willing to try one more remedy.

Especially since it’s a relatively easy method that doesn’t cost you much time or money. Just make sure not to overdo it with the zinc intake. More in a bit.

“Take 1  or 2  zinc tablets per day during a few weeks. My whole family was thankful I did. And I am too. It has saved me lots of embarrasment as well as money buying new socks and shoes.”

There’s also the old rhyme, “zinc for stink” and while there’s no real scientific evidence for this claim it is thought that zinc deficiency is of influence. How exactly remains to be seen.

According to some, a weakened immune system leads to excessive growth of bacteria. Others think tissue deterioration as a result of the systemic imbalance of a lack of zinc may be the cause.

Moreover, it is known that kidney disorders or liver problems, resulting in wastes not being properly be eliminated from the body, can also bring about foot odor. 

Toxic build-up causes you sweat to smell worse than normal regardless of hygiene or other measures taken.

Anyway, there is lots of anecdotal evidence that suggests taking zinc supplements or eating zinc-rich foods can cure smelly feet in some people when other remedies were unsuccessful.

How much zinc should you take?

It is commonly recommended to take 50 mg of zinc for a few weeks in order to stop your feet from smelling.

Medical professionals urge that taking over 50 milligrams is excessive.

• Excess zinc supplementation can interfere with iron and copper absorption.
• It can also reduce magnesium and calcium absorption.

Since zinc supplementation interferes with copper absorption many people take 2mg copper in addition.  This would ensure a more natural adequate intake (AI).

The University of Maryland Medical Center also suggests taking 2 milligrams of copper along with zinc.

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Zinc

• male adults 11 mg
• female adults 8 mg

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) however is 40 mg/day for adults. The UL is the maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health effects.

Taking zinc supplements on a routine basis is not recommended.

It is commonly mentioned that, before taking a zinc supplement, you should consult with your physician to help determine your appropriate dosage. Which you should.

However, in the real world it is a fact that, sadly, most of your doctors know absolutely nothing about nutritional supplementation and their biological mechanism of action. Even worse, they often think there are no health benefits to your body.

So if possible, find a medical professional, dietitian or naturopathic physician that can provide you with personal advice.

Which foods are highest in zinc?

Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food. Eating oysters every day may not be practical though. Or tasty for that matter.

Also meat, eggs, dairy, whole grains, legumes, nuts, soy products, and some fortified cereal products.

However, phytates (antioxidant compounds) in cereals, wholegrain bread, legumes and some other foods inhibit zinc absorption. In other words, your body is less able to absorb zinc from many of these plant-based foods.

The bioavailability of zinc from grains and plant foods is lower than that from animal foods, although many grain- and plant-based foods are still good sources of zinc.

Source: Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board.

Which zinc supplements should you get?

Elemental zinc supplements come in various forms.

• available are zinc sulfate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate, and zinc acetate supplements.
• Zinc supplements must be used with caution because of the dangers of zinc excess and zinc toxicity.

Zinc gluconate is commonly used for treating colds (e.g. in lozenges). Some people complain that zinc gluconate and sulphate upsets their stomach or makes them ill.

Studies show that zinc picolinate is better absorbed than zinc gluconate. That’s why some medical professionals recommend zinc picolinic acid complex supplements.

For optimal absorbtion do not take zinc tablets with foods that hinder absorption like protein, bran, coffee, phytates, calcium or phosphorus.

Did you use zinc supplements for your stinky feet?

Did it work for you? No more feet that reek like a garbage bin on a hot summers day in Bangkok?

Help others out by sharing your experiences below.