Here’s Why Your Feet Smell

The human body is like potpourri: A delicate collection of scents that — with a little maintenance and a lot of exposure — we get used to with time. The smell’s definitely there, but it’s not offensive.

But if your bouquet becomes unbalanced, it can have jarring results. Our feet are a common culprit.

The medical term for smelly feet is “bromodosis.” We asked a podiatrist to explain why our feet get smelly.

Do all feet smell?

All feet are going to have some smell to them. It’s inevitable. The average foot contains over 250,000 sweat glands. And just like the rest of your body, your feet are crawling with bacteria.

Foot odor and infections happen when the bacteria that live on your skin and in your shoes eat your sweat. (Ew!) This produces an acid byproduct that smells like vinegar, says podiatrist Joy Rowland, DPM.

A vinegar smell is common, but foot odor can also smell like cheese, cabbage, rotten eggs, bleach and more.

“Bacteria and fungi and all those lovely little bugs love heat, moisture and darkness — and the inside of your shoe is the best place for that to happen,” she explains.

So, yes, your feet are bound to get a little funky from time to time. But not all feet smell bad. Dr. Rowland explains some of the circumstances that can turn up the dial on foot odor.

What can cause smelly feet?

Wondering why your feet have a less-than-alluring aroma? There’s a whole lot of possible reasons. Among them:

1. Sweating

Sweaty feet create the perfect environment for fragrance to flourish. And how much you sweat depends on a wide variety of factors, like:

• The weather
• How often (and intensely) you exercise
• Your footwear choices
• Genetics
• Your age and sex
• Hormonal changes due to puberty, pregnancy, menopause and more
• Overall health
• Stress levels

If you seem to sweat a lot regardless of the circumstances, you may have a condition that affects your sweat glands called hyperhidrosis. If you think that’s what’s going on, Dr. Rowland recommends talking to a provider. They can determine why you sweat so much and how best to treat it.

2. Fungal infections

Contagious fungal conditions like athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) can make your feet smell. How they smell depends on the infection itself and your personal musk. But the general consensus is that fungal infections make your feet smell foul, cheesy or yeasty.

Some fungal infections are treatable using over-the-counter medications. Others require prescription-strength medication. Dr. Rowland says you shouldn’t wait too long before getting your tootsies checked.

You’re most likely to get fungal infections in warm, moist public spaces, like locker rooms. To avoid them, never share your shoes or socks with anyone and wear sandals in common areas like gyms, swimming pools or saunas, where other people may walk around barefoot.

3. Bacterial infection

Our feet work incredibly hard. And it’s not unusual for us to injure them in the process. Blisters, ingrown toenails and cuts are just a few common foot wounds that can get infected.

The smell depends on the infection you’re dealing with. Staph tends to be cheesy or yeasty, while pitted keratolysis is more likely to have a foul, sulfuric quality.

If you notice any of these conditions, reach out to your local podiatrist for treatment.

4. Medical conditions

There are lots of medical issues that have the potential to alter your podiatric potpourri. A few of the most common are:

• Overweight and obesity. Having overweight or obesity can impact your hormone levels, leading to excessive sweating. And the more you sweat, the more odor you’re likely to generate.
• Kidney or liver disease. Our kidneys and liver serve as our body’s natural filtration system. When they aren’t working properly, toxins can build up, causing a bleach-like odor.
• Thyroid conditions. Any medical condition that impacts your hormones can also increase sweat production and, as a result, make your feet smell like vinegar.
• Kyetococcus sedentarius. Kyetococcus sedentarius is a bacteria that grows on some people’s feet. While it’s normally harmless from a medical perspective, it can create a sulfuric compound, making your feet smell like rotten eggs. If that’s what’s causing your foot odor, you’ll likely need topical antibiotics.

Diabetes belongs on this list, too. But it’s a bit more complicated because the condition can impact your body odor in four different ways:

1. Having diabetes sometimes causes excessive sweating. As we’ve mentioned, that can give your feet a vinegar smell.
2. Poorly managed diabetes can cause people to lose sensation in their feet. Injuring your foot without realizing or treating it can lead to dangerous, foul-smelling infections. Dr. Rowland says it’s vital for people living with diabetes to have their feet checked regularly for wounds.
3. If you’re experiencing diabetes-related ketoacidosis, your body odor can take on a fruity smell. That’s because high ketone levels increase the acidity of your blood. This is a life-threatening complication of diabetes, so call emergency services immediately.
4. Some diabetes medications can cause a side effect called “phantom odor perception.” In other words, you think you smell a little ripe, but you’re actually fine!

5. Medications

You might be surprised how many common medications include increased sweating or foot odor as a possible side effect. Dr. Rowland highlights five classes of medicine in particular that include odor-causing drugs:

• Tricyclic antidepressants
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Diabetes medications
• Steroids

There are plenty of other medications that can impact foot odor. If you think you’re experiencing this side effect, Dr. Rowland recommends speaking with your provider. Stopping a medication can be dangerous, so don’t make any changes without getting your doctor’s approval.

6. Shoe problems

Your feet can only ever smell as fresh as the shoes (and socks) you wear them with. The more open and breathable the design, the less likely your shoes will be to trap sweat.

You can help keep your feet dry by choosing socks made of cotton, moisture-wicking wool or moisture-wicking synthetics. And pick shoes made of natural materials, like cotton or leather. Dr. Rowland says these natural materials allow the moisture on your feet to evaporate. Man-made materials, like nylon or plastic, trap moisture.

If you wear the same shoes every day, they may not be getting the time they need to dry out. And the longer you wear a pair of shoes, the more sweat and bacteria will accumulate. Even having two pairs of shoes that you switch out daily (and clean regularly) can help reduce the buildup of nasties.

7. Hygiene problems

If your feet still smell after thoroughly cleaning them in the shower, that’s a sign you’re dealing with a medical issue. But if they smell fine after a shower and none of the other causes we’ve listed seem to fit, it may be time to reevaluate your personal hygiene routine.

When to see a doctor

If you can’t seem to solve the odor problem and it’s time to bring in reinforcements, ask your doctor for a prescription medication designed to treat foot moisture.