Foot odor is a type of body odor that affects the feet of humans and is characterized by a smell generally regarded as unpleasant. Bromhidrosis or body odour (also called bromidrosis, osmidrosis and ozochrotia) is the smell of bacteria growing on the body. ... For other uses, see Foot (disambiguation). ...

Cause

Foot odor often results from wearing shoes and/or socks, especially shoes or socks with inadequate air ventilation, for many hours. Since human feet are densely covered with sweat glands, excessive perspiration of the feet is the result. This perspiration and warmth provide ideal conditions for bacteria and/or fungi to thrive. The presence of the bacteria and/or fungi does not in and of itself cause odor; instead, as the bacteria consume dead skin cells and moisture, they in turn produce waste material. This waste material is the cause of foot odor. As physical activity increases, foot perspiration, bacterial growth, and bacterial waste production all increase, causing odor to intensify. A shoe is an item of footwear worn on the foot or feet of a human, dog, cat, horse, or doll. ... Socks Various brands of socks in a pile A sock is a knitted garment for enclosing the human foot. ... Sweating (also called perspiration or sometimes transpiration) is the loss of a watery fluid, consisting mainly of sodium chloride and urea in solution, that is secreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals. ... Phyla/Divisions Actinobacteria Aquificae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chlamydiae/Verrucomicrobia Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Nitrospirae Omnibacteria Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Bacteria (singular, bacterium) are a major group of living organisms. ... Divisions Chytridiomycota Zygomycota Ascomycota Basidiomycota The Fungi (singular: fungus) are a large group of organisms ranked as a kingdom within the Domain Eukaryota. ...

Since socks directly contact feet, their composition can have an impact on foot odor. Nylon is a common material used to create socks, but does not provide as much ventilation as cotton, another common sock material, so wearing nylon socks increases perspiration and therefore intensifies foot odor. Since socks absorb varying amounts of perspiration from feet, wearing shoes without socks may increase the amount of perspiration contacting feet and thereby increase bacterial activities that cause odor. People wearing nylon stockings or pantyhose may experience increased foot odor. Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers first produced on February 28, 1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont. ... Cotton ready for harvest. ... A stocking is a close-fitting, variously elastic garment covering the foot and lower part of the leg, but usually not intended to conceal the leg. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with tights. ...

Odor qualities

The quality of foot odor is often reported as a thick, cheesy scent, but can sometimes be ammonia-like. Brevibacteria are considered a major cause of foot odor, as they ingest dead skin on the feet, especially on the soles and between the toes, converting in the process the amino acid methionine to methanethiol which has a sulfuric aroma. The brevibacteria is also what gives cheeses such as Limburger, Bel Paese, Port du Salut, and Münster their characteristic pungency (a sharp acrid smell). [1] Ammonia is a compound with the formula NH3. ... Phenylalanine is one of the standard amino acids. ... Methionine (Met, M. C5H11NO2S) is an essential nonpolar amino acid, and a lipotropic. ... Methanethiol (also known as methyl mercaptan) is a colorless gas with a smell like rotten cabbage. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16 (VIA), 3 , p Density, Hardness 1960 kg/m3, 2 Appearance Lemon yellow at STP Atomic properties Atomic weight 32. ... Categories: Food and drink stubs | Belgian cheeses ... Bel Paese [BELL pah-AY-zay] is a semi-soft Italian cheese. ... Port-du-Salut or Entrammes is a mild-tasting cows milk cheese first made by monks in the early 18th century and still produced in monasteries throughout France. ... For other places with the same or similar names, and other uses of the word, see Munster (disambiguation) Münster is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. ...

Prevention

Among the earliest foot deodorants were aromatic herbs such as allspice, which nineteenth-century Russian soldiers would put in their boots. [2] Some types of powders and activated charcoal insoles, such as Odor Eaters, have been developed to combat foot odor, but they are not as effective as thoroughly washing feet, choosing shoes with proper ventilation, changing socks regularly, and wearing shoes only when necessary. It is also recommended to wear socks that fit properly and are made of 100% cotton. A more natural solution would be to go barefoot though the practicality of this solution in an urban environment is questionable. If foot odor becomes offensive enough to become an issue in daily life, a physician should be consulted. Binomial name Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. ... Activated carbon (also called activated charcoal) is the more general term which includes material mostly derived from charcoal. ... Odor Eaters is a brand of foot-care products, especially shoe insoles and foot powder. ... Cotton ready for harvest. ... Walking barefoot Going barefoot is the practice of not wearing shoes, socks, or other foot covering. ... Look up urban in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Reactions to foot odor

People grow up believing foot odor is unpleasant, making people embarrassed about how their feet smell. Children often grow up making fun of the fact that their feet smell (such as "Trick or Treat, smell my feet...", etc.). For this reason, in Western countries, where shoes are worn for most of the day, some people avoid removing their shoes around others. This is paradoxical, since being shoeless as much as possible is one of the best ways to reduce foot perspiration. Reactions to foot odor can vary across cultures; for example, there is less foot odor stigma in countries where shoes are removed upon entering the home (for a more detailed discussion of this topic, see shoes). shoe for right foot A shoe is a piece of footwear for humans, less than a boot and more than a slipper. ...

Although most people believe the scent of feet is unpleasant, some people find smelling feet sexually arousing. This can be part of a foot fetish or an obsession. Some people also have fetishes for the sock or shoe scent that usually accompanies warm feet (for example as part of a shoe fetish) or foot worship fetish. Sexual arousal is the process and state of an animal being ready for sexual intercourse. ... Foot fetishism is a pronounced fetishistic sexual interest in human feet. ... Shoe fetishism, also known as retifism, involves being irrationally or abnormally fixated on shoes or other footwear to the extent it may interfere with sexual expression. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into foot fetishism. ...

See also

• Mysophilia
• Body odor
• Shoes

Mysophilia is a paraphilia relating to soiled or dirty material. ... Bromhidrosis or body odour (also called bromidrosis, osmidrosis and ozochrotia) is the smell of bacteria growing on the body. ... shoe for right foot A shoe is a piece of footwear for humans, less than a boot and more than a slipper. ...

External links

• HowStuffWorks.com "Why Do Feet Stink?"