Everything you need to know about quelling the smell for good.
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You kick off your shoes and peel off your socks after a long day, psyched to give your tired tootsies a break. Until you’re slammed with a seriously putrid tang that leaves you wondering, why do my feet smell so bad?
No one wants to talk about funky feet, but honestly, you shouldn’t be embarrassed. Aside from your pits, your feet are more likely to give off a strong odor than most other body parts. That’s because they’re usually enclosed in socks and shoes, which can trap moisture and encourage the growth of bacteria or fungus, explains Emily Wood, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, TX. The moisture (aka sweat) comes from the sweat glands—and we have about 250,000 of them in each of our feet, according to the Royal College of Podiatry.
