Effective remedies for sweating and foot odor

Everyone's feet sweat because the soles of both feet contain up to 500,000 sweat glands (plantar eccrine glands), and each of them is involved in the body's thermoregulation process. But sweat secretion can be increased for many reasons, and in such cases it is necessary to take measures using various remedies for foot sweating.

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Release form

The main names of remedies for sweating and foot odor, as well as detailed descriptions of such remedies as Teymurov paste, cream for sweaty feet "5 days" (which contains salicylic acid, boric acid and talc) are given in the article - Creams for foot odor, and special deodorants for sweaty feet - in the material Sprays for unpleasant foot odor

Some ointments and creams for sweaty feet - in particular, zinc ointment or zinc paste, Formidron ointment, as well as antifungal agents Exoderil, Nizoral, Clotrimazole, used for mycoses associated with hyperhidrosis of the feet - are described in detail in the previously published material - Ointments and creams for foot odor

And gels for sweaty feet - FormaGel, containing formalin (formaldehyde solution), and Gehwol (Gehwol Med Anti-Perspirant Cream Lotion) with zinc oxide - with comprehensive information on their composition, mechanism of pharmacological action, contraindications, side effects and method of use - are discussed in the publication Foot Creams for Sweat and Odor

This review presents the following pharmacy remedies for sweaty feet:

• ointments and creams – formalin and salicylic ointment, salicylic-zinc paste;
• liquids and solutions for sweaty feet - Urotropin (hexamethylenetetramine), sodium borate (borax) solution in glycerin, Miramistin (Septomiril), Malavit lotion for sweaty feet;
• deodorants and sprays for sweaty feet - Mycostop;
• foot powders for sweaty feet - Galmanin, boric powder, medical talc, baby powder.

By the way, not all antiseptics are used for eccrine hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis: for example, furacilin (since it only acts on bacteria and is inactive against dermatophytes) or Chlorhexidine (does not destroy fungal infection, but only stops its development).

Cosmeceuticals include:

• deodorants for sweaty feet (or deo for sweaty feet) - spray Doctor Biocon. Dry Dry, Cliven Foot Spray Deodorant;
• creams for sweaty feet - Lavilin (Hlavin, Israel), FuBbalsam cream (Weleda), Cliven cream for sweaty feet (Cliven Crema Antiodore), Acaprol cream-balm.

Pharmacodynamics

Each antiperspirant for feet contains pharmacologically active substances that in one way or another correct sweating.

The active ingredients of formalin ointment are: salicylic acid (antiseptic, relieves inflammation), boric acid (disinfects and dries the skin), formalin (formaldehyde solution - carbonyl compound of methanol and formic acid) and ointment base - glycerin (which reduces skin irritation and prevents it from drying out). The presence of formalin in this product ensures the destruction of bacteria (the breakdown of their cell proteins occurs), a decrease in the amount of skin moisture released - due to the hygroscopicity of the positively charged carbonyl group, as well as a deodorizing effect - due to the reverse transformation to methyl hydroxide and hydrogen nitrite.

The pharmacodynamics of salicylic-zinc paste is due to the antiseptic and keratolytic effects of salicylic acid and the drying (adsorbing) and astringent properties of zinc oxide. In addition, zinc oxide protects the skin from irritants, creating a thin film on it.

Urotropin - hexamethylenetetramine or methenamine (in solution form) - is a polycyclic organic compound with bactericidal properties. It acts by decomposing into formaldehyde (which destroys microbes) and ammonia (hydrogen nitrite).

Miramistin solution - benzyldimethyl-(3-myristoylamino-propyl)-ammonium chloride monohydrate - is not originally intended to combat hyperhidrosis of the feet, but its use may be associated with its antiseptic properties, which also apply to pathogenic fungi, including those causing mycosis. See also - Effective treatment of foot fungus with ointments

The Malavit lotion contains copper and silver ions, mumiyo and mountain wax (brakshun), resins of coniferous trees and extracts of a number of medicinal plants. The mechanism of their pharmacological action is not given in the instructions.

Deodorant-antiperspirant Mikostop has both an antifungal effect, which is provided by the derivative of undecylenic acid Tetranyl U, and reduces the intensity of sweat secretion due to the presence of alum in the composition - aluminum chloride (hydroxychloride or aluminum chlorohydrate). Alum, reacting with electrolytes present in sweat, contributes to the narrowing of the ducts of the sweat glands, that is, blocks sweating.

Usually boric powder (boric acid in powder form) is used to treat dermatitis accompanied by oozing (a 3-4% aqueous solution is prepared and applied to the skin), but this remedy can also be used in the same way for excessive sweating of the feet.

The most well-known powder for sweaty feet is crushed magnesium hydrosilicate or talc, the structure of which allows this mineral to absorb moisture and odors.

Many people use baby powder for sweaty feet, which contains zinc oxide, talc and potato starch, as well as Galmanin powder, which consists of a mixture of zinc oxide, salicylic acid, talc and starch.

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Dosing and administration

All of the above products are used externally: they are applied only to clean, dry skin of the feet and between the toes.

Formalin and salicylic ointment, salicylic-zinc paste and Urotropin are applied once a day. Moreover, formalin ointment and hexamethylenetetramine are not used for more than two weeks in a row: if repeated use is necessary, a break of 10-12 days should be taken.

Liquids and solutions for sweaty feet are applied with a cotton swab (soaked in the solution); powders (Galmanin, talc, baby powder) - by "dusting" with a dry cotton swab; sprays for sweaty feet - by spraying.

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Use foot sweat remedies during pregnancy

Since all the mentioned products are external, in the vast majority of cases there is simply no information about whether their use is permissible during pregnancy. It is not recommended for pregnant women to use formalin ointment and urotropin.

Contraindications

The above-mentioned pharmaceutical remedies for sweaty feet should not be used if there is an allergic reaction to their components, or when the skin of the feet (especially between the toes) is severely inflamed.

Formaldehyde ointment and salicylic-zinc paste should not be used by children under 14. And in case of serious kidney problems, it is undesirable to use boric acid - both in powder and in solution form.

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Side effects foot sweat remedies

Most often, the side effects of formalin and salicylic ointments are skin irritation, and salicylic-zinc paste can cause peeling. An allergic skin reaction is possible when using urotropin, Miramistin and Malavit.

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Interactions with other drugs

The instructions for the products in question do not contain any information about the specifics of their interaction with other drugs. However, it should be borne in mind that the simultaneous use of two or more external products on the same area is unacceptable.

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Storage conditions

No special storage conditions are required for the listed products: it is enough not to keep them in bright light or in a damp place, and also at a temperature of no lower than +10°C and no higher than +25°C.

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Shelf life

Formaldehyde ointment and salicylic-zinc paste are good for use for four years; salicylic ointment, Urotropin, Miramistin - for three years, Malavit and Mikostop - for two years. Manufacturers indicate the expiration date of powders on their packaging.

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Cosmeceuticals for sweaty feet

DryDry antiperspirant contains the above-mentioned aluminum chlorohydrate.

Doctor Biocon foot deodorant-antiperspirant in gel form contains sodium tetraborate (borax), which disinfects the skin, menthol and essential oils of tea tree and juniper (which have antiseptic properties).

The active ingredients of the deodorant cream Lavilin (Hlavin, Israel) are zinc oxide; extracts of chamomile flowers, calendula officinalis and arnica; suspended castor oil, carnauba wax, talc and starch.

Podexine Anti-perspirant for feet (Vichy Laboratoires, France) also contains aluminum chlorohydrate (ozocine complex) and the cosmetic preservative glucacyl (a derivative of iodopropynyl butylcarbamate) with antifungal activity.

Calendula and myrrh extracts, essential oils, clay and beeswax are the components of the German-made Weleda Foot Balm (FuBbalsam) anti-perspirant foot balm.

Cliven for sweaty feet, in particular, Cliven Crema Antiodore cream works due to camphor, menthol and the bactericidal and antifungal substance triclosan (which has been banned by the FDA since mid-2016).

The foot cream-balm Acaprol also contains essential oils (mango, tamanu, cananga, chamomile, sage), mineral sorbents, oak bark and wormwood extracts. According to the manufacturer (Lekkos, Ukraine), this product works for 72 hours, but it should be applied twice a day - at night and in the morning.

Shoes, insoles, socks and injections for sweaty feet

Are there shoes for sweaty feet? Feet sweat less in shoes made of breathable natural materials such as leather, suede and cotton fabrics. In summer, open shoes such as sandals are preferable.

Proper shoe care is important: they need to be dried, treated with special products on the inside, and you should not wear the same pair for several days in a row.

In addition, insoles against sweaty feet are produced for closed shoes: hygienic insoles Active 143 (in them, breathable fiber is combined with activated carbon, which neutralizes unpleasant odor); latex insoles with a carbon filter Stop odeur; insoles ODOR-X Dr. Scholl; microfiber insoles Aloe vera 107 with increased moisture absorption.

And the German-made Cedar Wood Shoe Insoles are made from cotton fabric with a layer of cedar sawdust.

When you buy socks, look at the label: if the material they are made of contains less than 75% cotton, refuse to buy them. The best ones for sweaty feet are 100% cotton socks, and in the cold season - wool or vigone (a mixture of wool and cotton).

But there are also socks for sweaty feet – made from a special material produced using Coolmax technology: socks from the following brands: Thorlo, Drymax, Sport Outdoor Pro Coolmax, Armor.

FreshTech silver technology is used to produce 88% cotton Cotton Rich Freshfeet socks, which have ventilated zones for additional air permeability of the fabric. And Aetrex Copper Sole socks are made of CUPRON yarn with copper-ion-containing fibers, which prevent bacteria from multiplying and have a detrimental effect on fungal infections.

Intradermal injections of Botox (other trade names: Xeomin, Dysport) can help solve the problem of hyperhidrosis of the feet. Botox is a botulinum toxin A, a neurotoxin of the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. By blocking the transmission of nerve impulses, Botox also affects postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers, turning off the innervation of the sweat glands for several months. It should be borne in mind that Botox injections are contraindicated in movement disorders, myasthenic syndromes, poor blood clotting, and pregnancy.

Simple Home Remedies for Sweaty Feet

Home remedies and simple methods to combat excessive sweating of the feet are recommended:

• daily washing of feet with antibacterial soap and thorough drying of skin after washing. Before leaving home it is recommended to powder the skin between the toes with talc;
• foot baths, while the water should not be higher than +38-40°C. Several crystals of potassium permanganate are added to the water - potassium permanganate, Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate), strong black tea, baking soda or vinegar (a tablespoon per liter of water). A good astringent effect is given by decoctions of oak and willow bark, wormwood, elecampane, orchis, yarrow, walnut leaves;
• rubbing the feet with salicylic alcohol, 10% Betadine solution, ethyl alcohol with the addition of essential oil of tea tree, juniper, geranium or lavender.

And in shoes - as a means to reduce the number of bacteria and reduce sweating of the feet - you can put sodium bicarbonate wrapped in cotton cloth, that is, ordinary baking soda. Read also - Sweaty feet: what to do?