9 best remedies for foot odor

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

The skin of an adult contains about 3 million sweat glands, and their favorite place of localization is the face, forehead, armpits, inguinal folds, and the soles of the feet. On the skin of the soles, on each square centimeter, the excretory ducts of more than 300 glands open. In this case, the sweat glands on the feet are, perhaps, in the most disadvantageous position. If a person's face and palms are in the open air and evaporate sweat in a timely manner, and the axillary and inguinal folds are covered with clothes that also little hinders evaporation, then the feet, especially in winter, are in closed shoes for a long time.

These conditions do not in any way contribute to the removal of sweat, but on the contrary, lead to the fact that sweat stagnates, decomposes, forming nitrogenous compounds rich in ammonia, which have an unpleasant odor and serve as a food source for many fungi and bacteria, among which there are pathogenic species. Excessive sweating of the skin of the feet can be associated with various diseases.

This symptom (hyperhidrosis) occurs in circulatory disorders, in disorders of the autonomic nervous system, in neuroses. Also, an unpleasant odor associated with the secretion of sweat on the soles can increase with endocrine disorders (diabetes mellitus), with elementary non-compliance with hygiene rules. In some cases, poor-quality shoes are to blame, which can be tight and contain a large amount of artificial fabrics that do not allow water to pass through. In some cases, excessive physical exertion may also be the cause.

In this rating of products for combating sweating and unpleasant odor emanating from the feet, diseases and their causes will not be considered. Here we will talk about various groups of cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, and other products that will help keep feet clean and get rid of unpleasant odors.

Rating of the best foot odor remedies

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best combination remedies – ointments and powders for foot odor	1	Teimurova paste	RUB 25
	2	Lassar Paste (Salicylic Zinc)	35 RUB
	3	Galmanin	RUB 50
	4	Five days (5D)	122 RUB
The best deodorants, solutions, creams, gels for foot odor	1	Dry-dry	639 RUB
	2	ODOREX FOOT	RUB 920
	3	Scholl deodorant – antiperspirant for feet	202 RUB
	4	Formagel (formaldehyde)	RUB 186
	5	Formidron	28 RUB

The best combination remedies – ointments and powders for foot odor

An overview of the best remedies for foot odor is opened by combined preparations that contain more than one component that can reliably protect the skin from excessive sweating, neutralize an unpleasant odor, and also prevent the reproduction of pathogenic flora, various fungi and yeast.

Teimurova paste

Rating: 4.9

Perhaps, of all the drugs included in the rating, designed to combat foot odor, this tool has the most complex composition. Boric acid is the main antiseptic ingredient. Added to it is methenamine, which is an antiseptic, and eliminates the unpleasant odor emanating from the decay products of sweat organic matter eaten by bacteria. The drying agent in the Teymur paste is talc, which keeps dry skin of the feet. Borax, or sodium tetraborate, along with an antiseptic effect, also has a preservative effect, which allows the paste not to deteriorate. The composition of the paste also includes salicylic acid, which, in addition to disinfecting and drying effects, also has a keratolytic effect. This means that it exfoliates dead, dead cells, which serve as excellent food for various bacteria and fungi. Additionally, the paste contains a strong antiseptic formaldehyde, drying zinc oxide and lead acetate, which has an antiseptic effect and prevents the growth of microorganisms.

Thus, the use of Teimurov's paste for excessive sweating and odor of feet allows you to build a 'defense in depth', since each of the components in the product is duplicated. The paste works quickly and effectively, it should be applied to dry skin once or twice a day, and it has a potentiated effect. This means that on the first or second day of application there may be no effect, it develops only at the end of 4 days. Teymurov's paste is produced by the domestic association Green Dubrava, and one package weighing 50 g is inexpensive – only 53 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

As is often the case, disadvantage is an extension of dignity, and vice versa. This paste works after a few days, and therefore may not be effective at first. But on the other hand, a week after application, if you even accidentally missed applying the paste to the skin, then the effect of the previous days will be preserved, and the feet will not smell even without applying the paste. A certain disadvantage is the need to apply this paste on the skin of the feet, which has dried naturally, that is, before applying the paste, you cannot wipe your feet with a towel to avoid the appearance of microcracks, they must dry on their own.

The advantage of posts is the ability to use it in the armpits, on the arms, and also in the groin. Minus – the skin must be healthy and intact, the paste should not be used for cracked heels, or if there are calluses or other wounds on the skin. The average course of treatment with this paste for excessive sweating of the feet is up to 2 weeks. Those who think that the paste can be used all the time are wrong. It contains quite potent ingredients.

Lassar Paste (Salicylic Zinc)

Rating: 4.8

Without a doubt, many people know this paste by a different name, namely, salicylic-zinc. It is widely used in dermatology, has a drying effect, and also produces an antibacterial and antiseptic effect. In dermatology, it is used to treat acne, pustular skin lesions, and even in the presence of lesions such as ulcers and wounds. In addition to salicylic acid and zinc, petroleum jelly is the base substance, and it is indicated for softening the skin.

Lassar paste very well helps to get rid of foot odor in the presence of cracked heels, and with excessive keratinization. It heals small wounds and ulcers, softens and removes dead cells of the epidermis, which serve as a source of nutrition for microorganisms, and, due to petroleum jelly, softens the skin. Lassar paste is applied, as in the previous case, once or twice a day. In some cases, the number of applications can be increased to 4.

Before you buy this paste, or its analogue – salicylic-zinc ointment, you need to ask whether it contains petroleum jelly or not. The fact is that salicylic-zinc ointment (and not Lassar's paste) does not contain petroleum jelly, although the preparations are identical in the composition of the active ingredients.

Therefore, if you decide to replace the paste with salicylic-zinc ointment, then know that it dries out the skin greatly, and if you decide to apply it in the armpits or on the palms, then it is suitable only for oily and normal skin types, and for people with sensitive and dry skin is contraindicated. The Tula pharmaceutical factory produces Lassara paste, and a package weighing 25 g costs only 26 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of this paste will be the ability to apply in the presence of skin imperfections, and in the event that you use a paste, and not just an ointment, it further softens and smoothes the skin. In addition, it can be used for pustular rashes, from which no one is immune. The paste is widespread in the pharmacy chain, has a low price, and this is also important.

Galmanin

Rating: 4.7

What happens if salicylic acid and zinc oxide are not produced in soft dosage form, but mixed in powders? Then you get an excellent powder, which is sold in pharmacies under the name Galmanin. It can be purchased either in a small jar with holes or in bags. A package of 10 packages, each containing 2 g of the drug, costs an average of 44 rubles, and Galmanin is produced by the same Tula pharmaceutical factory.

Unlike Lassar paste, Galmanin can be used by people with normal and even dry skin, since the powder acts in a thin layer, and, unlike an ointment or paste, does not envelop the skin. This leads to a careful treatment of the sensitive epidermis. You need to use Galmanin by pouring your feet once or twice a day. The treatment course for getting rid of foot hyperhidrosis and foot odor lasts, on average, about 2 weeks.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of Galmanin will be a softer and more gentle effect on the skin, its cost is also low, and it is unlikely that the difference between the price of Lassar and Galmanin's paste can irritate someone. But Galmanin has one indisputable advantage: it can be put into cleanly washed socks, and in the evening it is recommended to be applied inside the shoes, in which a person will walk down the street the next day. Therefore, in mild cases, when there is no too pronounced unpleasant odor, and the sweating of the feet is not very high, then it is quite possible to use Galmanin in this way, without direct application to the feet.

Five days (5D)

Rating: 4.7

This product is also available in sachets. One package contains 10 sachets weighing 1.5 g each. The composition includes, as in previous cases, boric acid, salicylic acid and zinc oxide. But other ingredients that have a refreshing and antibacterial effect are camphor, menthol with a cooling effect, and triclosan, which is often used in antibacterial soaps. As a result, the manufacturing company Galenopharm received an excellent complex remedy that can be used not only to eliminate unpleasant foot odor, but also protects the skin of the feet from abrasions, cracks and itching.

The feet should be handled by pouring one sachet onto the skin of the foot with a uniform rubbing of its surface. Rub your feet in the morning before putting on socks or stockings. The second application is shoe processing. Naturally, only closed shoes are subject to processing, for example, winter boots with fur inside or closed demi-season shoes. To do this, one bag is poured into the shoes, and this must be done before leaving the house.

In the event that a person plans to be in shoes without taking them off for an hour or two, then the tool can not be used. It is quite potent, and the manufacturer recommends pouring the product Five days into the shoes if the time spent outdoors is at least 5 hours. Therefore, this tool will appeal to tourists, fishermen, and military personnel. If you regularly process shoes for a week, then the lasting effect of freshness will remain in it for up to 6 months.

This product is produced in several varieties by the St. Petersburg company Galenopharm: shoe polish powder, foot cream, and a special deodorizing foot bath. In this case, the powder will cost 120 rubles, and a package of 10 sachets of 25 g each for 10 baths, relieving the feet of an unpleasant odor, costs 240 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

The recipe for Five days is well balanced, it disinfects, dries, at the same time refreshes and gives ease of gait due to camphor and menthol. A contraindication to use will be the presence of very dry and irritated skin, and in other cases – only individual intolerance. A big plus is the availability of several dosage forms that are convenient for a variety of uses, both at home and in beauty salons. The price category is low, and at the same time, the drug, especially applied inside the shoe, can act for a long time. That is why this good, solid domestic drug for unpleasant foot odor and hyperhidrosis was included in the rating.

The best deodorants, solutions, creams, gels for foot odor

As you know, a cream differs from a paste, which is essentially a drug based on an ointment, in that it is very quickly absorbed into the skin and does not leave greasy marks. The cream applied to the feet is intensively absorbed after a few minutes, and you can safely put on socks. Teimurov's paste requires a slightly longer time to absorb, and Lassar's paste even longer (due to petroleum jelly). It's even easier in the case of deodorant. Being a liquid that evaporates intensively, you can put on your shoes when using deodorants in a minute or even less. The rating for combating foot odor includes several domestic and foreign preparations in the form of a spray, cream and liquid.

Dry-dry

Rating: 4.9

The Dry-dry company produces a whole line of different products for treating unpleasant odor and intense perspiration. One of them is a solution packaged in 35 ml bottles. It is produced by the Swedish company Lexima, and this solution is quite expensive: one package has an average retail price of about 800 rubles. Also, this tool is still available in the form of a spray.

Why is this drug so expensive? It has been proven by the manufacturer that the active components of this solution do not interfere with the function of the sweat glands, but simply redirect sweat to other places, and it is excreted where it can evaporate unhindered. This action is based on the formation of a special aluminum-protein complex, which creates a functional block for the release of sweat and odor on the surface of the feet. Such a functional 'plug' on the feet is absolutely harmless, it is not absorbed into the bloodstream, and allows you to apply this preparation only once or twice a week, while freshness and cleanliness is guaranteed every day. You need to apply the product on completely dry skin, after which you need to let the solution dry.

Advantages and disadvantages

Dry-dry Classic liquid from perspiration and unpleasant odor has interesting properties. So, it needs to be applied in the evening before bedtime. After applying, the foot cannot be wetted. This is very convenient, since a person who is going to work in the morning does not always have the opportunity to carefully care for his feet and rub ointment or cream into them. It is also very important that the drug can be applied only once a week. As a result, the seemingly high price tag becomes quite acceptable with this economical application. As the practice of cosmetologists shows, one small bottle can be enough for at least 3 months, and at most for six months. In this case, the tool can be used for as long as you like, there are no restrictions on the duration of the course. The only thing to remember is that Dry-dry should not be applied to damaged or irritated skin.

ODOREX FOOT

Rating: 4.8

Odorex foot spray has a unique refreshing and antiseptic effect. This is a high-quality Bulgarian medical cosmetics (cosmeceuticals), which contains ingredients such as metphenamine, glycerin, aluminum chloride, ethanol and perfume. Odorex foot has a long-lasting effect, and after just one spraying within ten days after a single spraying it significantly reduces symptoms such as wet feet and unpleasant foot odor. It has an additional antiseptic effect. Odorex foot is intended only for processing leather of feet, and is not used for shoes.

Before using Odorex foot deodorant for the first time, you must thoroughly wash your feet with soap and dry them, and after spraying, you do not need to rub in the deodorant. Feet just need to dry well. This procedure should be done slowly before going to bed. In the morning, you should rinse your feet with clean water, without soap, and this should be done for 3 days in a row. After that, you can forget about this deodorant for a week or even two. After an average of 10 days have passed, it is recommended to repeat the procedure.

Advantages and disadvantages

The cost of one 50 ml bottle can be considered quite high – an average of 900 rubles. But it must be borne in mind that it is hypoallergenic, the only contraindication is the intolerance of aluminum salts or the presence of damaged skin of the feet. It should be borne in mind that after the initial three times treatment, it is not necessary to repeat the application all three times in a row every day, as the first time, but only once. Therefore, it is quite possible that you will only apply this spray three times a month. Therefore, this packaging may last for six months: the savings are significant.

Scholl deodorant – antiperspirant for feet

Rating: 4.7

This deodorant is a representative of the high quality line of British cosmetic products manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser. This deodorant contains the active ingredient – aluminum hydrochloride, perfume composition, cyclomethicone, propylene carbonate, and other gaseous and liquid substances under pressure, which are contained in high-quality deodorants.

Taken together, Scholl is capable of combating unpleasant odor and excessive sweating, and has a fungicidal effect. It is applied to the skin of the feet daily, and its effect lasts up to 24 hours. As a result, the feeling of freshness of the feet leads to comfort, and allows you to get rid of the development of fungal diseases. One 150 ml bottle is sold in pharmacies at a retail price of 265 rubles. This drug is convenient and in demand.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of this aerosol is its high quality, pleasant smell, ease of use: what could be easier than daily application of the product on the feet, like any conventional antiperspirant deodorant. Moreover, its cost is quite low. But on the other hand, this aerosol does not have such advantages as more expensive sprays, which can protect after a single application for 10 days or even longer.

Formagel (formaldehyde)

Rating: 4.7

Formagel – this name speaks for itself. It is a local remedy for combating unpleasant odor and sweating of the feet, the active and only substance of which is formic aldehyde, or formaldehyde (methanal). This substance is actively used in medicine as an antiseptic, a preservative and a sealant for biological tissues. It is thanks to the accumulation of formaldehyde in the blood that a person experiences excruciating hangover symptoms the next morning after a feast.

But in this case, formaldehyde can effectively combat the sweating of the skin of the feet, since it simultaneously has an antiseptic effect and inhibits the secretion of sweat glands. The drug is a transparent, colorless gel with a slight characteristic smell of formaldehyde, which, perhaps, cannot be called pleasant. It is necessary to apply this gel after water procedures and a shower on areas of the skin with increased sweating, in this case – on the feet and interdigital spaces, but certainly after the skin has dried.

The gel is applied for 30-40 minutes when it comes to rough skin of the sole and in the area of ​​interdigital folds. After that, the gel is washed off, and after the first application the effect of reducing sweating and reducing odor lasts, on average, up to 10 days. In case of severe unpleasant symptoms of sweating and odor, this treatment can be carried out for 2 or 3 days in a row. One package of gel weighing 15 grams costs an average of 230 rubles, and is produced by its domestic pharmaceutical company Retinoids.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of Formagel is its long-lasting effect, which can be compared with the best imported counterparts, for example, with Dry-Dry or Odorex aerosols. But at the same time, Formagel must not only be applied to the skin, but also wait 40 minutes, and then rinse off, and this is not always convenient. In addition, the gel is devoid of a perfume composition and smells like formalin, and not everyone will like this smell.

The gel has contraindications. It cannot be used for hypersensitivity of the skin and in the presence of inflammatory symptoms, it is not used for cracked heels. In some cases, it can cause excessive dryness of the skin, which will have to be dealt with in an additional way. The cost of this gel is very high and cannot be called justified. After all, formaldehyde is a large-scale product of the chemical industry, and a pharmaceutical factory can purchase feedstock for no more than 20 rubles per kilogram.

Formidron

Rating: 4.6

What happens if the formagel is stripped of the gel base? That's right, you get only a formalin solution, which is sold in dark glass bottles with a volume of 50-100 ml. As a result, the drug Formidron is obtained. More precisely, not a drug, but just a chemical product that is produced by the Tver Pharmaceutical Factory at a very affordable price, unlike Formagel. One bottle of Formidron with a volume of 50 ml costs 20 rubles, and with a volume of 100 ml – 25 rubles. Perhaps this is the cheapest remedy for foot odor and excessive sweating. Formidron is used very simply, with increased sweating of the feet, you just need to wipe the sole and interdigital spaces once a day before going to bed.

Advantages and disadvantages

The undoubted advantage of Formidron is the real price, because the pharmaceutical factory does not make a composition, but simply dilutes the purified formalin and packs it into vials. But at the same time, the formalin solution acts, of course, more roughly. It can cause local reactions – an allergic rash, redness, burning or itching, or other hypersensitivity and individual incompatibility reactions. It is contraindicated for dry and damaged skin, for inflammatory formations, as well as for cracked heels. Despite all the cheapness, Formidron is still more dangerous than Formagel. Still, this is liquid formaldehyde and it can accidentally splash, get into the eyes, or onto mucous membranes, and the gel in this sense, of course, is safer.

In conclusion, there are some important tips to give. To minimize sweating and unpleasant foot odor, wash and dry them twice a day. It is necessary to remove excess dead skin with a pumice stone; it is advisable to have shoes made of natural, easily breathable materials, as well as insoles and socks. It is recommended to use deodorant for shoes, pour dry powders into shoes, which were given in the rating (Galmanin, Five days). Wear clean socks daily.

In the same case, if all else fails, sweating is extremely profuse and is associated with various diseases, then botulinum toxin injection is a radical way to treat hyperhidrosis. It blocks not only neuromuscular transmission, but also stops the action of the sweat glands. But this remedy is radical, and is used only for medical reasons.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.