June 15, 2025, 10:11 am | Read time: 6 minutes

Why Do We Sweat?

Just like the rest of the body, sweating on the feet is an important bodily function for temperature regulation. The evaporation of sweat on the skin causes cooling. This is why we sweat when it’s warm, and the same applies to the body during physical activity. Additionally, factors such as nervousness or excitement can temporarily increase sweat production. Sometimes hormonal fluctuations, such as changing or stopping birth control pills or menopause, are the cause.

Some People Sweat Excessively

For some people, sweat production generally exceeds a “normal” level. Doctors like Dr. Timm Golüke refer to this as hyperhidrosis. There is focal hyperhidrosis, which occurs in specific areas of the body, and generalized hyperhidrosis, which affects all areas with many sweat glands, such as the armpits and hands.

This condition often causes significant distress for those affected, even in everyday situations—during a date, buying shoes, or visiting friends where shoes need to be removed—the increased sweat production can become a burden. However, hyperhidrosis can be treated in various ways, according to the expert.

Also interesting: 4 Tips to Keep Eyeshadow in Place Despite Heat and Sweat

Treatment Options for Hyperhidrosis

Unlike some of his colleagues, Dr. Golüke does not advocate Botox treatments or the suctioning of sweat glands. He questions their effectiveness and considers both measures disproportionately expensive. Ultimately, the patient decides. If you suspect you have hyperhidrosis, it’s best to seek medical treatment and discuss the most sensible approach there.

Before that, there are several things affected individuals can do themselves—risk-free and at home. STYLEBOOK has gathered expert tips against sweaty feet.

Expert Tips Against Sweaty Feet

Pay Attention to the Right Material for Shoes and Socks

Many people who suffer from sweaty feet want to hide them in closed shoes even in summer. However, open shoes are a much better choice, as the skin on the feet can breathe and sweat can evaporate directly. If closed shoes are necessary, opt for those made from breathable mesh materials or leather. Synthetic materials are not suitable, as they do not allow air circulation and moisture/foot sweat cannot escape, leaving feet trapped in a damp chamber. This is uncomfortable and can promote unpleasant odors.

The right choice of material is also crucial for socks and stockings. In addition to simple cotton, special moisture-wicking materials from the sportswear sector are recommended.

Also interesting: 8 Good Reasons to Use Body Powder in Summer

Pay Special Attention to Hygiene for Sweaty Feet

Just because feet sweat doesn’t mean they have to smell unpleasant. As dermatologist Golüke confirms in a conversation with STYLEBOOK, sweat is naturally neutral-smelling—with exceptions, such as hormonal influences during puberty. Typically, sweat odor is caused by bacteria that result from poor cleaning or repeated sweating of clothes or shoes. They produce the unpleasant-smelling butyric acid when breaking down sweat. Especially if you tend to sweat more, it’s important to wash your feet regularly.

Wash or Air Out Sweaty Clothes

Socks that have been sweated in should be washed, ideally with non-delicate laundry that can withstand a 60-degree wash cycle. High temperatures are needed to destroy bacteria.

A hygienic approach is also recommended for shoes. Drugstores offer fresh insoles, some with antibacterial additives. However, even with shoe inserts, avoid wearing the same shoes on consecutive days. It’s also advisable to spray shoes with a disinfectant after each use and place them outside to air out.

Also interesting: The Best Time to Try on Shoes

Treat Sweaty Feet with Powder and Foot Deodorants

Powder can be used to keep various skin areas dry. You can apply the household classic baby powder to your feet or opt for a special foot powder. Some people swear by foot deodorants that are supposed to prevent the formation of bacteria. These are also available with aluminum chloride additives, which—similar to regular antiperspirant deodorants for the armpits—cause the sweat glands to contract and thereby reduce sweat secretion.

Whether to use deodorants with aluminum chloride remains a personal decision for now. Although the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment announced in July 2020 that the contribution of antiperspirants to the overall aluminum exposure in humans is “significantly lower than previously assumed,” aluminum in deodorants remains controversial. “It is certain that aluminum from deodorants can be absorbed through the skin,” says Steffen Kuhnert in a conversation with STYLEBOOK. The extent to which this poses health risks is still not fully scientifically researched.

Use Insoles

Certain insoles can also help against sweaty feet. Leather insoles absorb sweat and allow the foot to breathe. However, you should still change the insoles regularly to achieve the desired effect.

Foot Baths Against Sweaty Feet

According to Dr. Golüke, weak current baths, where continuous or high-frequency current is conducted through water using electrodes, can help against excessive sweating. This is confirmed in an article in the journal Pediatrics, stating it is “a recognized treatment method for many years that leads to normally dry skin in 98% of cases without medication.” For home use, there are special sponges with electrodes available at medical supply stores.

Ordinary foot baths are not only pleasant but also sensible. Regular 20-minute apple cider vinegar foot baths are considered particularly effective. You need half a cup of apple cider vinegar for two liters of warm water. Foot baths with natural additives like bath salts, sage, or fragrant lavender, which also has antibacterial properties, are also recommended. The tannins from black and green tea are said to cause the pores in the feet to contract and slightly inhibit sweat production.

Despite a tendency for sweaty feet, skin care should not be neglected: Dry your feet thoroughly and then apply a moisturizing lotion. Here, too, you have the choice between products with and without aluminum chloride. It should not be a salve—the texture is too thick and could clog pores, which would exacerbate the sweating problem.

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Sources

• with professional advice from dermatologist Dr. Timm Golüke, in Munich
• Aluminum in Antiperspirants: Low Contribution to Overall Aluminum Intake in Humans, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
• Health expert and pharmacist Steffen Kuhnert
• Weak Current Baths Against Sweat, Springer Medicine