The conditions described below are some of the common causes of excessively sweaty feet and strong foot odors.
1. Bacteria
Like other types of body odor, sweat is the root cause of foot odor. The body produces sweat as part of its natural cooling system. Sweat itself has no odor, but an unpleasant stink can be caused by the exposure of sweat to bacteria on the surface of the skin. As bacteria feeds on sweat and dead skin cells, organic acids are excreted. This excretion is the source of foot odor. More than 10 percent of the population endures the worst type of foot odor due to the presence of particular bacteria called micrococcus sedentarius. This bacteria excretes sulfur compounds that produce a smell resembling rotten eggs.
You can fight bacteria by washing your feet with antibacterial soap, wearing clean socks and alternating between different pairs of shoes. And a doctor may be able to provide a treatment regimen to fight off this strain of bacteria.