Would you like to know how to prevent your feet from sweating? Try black tea

RUbber flip-flops are the perfect summer shoe when you don’t really do anything other than trudge across the sand to your beach towel. But if, for example, you have to walk a few minutes along the boardwalk to meet a friend elsewhere on the beach, you may experience one of the less pleasant experiences of summer, namely having your feet slip and slide in rubber shoes thanks to the soles of your feet. sweat. Pleasure!

Like the rest of your body, your feet can produce more sweat in the summer, says a podiatrist Jacqueline Sutera, DPMwhich may cause unpleasant and smelly experiences.

“As temperatures rise, so does the temperature of our bodies, and then we sweat to regulate our temperature,” says Dr. Sutera. “Sweating is normal and natural, but if it is excessive and you start to smell, people become very self-conscious.”

In addition to the increased sweat production, fabrics such as rubber, which you may wear more often in the summer, do not absorb sweat. So you could be sloshing in a puddle of your own sweat. (Pro tip: Opt for “a thong or sandal with a textured footbed that can also keep your foot from slipping as much because there’s traction,” says Dr. Sutera. A Vionic spokesperson recommends Vionic’s Tide II Post Toe Sandal on .)

If you think your feet sweating is problematic, there are a few steps you can take. First, some sweat and odor problems require medical attention, such as odor caused by an infection. So if yours has been extra smelly lately, consider visiting your podiatrist to rule it out.

But if normal sweat is making you sore, you’ll want to replace old shoes with new ones, because worn-out shoes can be a breeding ground for the bacteria that actually cause foot odor.

“Foot odor is common because when your foot sweats, like in a sneaker, it absorbs the sweat and bacteria begin to feed on the sweat,” says Dr. Sutera. “[Odor] is actually a byproduct of the bacteria.” Old shoes full of bacteria can worsen a sweaty foot problem.

If you’ve taken inventory of your closet and your feet are still sweat factories, Dr. Sutera actually recommends a natural remedy that anyone can do at home – with enough tea bags.

How to stop your feet from sweating with black tea

There is a substance in black tea called tannic acid that can act on the sweat glands to reduce their activity.

“It’s kind of like a natural antiperspirant,” says Dr. Sutera. “What the tannins do is temporarily shrink the sweat ducts so you don’t produce and release as much, and that also helps with the odor.”

You will not find tannic acid in herbal or green tea. It must be the strong black stuff. And dr. Sutera advises that you need a high concentration of tea in the water for it to be effective.

“You have to brew it in a way that’s so dark and so strong, like it’s not something you would ever drink,” says Dr. Sutera. “I don’t know if there is an exact recipe, but let’s say you want it to be at least five times stronger than how you would normally drink it.”

Dr. Sutera recommends making a large batch of super dark tea. You can then place a small amount in a bathtub or sink and place your feet in it for about 10 minutes each night. You don’t have to cover the entire foot; the tea should just coat the bottom of your feet, because that is where the sweat glands are located.

The results will not be immediate. Dr. Sutera says it takes a few days for the home remedy to work. And it is also a short-term solution: once you stop regular soaking, the glands resume their normal activity. But she does think it can be effective, and part of a larger self-care ritual for the feet. Her own experiences with soaking black tea feet show that the tea also has an exfoliating effect. So why not add some essential oils and finish the routine with a luxurious moisturizer? Dr. Sutera recommends one “with lactic acid that will help exfoliate and soften callused skin.”

“People are very conscious of their feet, especially in the spring and summer,” says Dr. Sutera. “Use the momentum of self-care here.”