SOMETIMES, showering just isn’t enough to get you smelling as fresh and clean as you’d like — especially when it comes to your feet.

In fact, according to a survey from Odor-Eaters, among a group of 2,000 adults polled, more than one in 10 said their stinky feet were a constant problem, with 19 percent claiming they felt paranoid about others noticing their less-than-pleasant odor. However, science may have come up with a solution for those malodorous tootsies once and for all.

According to research presented at the October virtual meeting of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology, a specific type of sock may be able to help individuals suffering from foot odor get significantly better-smelling feet. The socks in question, developed by the Royal Thai Airforce, are coated in nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO-NP), a compound frequently found in personal care products, like dandruff shampoo, sunscreen, and diaper rash cream.

Among the 148 naval cadets who participated in the study, those who wore the zinc oxide-coated socks significantly reduced their foot odor and were less likely to develop pitted keratolysis, a bacterial infection that can contribute to foot odor. The good news is there are many mass market socks with zinc oxide in them.

(SD-Agencies)