Why do some people always pick their toes? And then smell them?

This article was reviewed by Tao Ning, PhD, Associate Professor at a National Institute

"Awkward! He picks his feet when he doesn't agree with something."

No matter in winter or summer, under the warm sunshine, you can often see a group of people picking their feet in obsession.

Not to mention at home, he's always picking things up everywhere!

When watching TV, playing games... just like picking your nose, some people even like to smell it after picking their nose.

In short, picking your feet feels really good, but it also feels really sore!

Are you also wondering, how come people still like to pick their feet when their feet are so smelly?

Let’s take a look at it together.

It turns out that there are so many reasons for picking your feet:

First of all, our feet are covered with nerves. When you pick or rub your feet when you are bored, it is equivalent to massaging them, which will give you an inexplicable pleasure and make you feel comfortable, and you will inadvertently fall in love with this behavior habit.

Secondly, it is to tear off the dead skin on the feet.

During this process, your pituitary gland and hypothalamus will automatically release some endorphins, which make you feel happy.

Then there is the temptation of smell. The mud between your toes stinks because of something called short-chain fatty acid (isovaleric acid), which tempts you to always smell it.

Finally, another possibility is that you have a disease such as athlete's foot. At first, you pick your feet to relieve the itching, but over time, picking your feet becomes a habit.

Do you like picking your feet?

Why do you like to pick?

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