Research
Plantar Hyperhidrosis (Sweaty Feet): Statistics and Research
Plantar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating of the soles of the feet) affected 2.79% of people in a large Japanese survey, and among patients who already have primary hyperhidrosis, the soles are the single most commonly involved site (50.1%). Sweaty feet frequently occur together with sweaty hands as a "palmoplantar" pattern, and persistent foot moisture is a recognized contributor to foot odor and certain skin conditions. This page compiles the verified prevalence, co-occurrence, and foot-health figures, each traced to its source. It is educational information, not a diagnosis or medical advice.
By the Sweat Explained Editorial Team · Published 2026-07-13 · Last reviewed 2026-07-13 · Educational information, not medical advice.
Key statistics at a glance
2.79%
prevalence of primary plantar hyperhidrosis in a Japanese survey of 5,807 people
Fujimoto 2013
50.1%
of primary hyperhidrosis patients had sole involvement, the most common single site
Walling 2009
24.3%
of primary hyperhidrosis patients had a combined palmoplantar (hands + feet) pattern
Walling 2009
15%
had isolated plantar hyperhidrosis (feet only)
Walling 2009
11.5 years
mean age of onset for palmoplantar hyperhidrosis
Walling 2009
How common are sweaty feet?
In a nationwide Japanese questionnaire study (5,807 valid responses, ages 5-64), primary plantar hyperhidrosis affected 2.79% of respondents. In that same survey the sole figure was lower than the reported rates for palms (5.33%) and underarms (5.75%). That does not mean feet sweat less often in everyday life. It reflects how many people report sole sweating as a distinct, troublesome problem on a survey.
A different picture emerges once you look only at people who already have hyperhidrosis: among those patients, the feet are very commonly involved.
Among hyperhidrosis patients, soles are the top site
In a US dermatology clinic series of 387 primary hyperhidrosis patients, investigators recorded which body sites were affected. The soles were involved most often, ahead of palms and underarms. (Percentages sum to more than 100 because many patients have more than one affected site.)
| Group | Value |
|---|---|
| Soles (feet) | 50.1% |
| Palms (hands) | 45.2% |
| Axillae (underarms) | 43.4% |
Source: Walling, J Am Acad Dermatol 2009. Chart is an original rendering of the cited data.
How plantar sweating patterns break down
The same clinic series grouped patients by their overall pattern of involvement. Isolated plantar (feet only) and combined palmoplantar (hands and feet together) together account for a large share of cases.
| Pattern | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Isolated axillary (underarms only) | 27.6% |
| Palmoplantar (hands + feet) | 24.3% |
| Isolated plantar (feet only) | 15% |
| Axillary + palmoplantar | 5.7% |
| Isolated palmar (hands only) | 5.7% |
| Craniofacial (head/face) | 5.2% |
Selected reported patterns; the feet are involved in the palmoplantar, isolated plantar, and axillary/palmoplantar groups combined.
Feet and hands often sweat together
Sweaty feet and sweaty hands frequently travel together. In the clinic series, 24.3% of patients had a combined palmoplantar pattern, while 15% had plantar involvement in isolation. This overlap is why the age-of-onset data are usually reported for "palmoplantar" hyperhidrosis as a single group, with a mean onset of about 11.5 years, a childhood- or teenage-onset trait, like palmar sweating.
The practical implication is that many people with troublesome foot sweating also notice it in their hands, and the two are generally considered part of the same primary focal pattern rather than separate conditions.
Why persistent foot moisture matters
Beyond the sweating itself, chronically damp feet create conditions that favor certain skin problems. Excessive sweating of the soles combined with occlusive footwear provides an environment in which skin bacteria thrive. In pitted keratolysis, a superficial bacterial condition of the sole, those bacteria break down the outer skin layer and produce sulphur compounds, which is a recognized cause of strong foot odor. Persistent maceration (softened, waterlogged skin) can also make the feet more prone to irritation.
Foot odor and moisture can have several distinct causes: bacterial (such as pitted keratolysis), fungal (athlete's foot), or simply excessive sweating and footwear habits, and they can look similar. A clinician or podiatrist can distinguish them. This page describes the recognized association between foot moisture and these conditions; it does not diagnose any of them, and anyone with painful, spreading, or persistent foot skin changes should seek professional care.
Onset and low help-seeking
Like other focal forms, plantar hyperhidrosis tends to begin early, as part of the palmoplantar group with a mean onset around 11.5 years. And as with hyperhidrosis generally, few people bring it to a clinician: in the Japanese survey only 6.2% of people with focal hyperhidrosis had visited a medical institution about it. Many people manage sweaty feet on their own without knowing it is a recognized, treatable condition.
Methodology and limitations
This page compiles a large Japanese questionnaire prevalence survey (Fujimoto 2013), a US dermatology clinic series describing body-site and pattern distribution and age of onset (Walling 2009), and a peer-reviewed clinical review on the foot-health consequences of moisture and pitted keratolysis (CMAJ 2015). Each figure was traced to its source and confirmed.
Limitations: the 2.79% prevalence comes from a self-reported Japanese survey and is not a global figure. The 50.1% sole-involvement and pattern figures come from patients already attending a hyperhidrosis clinic, not a random population sample, so they describe the mix among diagnosed patients rather than the general public; site percentages sum to more than 100 because patients often have multiple sites. The foot-odor and pitted-keratolysis material describes recognized associations, not causation in any individual. Nothing here is a diagnosis or medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
- How common is plantar hyperhidrosis (sweaty feet)?
- In a large Japanese survey, primary plantar hyperhidrosis affected 2.79% of people, lower than the reported rates for palms (5.33%) and underarms (5.75%) in the same study. That reflects how many people report sole sweating as a distinct problem, not a precise global rate.
- Are sweaty feet more common than the 2.79% figure suggests?
- Among people who already have hyperhidrosis, yes. The soles were the single most commonly involved site (50.1%) in a clinic series. The lower 2.79% is a general-population survey figure; the 50.1% describes the mix among diagnosed patients.
- Do sweaty feet and sweaty hands occur together?
- Often. In a clinic series, 24.3% of patients had a combined palmoplantar (hands and feet) pattern and 15% had feet-only involvement. The two are generally treated as part of the same primary focal pattern.
- At what age does plantar hyperhidrosis start?
- Usually in childhood or the teenage years. It is reported together with palmar sweating as palmoplantar hyperhidrosis, with a mean age of onset of about 11.5 years.
- Can sweaty feet cause foot odor or skin problems?
- Persistent foot moisture with occlusive footwear favors skin bacteria. In pitted keratolysis, those bacteria produce sulphur compounds that cause strong foot odor. Foot odor can also be fungal or hygiene-related, so a clinician can tell the causes apart.
- Should I see a doctor about sweaty feet?
- Only about 6.2% of people with focal hyperhidrosis in one survey had sought medical care. If foot sweating is distressing, or is accompanied by painful, spreading, or persistent skin changes or odor, it is reasonable to see a clinician or podiatrist.
Sources
Primary peer-reviewed studies and official sources first, then reviews and institutional framing (secondary).
- Fujimoto T, Kawahara K, Yokozeki H. Epidemiological study and considerations of primary focal hyperhidrosis in Japan: from questionnaire analysis. J Dermatol. 2013;40(11):886-890 (plantar prevalence 2.79%). PubMed
- Walling HW. Primary hyperhidrosis increases the risk of cutaneous infection: a case-control study of 387 patients. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009;61(2):242-246 (body-site and pattern distribution; age of onset). PubMed
- Almeida HL Jr, et al. (clinical review). Pitted keratolysis: an infective cause of foot odour. CMAJ. 2015;187(11):826 (foot moisture, occlusive footwear, sulphur-compound odor). Full text
How to cite this page
Sweat Explained. Plantar Hyperhidrosis (Sweaty Feet): Statistics and Research. Published 2026-07-13; last reviewed 2026-07-13. Available at: https://sweatexplained.com/research/plantar-hyperhidrosis-statistics
Please cite the original studies for the underlying figures. Journalists are welcome to link to this page; the charts are original renderings of the cited data.