what color are your strings right now? the nonwound ones. if they are black, then you might wanna just change them out, wash your hands before playing, and make sure your hands are dry before playing. also, if you hands tend to sweat, keep a rag handy to keep your hands dried off.
your strings shouldnt lose their luster too quickly, unless you play for a few hours and then leave it alone for a couple weeks. then they get rusty. and thats where the smell comes from. i just buy the cheapest strings i can find and i buy a bunch of packs just to keep around because changing strings has been such a regular thing for me. it can get expensive, i know. thats why i just get the cheap ones and change them as needed. currently im using elec guitar strings on my acoustic. i like them cuz theyre really light and dont buzz as much when i play. theyre in the bargain bin at my local guitar center for $3 a pack. so ill grab about 5 packs at a time. i havent had a problem with the "stinky pinky" since i started doing that.
when you change out your strings, if you notice an improvement in the tone, then it was definitely time to change them out.