19.03.2024

College of Podiatry’s sockless ‘athlete’s foot’ warning

It is a fashion trend endorsed by Hollywood stars such as Ryan Gosling, Orlando Bloom and Jude Law.

But the current style of wearing shoes without socks means more people are getting athlete’s foot, the College of Podiatry warns.

The fungal infection, which causes blisters and redness, is more likely to develop when people go sockless as the lining of a shoe will not absorb sweat, letting bacteria grow.
Ryan Gosling has been shown to shed the sock’s protective barrier between sweaty foot and show

Socks act as a barrier between the foot and the shoe, soaking up sweat and preventing footwear from developing an unpleasant smell.

The foot, which boasts more glands than anywhere else in the body, produces around half a pint of sweat each day.

In recent years celebrities have shown off their ‘bare ankle look’, which is often paired with cropped, tapered trousers.

The look first emerged in 2013 and podiatrists fear even more men could develop the fungal condition as the trend enjoys increasing popularity.

Podiatrist Emma Stevenson told the Daily Telegraph: ‘As a whole, we are seeing more and more men coming to us with issues caused by poorly fitting footwear, and not just ones choosing to go sockless.

‘Depending on the level of sweatiness of the foot, there may be issues with too much moisture in the feet, which can leave you vulnerable to fungal infections such as athlete’s foot.

Orlando Bloom's choice to wear shoes without socks to absorb his sweat could lead to redness and blisters 

Orlando Bloom’s choice to wear shoes without socks to absorb his sweat could lead to redness and blisters

‘Many shoes that are available on the high street today may have leather uppers but are lined in synthetic material, which is not breathable. If the lining is not breathable then moisture, heat and bacteria will all be trapped inside the shoe.’

Athlete’s foot is a common skin condition mostly found in between sufferer’s toes.

The fungal infection is often caused by not changing shoes or socks regularly enough and is thought to affect around 15 per cent of the population.

It was first described in 1908 and is treatable with antifungal medication.

Jude Law has been shown to favour a sockless foot, but experts warn the fashion trend could cause fungal infection

Jude Law has been shown to favour a sockless foot, but experts warn the fashion trend could cause fungal infection

Mrs Stevenson recommends shoes should be aired for 48 hours to prevent harmful bacteria from growing inside the leather and has even suggested using dry tea bags to absorb the sweat.

In 2013, experts claimed cases of athlete’s foot had risen by more than 10 per cent after Hollywood royalty started stepping out in loafers without any socks.

At the time online pharmacy Chemist Direct said they had experienced a surge in sales of foot deodorants and perfumed insoles to mask unpleasant shoe smells.

Mrs Stevenson also warned against ill-fitting shoes, which is also seeing young men rush to their chiropodist.

The podiatrist said the trend for shoes which taper to a narrow point, is causing young men to suffer blisters and ingrown toenails.

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