Trendy sockless generation ‘at risk of athlete’s foot’

IT’S the fashion trend endorsed by Hollywood stars such as Ryan Gosling, Orlando Bloom and Jude Law.

But the style of wearing shoes without socks means more of us 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 fails to absorb sweat, letting bacteria grow. Socks act as a barrier between the foot and the shoe, soaking up sweat while also stopping our shoes from smelling.

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

Podiatrist Emma Stevenson said: ‘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.’

Athlete’s foot, which can be treated with antifungal medication, is often caused by not changing shoes or socks regularly and is thought to affect around 15 per cent of us.

Mrs Stevenson also told The Daily Telegraph that shoes should be aired for 48 hours to prevent harmful bacteria from growing inside the leather.

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 socks.

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