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The following is a summary of “Effect of Finger Socks on Clinical Cure in Interdigital Tinea Pedis,” published in the January 2025 issue of Dermatology by AKSOY et al.
Humidity and occlusion between the toes are risk factors that contribute to the recurrence of interdigital tinea pedis.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to determine the role of wearing “finger-socks” alongside topical antifungal treatment in managing interdigital tinea pedis.
They enrolled 54 participants diagnosed with interdigital tinea pedis through direct microscopy, 31 participants were instructed to wear five-finger socks in addition to receiving topical antifungal treatment for 4 weeks, while 23 participants in the control group only received topical antifungal treatment without the recommendation of socks.
The results showed the pre-treatment culture positivity rate was 20.4%, while post-treatment, all cases tested negative. The most frequently identified microorganisms were Trichophyton rubrum and Candida parapsilosis. In the finger-socks group, complete cure, partial cure, and treatment failure rates were 74.2%, 16.1%, and 9.7%, respectively, compared to 21.7%, 26.1%, and 52.2% in the control group (P <0.001).
Investigators concluded that wearing five-finger socks was significantly associated with a higher clinical cure rate for interdigital tinea pedis compared to not wearing them, suggesting that these socks might improve treatment success by reducing interdigital humidity, independent of other daily habits.
Source: jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(25)00058-1/abstract
