Patent leather shoes increase the frequency of tinea pedis

Background: Patent leather shoes may prevent aeration of feet and thus causing tinea pedis, but there are no specific studies on this subject. We aimed to clarify whether patent leather shoes may increase the frequency of tinea pedis. Material and Methods: We studied military high school students receiving a diagnosis of tinea pedis before and after they began to wear patent leather shoes after a specific date retrospectively. We used medical records as data. Results: The prevalence of tinea pedis was 32.70% before patent leather shoes were used in school, increasing to 71.48% in the two years afterward. The 2.18-fold increase in the tinea pedis incidence without any change in the daily activities or the school environment of the students indicates that patent leather shoes may be a factor in tinea pedis development. Conclusion: Patent leather shoes, usually worn for aesthetic reasons, are not suitable for foot health as they have low air permeability and can increase the incidence of tinea pedis. Natural products should, therefore, be preferred for shoe production, as in many other areas, and consumers should be educated on this subject. Results indicate that the public and patients should be notified about patent leather shoes as well as the other preventive measures.