Hipsters, earmuffs: The dream of a sockless future is dead. No longer can we blithely saunter around in pointy-toed Oxfords with exposed, perfectly tanned ankles and slim-fit trousers as if to say, “Look at me! I’m cool, I have style, the summer heat can’t hold me down!” Who do we think we are, actor-slash-model Ryan Gosling?
Nay. According to podiatrist Emma Stevenson, of the U.K.’s College of Podiatry, we are fungus-infested sweat monsters.
“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,” says Stevenson. “On average, your feet will sweat half a pint a day; that’s a lot to be pouring out straight into your shoe without it being absorbed by a sock.”
That’s not the only problem, though. Stevenson also notes that the slim, pointed shoes guys like to wear sans socks can lead to other foot-related maladies. Blisters, ingrown nails and corns, for example, can result from friction on your exposed skin and pressure points if the shoes don’t fit right.
Thankfully, there are measures you can take to ensure you can continue to live your hippest truth. Things like applying an antiperspirant to your feet, rotating through your shoes to ensure each pair gets at least 48 hours to dry out, using moisture-wicking cedar shoe trees and replacing pairs that don’t fit right can all help prevent gross feet issues.
Or you could stop chasing trends and just wear socks. Your decision.
A few other things we learned about our bodies today:
- “I was actually crying my eyes out, but it came out on the surface as laughter.” Pathological laughter is a thing, evidently.
- Now they’re saying don’t eat breakfast if you want to be healthy. Which is it?
- Get more sleep, maybe avoid getting Alzheimer’s disease.
- Soreness from exercise is perfectly normal, and probably means you’re doing it right.
- Your teenage son or daughter isn’t brooding, they’re just super anxious.
- In today’s “no, duh” news, we’re all hopelessly fat.
Jeff Gross
Jeff Gross is MEL’s senior editor for social media and content marketing. His daily ICYMI column, which chronicles all things meta on the site, is the quickest way to catch up on MEL, and the funniest thing you’ll read all day. Follow him on Twitter.
