Copper socks helped Chilean miners' foot fungus

The 33 Chilean miners who were trapped underground after their mine collapsed in August 2010 spurred an impromptu experiment, of sorts, into treatments for fungal foot infections.

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Socks containing copper particles treated the fungal infections the workers suffered better than anti-fungal creams, suggests a report published today in the journal Archives of Dermatology.

Within two weeks of living in the hot and humid conditions, many of the miners began to experience skin problems in their feet. The socks, made by Cupron, Inc., were donated to the miners after antifungal cream failed to relieve their skin problems. Many of the miners reported their skin problems completely resolved within a week of trying on the socks, according to the report.

The sock fibers were "impregnated" with copper oxide, a known anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent.

The socks may be useful in preventing athlete's foot, particularly in miners, who have high rates of the condition (upward of 90 percent), the researchers say. The socks may also benefit policemen, soldiers, sailors and others whose feet are exposed to harsh environments, they say.

However, experts say the results are preliminary, and more rigorous work is needed to demonstrate the socks' benefit.

One of the study researchers is employed by