Dermatológia pre prax 2/2026

Allergic contact dermatitis caused by footwear

The necessary wearing of shoes for most of one‘s lifetime creates conditions for the development of contact dermatitis, whether irritant or allergic, mainly due to friction and the warm, moist environment inside the shoe. Shoe dermatitis can affect people of any age, and gender. There are a number of allergens found in shoes. The main causes of allergic contact dermatitis include rubber chemicals, metals, adhesives and dyes. Owever, it should be noted that shoe materials are constantly changing and evolving, making the diagnosis and treatment of allergies difficult due to the large number of allergens involved. Patch testing helps to confirm and identify the harmful allergen. Accurate diagnosis, avoidance of identified allergens are the keys to successful treatment.

Keywords: allergic contact dermatitis, footwear, allergens in footwear, patch testing