Corns and calluses are thick and hardened layers of skin formed when the skin tries to protect itself from pressure or friction. They form on the feet and toes or hands and fingers.
Corns
Corns are deeper and more petite than calluses and have a hard centre surrounded by swollen skin. They can be painful when pressed. Hard corns often form on the fingers’ top or the little finger’s outer edge. Soft corns tend to form between the fingers.
Calluses
Calluses are rarely painful and tend to form on pressure areas such as the heels, balls of the feet, palms and knees. They differ in various sizes and shapes and are often larger than corn.
Causes
Corns and calluses, caused by repeated actions of friction and pressure such as:
- Wearing high heels and tight shoes can squeeze areas of the feet. If your shoes are loose, your foot can repeatedly slide and rub against the shoe. Ill-fitting socks can also be a problem.
- Wearing shoes without socks often causes friction on the feet.
- Calluses on the hands can result from repetitive pressure from playing instruments and using hand tools or pens.
- The type of corn that occurs on the soles of the feet and palms can be caused by genetics.
Treatment for Corns and Calluses
Treatment for corns and calluses starts with avoiding the repetitive actions that cause them to occur. If a corn or callus becomes painful despite the self-care efforts, medical treatment may help to provide relief:
- Removal of excess skin. Your doctor or health care provider may trim the thickened skin or cut away large corn with a scalpel. This can be done during an official visit.
- Healing plasters. Your healthcare provider may apply a patch containing forty percent salicylic acid (Clear Away, MediPlast, and others). The doctor will tell you how often this patch needs to be changed. Before applying a new patch, try thinning the skin with a nail file , pumice stone, or sandpaper.
- Shoe inserts: If there is an underlying foot deformity, the healthcare provider may prescribe custom-made shoe inserts (orthotics) for preventing recurring corns or calluses.
- Surgery: Your healthcare provider may suggest surgery to correct the misalignment of the bone causing friction. This type of surgery can be performed without an overnight hospital stay.
Dermatologists recommend the following tips for self-treatment of corns and calluses:
- Soak the corn or callus in hot water for five to ten minutes until the skin softens.
- File corn or callus with a pumice stone: Dip a pumice stone in hot water, then gently file away the corn or callus. Use circular or side-to-side movements to remove dead skin. You need to be careful not to remove too much skin. Bleeding and infection could occur.
- Apply a moisturising lotion or cream to the area daily: Find a moisturising lotion or cream with salicylic acid, ammonium lactate, or urea. They will help soften the hard corns and calluses.
- Use padding: To protect calluses from further irritation during activity, cut a piece of moleskin found at any local drugstore into two half-moon shapes and place it around the calluses. To prevent the corn from coming into contact with your shoe, surround the corn with doughnut-shaped sticky pads – also available at drugstores.
- Wear shoes that fit properly: A common cause of the corn is a shoe that is not the correct size and shape of the foot. Buy shoes when your feet may be slightly swollen at the end of the day to get the proper fit.
- Keep your nails trimmed: Nails that are too long can force your toes to push against your shoe, causing corn to form over time. Keep the toenails trimmed.
Conclusion
Corns and calluses result from skin friction, irritation, or pressure. In other words, if ill-fitting shoes were the cause and you continue to wear the same shoes, corns and calluses are likely to return. If you are ever concerned about a growth on your leg, don’t know how to treat it, and especially if you have diabetes or delicate skin, see a doctor.
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