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 No
question about it, corns and calluses on the feet are irritating
and painful. They can affect job performance, exercising, and just
living your daily life. However, there are some simple things you
can do to help ease the pain and prevent them from returning.
What
are corns and calluses?
Corns
and calluses are thickened areas of dead skin, that are found in
any areas of your skin that experience a great deal of repeated
pressure. Calluses are larger areas of thickened skin, while corns
are smaller and usually found in the toes. As mentioned, calluses
can form anywhere. Workers and laborers who use their hands can
develop calluses.
| Corns
and Calluses |
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How
do they occur?
Corns
and calluses on the feet can be caused by:
- new,
tight, or poorly fitting shoes
- sandals
or shoes worn without socks, which leads to friction
- high-heeled
shoes
- high
arches in your feet that put pressure on the tips
of the toes when you walk
- any
physical deformity that distributes your weight unevenly
when you walk
- protruding
bones or not enough flesh to cushion the bones of
your feet.
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The
more severe and repetitive the friction, the worse the corns and
calluses can become. People who are on their feet all day are obviously
prone to developing these skin irritations. Tight fitting shoes
or wearing sandals without socks can predispose people to developing
calluses. Sometimes, internal pressure from a protruding bone such
as arthritis can cause corns and calluses to develop.
Corns
are composed of a central protein core called keratin. This protein
is more sensitive to regular skin, which causes the immense pain
we feel. There are two types of corns: hard and soft. Hard corns
usually have a defined border and are often found on the little
toe, soft corns are due to pressure from a bony prominence and are
found in between toes. Occasionally, there is redness and swelling
around the corn, which may indicate an infected corn.
How
are they treated?
Your
doctor will usually shave the corn down to its core, thereby makes
it less painful and tolerable, and your doctor may get an x-ray
of the foot, to rule out a bone spur or other abnormalities that
may cause pain in the feet. Sometimes a salicylic acid plaster can
be place on the callus, which can often be applied by the patients
themselves.
These
are topical medicines known as keratolytics, which can soften the
hardened layers of dead skin. The softened tissue is then removed
using a pumice stone. If the corn or callus is serious, a referral
may be made to a podiatrist or orthopedic surgeon.
It
is best if you do not remove the corn yourself with a knife or other
sharp instrument. Although tempting, it may easily introduce infection
and may make a simply treated problem worse.
The
best way to treat calluses is to prevent them from occurring. Toe
and corn pads are helpful in removing the repetitive pressure. Toe
sleeves or shields can aid for the corns in-between toes. Make sure
your shoes and sandals fit correctly, and that the weight on your
feet is distributed equally.
A podiatrist
can help in this situation by fitting you for orthotic shoes, designed
to allocate equal amounts of pressure to your feet. If you feel
a misaligned bone may cause the corns and calluses, such as occurs
in arthritis, you may need to see an orthopedic surgeon.
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