Corns and calluses are the build up of hard, thick areas of skin that can be painful. They develop from repeated rubbing, friction or irritation. The most common cause of corns and calluses is poor fitting footwear. Corns are small and round and can be found on the top or side of your toes. Calluses are hard, thick areas of skin, they are larger than corns and have a more irregular shape to them .They are more likely to be found on the bottom of the foot on areas that carry your weight. Corns and calluses can become infected if left, this can be painful and make walking difficult, so it is best to get them treated as soon as possible.
What can we do?
Calluses
- We debride the calluses off and leave the skin callus free and smooth.
- Removing hard skin of calluses relieves pain and redistributes pressure by using padding, strapping orappliances that fit into your shoes.
Corns
- Podiatrists can enucleate the corn.
- Patches can be used to help soften the area of skin to then be removed.
- Pads or insoles can be supplied to take pressure off the painful area
How to ease them
- Soak your feet in warm water and foot salts to soften the skin, making sure to dry feet thoroughly.
- Wear comfortable shoes and socks.
- Wear soft insoles to avoid rubbing.
- Use a foot file or pumice to remove hard skin.
- Use moisturiser.