{"id":223,"date":"2024-03-19T15:54:41","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T15:54:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/docs\/podiatry\/foot-problems-65\/skin-and-nails-213\/corns-and-calluses\/"},"modified":"2024-03-27T16:58:21","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T16:58:21","slug":"corns-and-calluses-223","status":"publish","type":"docs","link":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/?docs=podiatry\/foot-problems-65\/skin-and-nails-213\/corns-and-calluses-223","title":{"rendered":"Corns and calluses"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Corns and calluses are one of the most common conditions seen in a foot clinic. Basically, they\u2019re really just the formation of hard and thickened areas of skin at places of excess pressure and friction \u2013 one of the body\u2019s protection mechanisms. But while this protection mechanism often does just what it says on the tin \u2013 protect the body \u2013 it can also become problematic.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If the skin becomes too thick and hard, it can cause pain when walking or standing, or in any situation where excess pressure is applied.<\/p>\n

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What\u2019s the difference between a corn and a callus?<\/h2>\n

First, let\u2019s dispel a few common myths: corns aren\u2019t contagious, and they don\u2019t have roots.\u00a0 Nor are they hereditary, genetic, or caused by ill-wishes or bad luck! In fact, corns (and calluses) simply form in response to pressure on the skin. Shoes that are too small, pinch, or squeeze the foot can cause a corn or callus to form.<\/p>\n

However, although corns and calluses are physically the same, there are some structural differences. Corns are well-defined and cone shaped, with the point of the cone pointing down into the skin \u2013 in fact, it\u2019s this central core of hard skin that distinguishes a corn from a callus, and what can make a corn very painful.\u00a0 Also, corns tend to occur on bony parts of the feet, especially on the outside of the little toe and the top of the other toes. Calluses, on the other hand, don\u2019t have this central core of hardened skin \u2013 they\u2019re more dispersed and less well-defined than corns. Yellowish in colour, they normally form on the bony area of the sole of the foot, just beneath the toes, or on the heel. Although calluses aren\u2019t generally very painful, they can hurt if the build-up is sufficient.<\/p>\n

Are there different types of corn?<\/h2>\n

Yes, there are several types of corn, all with different characteristics and requiring different types of treatment.<\/p>\n

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  • \u2018Soft\u2019 corns \u2013 so-called because they feel soft compared to the more usual \u2018hard\u2019 corn. Soft corns occur between the toes and are kept soft by the moisture that tends to be found here. This type of corn is very painful.<\/li>\n
  • Seed corns. These are very small and form on the sole of the foot.<\/li>\n
  • Subungal corns, which form under the nail.<\/li>\n
  • Neurovascular corns. This type of corn has nerves and blood vessels running through it, and can be relatively difficult to treat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Treatments<\/h2>\n

    When considering treatment for corns and calluses, it\u2019s worth remembering that they\u2019re formed as a result of excessive friction and pressure \u2013 they\u2019re not a disease, so although you should always look first for the underlying cause of the problem, it\u2019s also reasonable to seek immediate symptomatic relief \u2013 particularly if the symptoms are pain! Common treatments include:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Excess skin removal . If you\u2019re in pain, it\u2019s wise to go to a local foot clinic and have the excess skin removed.<\/li>\n
    • Salicylic acid. There are a number of over the counter products containing salicylic acid that can be used at home to remove excess skin. Although these products are safe, they should be avoided by those who have diabetes or poor circulation.<\/li>\n
    • Padding. Several different types of pad are available from high-street pharmacies.<\/li>\n
    • Shoe inserts. In some cases, the problem is biomechanical (the way that the foot functions during walking). In these instances, a more permanent shoe insert, known as an orthotic, may be required.<\/li>\n
    • Subungal corns. These (corns underneath the nail) need professional attention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      As corns and calluses usually result from pressure or friction, they are quite easily treated by removal, followed by taking sensible measures to prevent recurrence. However, in some cases, such as if the problem results from deformation of the bones or joints of the foot, then corrective surgery may be required.<\/p>\n

      Prevention<\/h2>\n

      Prevention of corns and calluses is pretty straightforward \u2013 it really just means avoiding things that cause excess pressure and rubbing on the feet. As shoes are, arguably, the single biggest cause of problems, getting properly-fitting footwear is essential, though some shoes can feel comfortable, but still causes some pressure or friction on certain parts of the foot. In such cases, it\u2019s a good idea to consider investing in some foot padding in order to prevent the problem from escalating into a corn or callus. Keeping the amount of time that you wear high heels to a minimum is also a good idea.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Corns and calluses are one of the most common conditions seen in a foot clinic. Basically, they\u2019re really just the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":213,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"doc_tag":[],"doc_badge":[],"class_list":["post-223","docs","type-docs","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/docs\/223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/docs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/docs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=223"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/docs\/223\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/docs\/213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"doc_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fdoc_tag&post=223"},{"taxonomy":"doc_badge","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raymondnash.com\/patient-education\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fdoc_badge&post=223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}