Take care of your feet. They take you places you sometimes never imagined.
Corns are hard, thickened areas of skin that typically occur on the feet. They’re similar to calluses but are usually harder, smaller, and more painful. These aren’t dangerous, but they can cause irritation. They’re also more likely to affect women than men.
Corns and calluses can be hard, soft or like a seed.
The hard ones are the most common type. They’re small, concentrated areas of hard skin, usually found within a wider area of thickened skin. The soft ones, on the other hand, are whitish or grey and are rubbery in texture. They often appear between the toes. The seedy ones are small and usually found on the bottom of the foot.
One quick fact; As they thicken, corns can become quite painful.
Don’t get it twisted. Corns and calluses are not skin diseases. They’re your body’s response to pressure or friction on the skin.
What causes corns and calluses to develop?
Since this thickening occurs as a natural defence mechanism that strengthens the skin in areas of friction or excessive pressure, abnormal anatomy of the feet, including foot deformities such as hammertoe or other toe deformities, can lead to corn or callus formation. Footwear that is too tight or that exerts friction at specific points also exposes the skin to thickening that leads to corns and calluses.
Abnormalities in posture or movement that result in increased pressure to specific areas can also make one prone to corns and calluses.
Finger calluses may develop when one uses tools, plays musical instruments such as the guitar, or use work equipment that exerts pressure at specific sites.
Treatments for corns and calluses;
Corns and calluses can be treated with many types of over-the-counter products. Many of these products are available for use as home remedies as they all share the same active ingredient such as salicylic acid.
Treatment for corns and calluses usually involves avoiding the repetitive actions that caused them to develop in the first place. You can also reduce your chances of getting them by wearing properly fitting shoes, using protective pads and taking other self-care measures.
If a corn or callus persists or becomes painful despite your self-care efforts, medical treatments can provide the relief you can;
- Trim away excess skin.
- Callus-removing medication.
- Use socks or shoe inserts.
- Soak your hands or feet in warm, soapy water to soften corns and calluses to make it easier to remove the thickened skin.
- Moisturize your skin. Apply moisturizer to your hands and feet to help keep the skin soft.
- Wear comfortable shoes and socks.
- Seek medical attention if home remedies doesn’t work. This may be needed in rare instances when your doctor may recommend surgery to correct the alignment of a bone causing friction.
Do not attempt to shave or cutaway corns and calluses at home as it can lead to potentially dangerous infections of surrounding tissues. It can only be performed by a podiatrist or other health care professionals when the need arises.
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