Corns and Calluses

Symtoms

Corns can range from a slight thickening of skin to a painful, hard bump. They often form on top of buckled toe joints (hammer toes). If your toes curl under, corns may grow on the tips of the toes. You may also get a corn on the end of a toe if it rubs against your shoe. Corns can also grow between toes, often between the first and second toes.

A callus may spread across the ball of your foot. This type of callus is usually due to a problem with a metatarsal (the long bone at the base of a toe, near the ball of the foot). A pinch callus may grow along the outer edge of the heel or the big toe. Some calluses press up into the foot instead of spreading on the outside. A callus may form a central core or plug of tissue where pressure is greatest.

Possible Causes

Corns and calluses are your body's response to friction or pressure against the skin. If your foot rubs inside your shoe, the affected area of skin thickens.

Or if a bone is not in the normal position, skin caught between bone and shoe or bone and ground builds up. In either case, the outer layer of skin thickens to protect the foot from unusual pressure.

In many cases, corns and calluses look bad but are not harmful. However, more severe corns and calluses may become infected, destroy healthy tissue, or affect foot movement. But with your doctor's help, corns and calluses can be controlled.

Treament

Generally, trying to trim away the thickened skin on your own is not a good idea...Especially if you have poor circulation or diabetes. You can cause infection if you cut yourself.

A safer self care solution is to soak your feet and rub away any loose excess skin, then filing away the skin with a file or pumice stone. Of course, this should be done gradually.

With doctor intervention, the initial exam would involve taking X-rays to determine any underlying condition that may be causing the corns or calluses for form in the first place. Your doctor may try cutting the thick skin away, and provide you with comfortable padding to stop the corns or calluses from reforming.

Orthotic devices may also be used, or suggestions on a proper pair of shoes will be made in order to prevent them, and to help prevent any underlying conditions.