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Corns and calluses aside from causing pain and discomfort are not always a pretty sight to look at. Women find they are restricted to wearing closed in shoes because of this, which is not good when on holiday and open toe sandals are being the more apprproriate. A corn is small areas of very thick skin. A corn is roughly round in shape. Corns press into the deeper layers of skin and can be painful. Tight fitting shoes can add to your suffering.
Hard corns commonly appear on the top of the smaller toes or on the outer side of the little one. These are the areas where poorly fitted shoes tend to rub most. So what is the difference between hard and soft corns? Well Soft corns more often than not form in between the toes, most known between the fourth and fifth. It may not sound nice but this is because of the sweat which keeps this area moistened. Soft corns sometimes become infected, if an infection occurs you may need treatment of the doctor in the form of antibiotics.
Not many people are aware of the difference between corns and calluses and therefore this can result in wrong treatments and medication being used.
A callus is larger, broader and has a less well defined edge than a corn. These tend to form on the underside of the foot. They are more recognized to form over the bony region just underneath the toes. A callus is not normally a painful condition, however over a period of time it can be.
Like most ailments knowing of the cause can help prevent a condition reoccurring.
The small bones of the toes and feet are wider and lumpier close to the small joints of the toes. If extra rubbing takes place or pressure on the skin overlying a small rough area of bone, this will cause the skin to thicken, hence resulting in corns or calluses forming.
Like many foot ailments ill wearing shoes will only add to the problem and maybe worsen the condition
Poor fitting shoes can cause corns to occur on the top of the toes and side of the little toe as like to that of much walking or running which we connect to calluses. Treating corns of a painful nature is best done under the supervision of a podiatrist (previously called chiropodist. What to expect when treatment begins on your corn
The thickened skin of a corn or callus can be pared down (trimmed) by a podiatrist by using a scalpel blade. The pain is usually much reduced as the corn or callus is pared down and the pressure on the underlying tissues eased. Some people unfortunately will not pay the extra few shillings for a decent pair of shoes therefore allowing the condition to recur. This is not the ideal way to rid corns. Sacrifices have to be made if you want comfort and if that means paying that little extra in shoe leather then so be it.
If the skin seems to be thickening up again, a recurrence may be prevented by rubbing down the thickening skin with a pumice stone or emery paper once a week. Soak the feet first in warm water for 20 minutes to soften the thick skin. A moisturizer cream used regularly on a trimmed corn or callus will keep the skin softened and easier to rub down. Avoid at all times using chemical based treatments (sometimes included in 'Corn plasters') to 'burn' the thickened skin unless under the guidance of a podiatrist.
Try footpads and toe protection for comfort. Surgery may be suggested for abnormalities on the feet, operations may be performed to straighten a deformed toe, or to cut out a part of a bone that is sticking out from a toe. It may sound a little scary having surgery but it is well worth keeping your feet in healthy state because after all they are your only means of transport for getting around.
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