How To Treat A Corn & Is A Corn Serious?

Although corns and calluses are a very commonly faced issue, there are still lots of questions surrounding them. If you think you may have a corn, but aren’t certain for sure, this article may help you. We’ll even help you answer questions surrounding how to treat a corn and whether a corn is serious.

So, if you want to learn more about the hard bump on your foot, read on!

Before we get into how to treat a corn and the different types of corns, it’ll help to know just what a corn is. Corns and calluses are usually hard buildups of thick skin. They can form pretty much anywhere on your body, but are most commonly spotted on your feet, fingers, and hands.

What Are The Different Types of Corns?

 Corns are significantly easy to identify, as they are characteristically round and small. You’ll most likely see these hardened areas of skin on the sides of your toes, or the top of them too. There are a few different types of corns, as follows:

• Hard Corns: These types of corns tend to be small, hard, and dense. They usually encompass a much larger area of your skin and are commonly seen on the top of your toes. They usually occur due to bone pressure, hence the location.
• Soft Corns: Soft corns tend to have a greyish/whitish tone, and are much softer and rubbery compared to hard corns. They usually show up in between your toes.
• Seed Corns: These types of corns are normally seen on the bottom of your feet and they are typically small.

Why Do Corns & Calluses Form?

 Corns and calluses are usually the result of repeated friction, irritation, pressure, or rubbing on the skin. They are usually seen on prominent and bony areas of your body, like your feet and fingers. On the fingers, they form where there is constant friction on the skin. For example, when you hold a pencil or pen and write for a long time.

Corns and calluses tend to be hard as this is your body’s defense to protect the underlying area of skin from the constant pressure and irritation.

Are Corns Painful?

 Corns and calluses can either be painless, or can turn painful if not treated well. They are usually not painful as they develop, but become painful as they get harder over time. The area of skin that is raised can be sensitive or tender to touch. In general, though, corns aren’t too painful to deal with. However, like anything else, if they get infected, they can cause discomfort and pain.

Is A Corn Serious?

Corns are generally not a serious issue. They can be easy to deal with, but if you don’t treat them properly from the get go, you could potentially develop an infection. That would make the issue a serious one. Especially if you have diabetes or any other circulation-related issues. You should never try to treat your corn (or any other issue, for that matter) on your own when you have diabetes.

Am I Likely To Get A Corn?

 Corns and calluses can affect anyone. You are more likely to get a corn if:

• The bones in your feet are misaligned due to a medical condition. E.g. in the case of bone spurs, hammertoes, bunions and arthritis in the feet.
• You don’t wear socks with shoes.
• You don’t practice proper foot hygiene, or wear footwear that is not suited to your feet.
• You smoke cigarettes.

What Are The Common Causes of Corns?

There are many reasons people develop corns. Such as:

• Wearing ill-fitting shoes, especially shoes that tend to be too narrow for your feet. When your shoes are too tight, it creates pressure on your toes from friction. This can lead to the development of corns and calluses. People who tend to wear high-heeled shoes a lot can also develop corns and calluses on the balls of their feet due to the pressure created while moving.
• Staying on your feet for long periods of time, such as running, walking, or standing.
• Activities that tend to put pressure on your feet, especially labour and sport activities.
• Walking around barefoot on hard surfaces.
• Not wearing socks with shoes.
• Wearing socks that bunch up or slip around.
• Improper posture while walking; this can put excess pressure on the outer or inner edge of your feet.
• Activities that cause constant friction on your feet and fingers.
• Deformities in the structure of your feet. E.g. Hammertoes, bunions, and arthritis in feet.

If you do any of the above on a regular basis, you are highly likely to develop corns and calluses.

How to Treat A Corn

 If it isn’t infected, here’s how to treat a corn at home:

• Soak your feet in warm water to soften the corns
• Use a foot file / pumice stone to gently rub and file away the hardened skin
• Moisturise the area to keep the skin soft
• Make sure to keep the area clean and moisturised, and wear cushioned socks with wide and comfortable shoes to avoid constant friction

It is always best to visit a podiatrist if you are unsure of how to treat a corn at home, especially if you have diabetes or any other circulation-related issues. Here’s how a podiatrist can help you:

• We’ll take a look at your corn first to identify it
• We may prescribe antibiotics if it is infected
• To remove the corn, we will slowly and gently cut it away
• We will give you patches to help soften the area for removal

We can also prescribe you with special soft pads to wear with shoes to take the pressure off the area.

If you’re dealing with a corn or callus that is hard to manage, don’t hesitate to contact us! Here at Bucks Foot Clinic, we offer the best solution to all your foot-related problems.

Please call us on  0800 107 3290 / 077 99 122 099 Or contact us now