In this article, we’ll find out why keeping your feet hygienic and taken care of can pay off in a lot of ways. One such perk can be frequent visits to your podiatrist. There are various types of foot conditions out there and here we’ll learn about what’s corn and how to treat them. Keep reading for more.
What’s a Corn?
The first questions that come to mind when talking about corn are “what’s corn?” and “Is corn serious?”. For the latter question, the answer is, it depends on their severity. As for the question “what’s a corn?”… Corns are a result of repeated friction, rubbing, irritation, and pressure on the skin. The common cause is tight-fitting shoes. In most cases, corn can be avoided with a little attention and care.
Corns are typically small and round. Corns are usually found on the top or sides of your toes. Corns are classified into several types:
● Hard corns are small, hard, dense areas of skin that are usually found within a larger area of thicken skin.
Hard corns typically form on the tops of toes, where bone pressure rubs against the skin.
● Soft corns are whitish/grey in color and have a softer, rubbery texture.
Between the toes, soft corns develop.
● Seed corns are small corns that grow on the bottoms of feet.
Is A Corn Serious?
If you’re wondering, “is corn serious?”, we have an answer for you. Corn is serious only in rare cases with medical history. People with diabetes or foot deformities such as bunions, hammertoes or other birth deformities are the most likely to get corns. Rest assured, they’re quite easy to take care of otherwise and just about every household knows how to treat corn.
How Do Corns Form?
Corns usually develop on the bony or prominent areas of the feet. Corns’ hardened layers of skin are your body’s way of protecting the underlying skin from irritation, etc. As you’ve learnt above, corns are a result of repeated friction, rubbing and irritation on the skin.
Many factors contribute to corn, for example:
- Shoes that do not fit correctly. The most common cause of corn on the tops of the feet is this.
- Long periods of standing, walking or running.
- Physical activities that put a strain on your feet.
- Going barefoot.
- Less to no use for socks
- Slipping socks and/or shoe linings under your feet while wearing shoes.
- Walking incorrectly/ improper posture.
- Physical activities that result in repeated friction on a skin area on your hands or fingers.
Moreover,
Common Symptoms For Corns
- Typical symptoms of corn include:
- Skin hardening occurs when there is repeated friction or pressure on the skin (corns and calluses).
- A small, round, raised hardened skin bump surrounded by irritated skin (more likely to be corn).
- Thick, hardened, and more flattened patch of skin (more likely to be callus).
- Touch sensitivity is lower than that of the surrounding skin (more likely to be callus).
- The bump’s raised area may be painful or uncomfortable (more likely to be corn).
- Blisters, pain, and redness
How To Treat A Corn
You may already be aware of this by now that corn can be treated at home with simple remedies. It doesn’t necessarily need a podiatrist visit unless you’ve got foot deformities or you suffer more pain than usual from it. In short, anything out of the ordinary and you might need some medical assistance.
First, we’ll take you through a more run-of-the-mill way how to treat corn with common symptoms:
- Soak the area with the corn or callus (for example, your foot) in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the skin softens.
- Soak a pumice stone or emery board in the water.
- To remove dead tissue, gently move the pumice stone or emery board across the corn or callus while the skin on your foot is still soft.
- Continue to file the corn or callus away, moving the stone or board in a single direction.
Take care and avoid removing too much skin, this could result in bleeding and infection. - Every day, apply a moisturizing cream or lotion to the corn or callus and the surrounding dead skin. (Look for urea, salicylic acid, or ammonium lactate in your products)
Note: It is absolutely not recommended to try to treat corn on your own if you have diabetes. It is most wise to get medical assistance in such cases to avoid any complications.
There are various tips and tricks on how to treat corn and it’s usually treatat home too. Although there’s an option for over-the-counter medications, they usually contain harsh chemicals. OTC medications are to be applied with utmost care otherwise they can cause injury to the surrounding skin.
How To Prevent Corns From Forming
There are various simple ways to prevent corn, such as:
- Wear shoes that are well-fitting.
- Wear socks with shoes, that’s what they’re for.
- Make sure your socks are snug enough to not bunch up under your feet.
- Use cushioned or padded insoles.
- When performing manual labour or working with heavy or rough materials that can cause skin damage on your hands or fingers, wear gloves.
- Inspect and clean your feet on a daily basis.
- Wash your feet with warm soapy water, then pat them dry and apply a moisturizing foot cream.
- Maintain proper toenail care.
- Don’t walk around barefoot.
- If you have sweaty feet, use foot powder on a daily basis to keep them dry.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a good podiatrist to treat a corn or consult about foot care, Bucksfoot Clinic is the right place for you. Visit our website to learn more about the services and care we offer.
