Corns and callus are one of the most common problems seen by podiatrists every day. There can be varying degrees of callus from minimal callus under the ball of the foot, to an infected ulcer that develops as a result of thick callus that damages the skin.

Corns and callus are pathologically the same, what that means is the skin has thickened in response to pressure, callus is a diffuse thickening of the skin and a corn is a more focal thickening.

What causes corns and callus?

Are caused by too much friction, pressure, or shearing force or all of them. The pressure that occurs stimulates the skin to thicken in order to protect itself, but if the stimulation remains the callus build up gets great and becomes very painful.

The pressure, friction or shearing can come about due to;

• Tight footwear
• Toe deformities such as hammer toes cause increased pressure usually due to rubbing on the shoes
• Bony prominences
• Reduction in fatty padding on the ball or heel of the foot (this occurs naturally as we get older)
• Biomechanical deformity, which can cause pressure under different areas on the bottom of the foot

NB:– corns or callus are usually there as a symptom of an underlying condition, so it is better to try and understand and treat the cause rather than just the symptoms

Corn and Callus Removal:

Self-Treatments for corn and callus removal?

You can:

• A file or pumice stone to reduce in-between podiatry appointments, little and often (under advice from your podiatrist)
• A moisturiser with urea (urea helps in breaking down the hard skin)
• Application of padding to offload areas of high pressure

What can a Podiatrist do for you in-clinic?

We can:

• Assessment to see what is causing the corn/ callus
• Use of padding to offload pressure
• Advise on footwear advice for style and fitting
• Use of orthotics to relieve pressure under the foot (long term treatment)

It is important to see a podiatrist if you have corns and callus AND also diabetes or poor circulation.

Please don’t hesitate to give us a call in Horley or Rochester or contact us to discuss any problems you are having with your corns and callus.