What to Know About Corn Removal

Corns may not be dangerous, but they can be bothersome and cause pain and discomfort. Visit an experienced and board-certified podiatrist at the Century Medical and Dental Center to have your foot and ankle problems accurately diagnosed. Corns are fairly easy to get rid of, but they require time and can be irritating in the meantime. The specialist doctors can treat several problems from corns to calluses to sprains and strains and help you understand what leads to the development of corns. They also come up with the best treatment options for removing them if your corns are old or become infected and need medical attention.

What Are Corns?

Corns are thick, hardened layers of skin that develop when your skin tries to protect itself against friction and pressure. They most often develop on the feet and toes and look unappealing.

If the corns are not painful, you may not need any treatment, but if they are causing discomfort and affecting movement, you need to have them removed. For most people, simply eliminating the source of friction or pressure can make the corns disappear. In some cases, you may need medical attention if the corns become too hard and show signs of infection.

What Causes Corns?

If you frequently wear high-heeled shoes, chances are that you will develop corns on your feet. Persistent pressure on your foot or toes can lead to corns, a small part of the skin that has become thick and tough. The corns usually develop between your toes, on the sides or bottom of your feet, or below the toenails.

Sometimes corns can also press deep in the layers of skin and turn painful. There are two types of corns:

• Hard corns – such corns are generally formed due to pressure from shoes when they do not fit properly. They tend to develop at the top of smaller toes or on the outside of the little toes.
• Soft corns – these corns are softer because the sweat on your feet keeps them moist. They usually form between the big and the fourth toe. If they are unfelt untreated, the soft corns can become infected.

Corns vs. Calluses

There seems to be no difference between the two, and corns sound a lot like calluses. They may be similar, but there is a marked difference in their size and shape. Calluses are larger and wider, and they tend to have an edge that is not very clear.

Calluses form by putting pressure on the area as you walk. They develop when there is a lot of pressure on the foot or form over a bony area beneath your toes, heels, or even the side of the big toe. On the other hand, corns are smaller in size, and they are deeper into the layers of the skin and turn painful with pressure or friction. The skin of the corn becomes thick and hard, and it becomes a challenge to get them out if they grow old.

How Are Corns Treated?

Knowing how corns and calluses are treated is very important as it can help you stand, walk and participate in other activities without any pain or restrictions. Home treatments are effective for treating calluses and corns, but if they fail to work for you, it is best to visit a podiatrist for professional advice and treatment.

Treatment includes:

Trimming – To trim the corn at home, soak your feet in warm water for around 20 minutes to soften the skin, and use a pumice stone to gently remove the hard layers of skin. Podiatrists have tools and equipment to remove the dead skin effectively. It can greatly reduce the pressure on your foot, which results in pain and friction.

Chemical application – This treatment method is similar to trimming, except it uses chemical products that dissolve the hard skin. Salicylic acid is one of the most common products used for removing keratin or what dead skin is made of effectively.

Footpads and toe protection – A footpad is not exactly a form of treatment but provides relief from the pressure and eases the discomfort to some extent. A toe splint is another option to keep your toes from rubbing against each other if there is corn between them.

Home Treatment for Corns

You can also treat corns and calluses at home using home remedies or over-the-counter products if your corns are not too painful or infected.

Home treatments for corns include:

• Reducing the size of the lesion by soaking the corn or callus in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes and then filing or scraping the area with a pumice stone;
• Gentle circular or sideways motions can remove the dead skin;
• Using moisturizes on your feet as products that contain salicylic acid, urea, or ammonium lactate help soften the dry skin to prepare it for filing;
• Wearing shoes and socks that fit well, using protective pads or insoles, or taking other self-care measures to reduce the pressure on a corn;
• Placing foam or silicone wedges between the toes to keep down the pressure on a corn;
• Using custom-made padded shoe inserts called orthotics for people with irregularities in their feet.

How to Prevent Corns

Wearing the right shoe with the right fit is the best way to prevent the formation of corns. When purchasing a pair of shoes, make sure you walk around in them to ensure they fit well but are not tight, as friction or pressure can lead to the formation of corns.

It is also essential to avoid wearing high heels as much as possible and wear the lowest heels to prevent foot problems. It has been observed that wearing high heels is a cause of corns among women as the toes are pushed together and rub against the shoes.

If you cannot find a shoe that fits correctly, you can go for the right type of sock. Padded socks are effective for people who develop corns consistently as they offer to cushion their toes.

How Can the Hard Skin or Corn Be Removed Gently?

Along with treating the causes that lead to the formation of corns, trying to remove them gently can help you get rid of them. Soak the affected area of the skin in warm water for about 10 minutes. Once the corn is soaked and gets soft, use a pumice stone to gently remove the upper layer of thick skin. Doing it regularly, such as every other evening, can make the corn removal easy.

You should avoid using tools that have sharp edges like razor blades or callus shavers. The risk of injury is too high, especially if you have not done this before and do not know how to do it right. It is normal for professional foot specialists to use these sharp tools when treating corns and calluses.

If the corn is deeper or infected or leads to other complications, get it checked by a podiatrist. People with a higher risk of foot problems due to pre-existing medical conditions like poor circulation or diabetes must seek professional help for treating corns, rather than trying to remove themselves to prevent further complications. Also, if you cannot reach for your feet yourself or cannot see them clearly, visit a podiatrist as the risk of injury is high if you try to remove the corns on your own.

If you have questions about corn or callus removal, do not hesitate to contact a podiatrist for the best treatment methods. Schedule an appointment with the best foot and ankle doctors at the Century Medical and Dental Center to ensure you do not face any problems in walking or standing due to the hard, painful bumps in your feet. The top podiatrists in NY recommend the best treatments that get the corns out as gently as possible without causing any complications.