What To Do About Corns?

Corns can be small, but they can also cause pain when you try to walk or stand. Understanding what corns are, and how they can be treated will help you prevent corns from returning.

What Are Corns?

Corns are like calluses in that they are thick, hardened layers of skin on the feet that are formed as a result of pressure or friction. These hard layers of skin are unsightly, but more than that, some corns can really hurt.

Calluses and corns tend to form at pressure points on the sides of the toes or on the bottom of the feet, although they can form on the top of the toes.

There are soft and hard corns. Hard corns are patches of dead skin with a core in the center. Soft corns are thinner and are often found in between the fourth toe and the little toe.

Some corns are called seed corns, and they are often found on the bottom of the foot. These corns can be very tender and cause pain when you stand or walk. The reason for seed corns is unknown, but some believe they are plugged sweat ducts on the sole of the foot.

What Causes Corns?

Most corns are caused by ill-fitting shoes, especially high heels. Those who do not wear socks are often plagued by calluses and corns.

Rubbing and pressure on certain areas of the foot can cause corns. If you or a family member have developed corns and you can’t find a reason for it, see a podiatrist since this could be because of a foreign object that you cannot see (such as a splinter).

Your feet spend most of their time in warm, moist environments, which are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Staph infections sometimes start through a corn, and it can become infected. If your corn is oozing pus or fluid, see your podiatrist as soon as possible.

What Is the Best Way to Treat a Corn?

Tight or ill-fitting shoes are often the source of corns. If you put on a frequently worn pair of shoes and you feel pain where the corn is, consider purchasing a similar pair of shoes that fits better.

Drug stores sell soft padding for corns to ease the pain while they heal. Corns will often go away once the source of irritation is removed.

However, if you are a diabetic, or if your self-care methods have been ineffective, see your podiatrist. Your podiatrist will use several methods to help offer relief from the pain, but to help the corn heal more quickly.

Some of these methods include:

• Trimming way a large corn using a special scalpel.
• Apply a medicated patch which can help shrink the corn
•  Suggest shoe inserts, called orthotics, if you have a foot deformity

Corns almost never require surgery, and a visit to your podiatrist’s office is often times all you need to get welcome relief from painful corns.

If you are having difficulty with corns or reoccurring calluses, why not call our office for an appointment? Our staff at Suffolk Foot and Ankle will be happy to discuss insurance options, so you get your feet back on the road to healing. Call us at (631) 604-4948 today .