Callus & Corns

 

A corn or callus is a thickening of the outer layer of the skin on your foot. Corns usually grow on the top of the foot, often at a toe joint. Calluses spread on the bottom of the foot, on the outer edge of a toe or on the heel.  

 

Corns and calluses are your body's response to friction or pressure against the skin.

  • If your foot rubs inside your shoe, the affected area thickens.
  • If a bone is not in the normal position, skin caught between the bone and shoe or bone and ground builds up.

Corns can range from a slight thickening of the skin to a painful, hard bump.   

 

  • Corns often form at the top of buckled toe joints (hammer toes) or often between the fourth & fifth toes.

 

  • This type of callus is usually due to a problem with a metatarsal (the long bone at the base of a toe, near the ball of the foot). .

 

SELF TREATMENT

soak the foot for 10-15 minutes then gently rub the hard skin back with a file or pumice stone

purchase some padding from a Podiatrist to place over the area to protect it

use a good quality moisturising cream to keep the skin soft

avoid any tight footwear

if the problem persists, see a Podiatrist immediately

avoid using any over the counter products that burns the hard skin

PODIATRIC TREATMENT

dentify the cause i.e. is it due to incorrect fitting footwear, boney prominences on feet such as hammertoes or bunions or are you placing your weight excessively onto a certain part of the foot. Then the Podiatrist will treat the cause.

painlessly remove the callus or corn & apply any padding to protect or remove weight from the area.

use of different insoles & custom made orthotics to further remove weight from the area.

advice regarding appropriate footwear & self-care

surgical correction of underlying problems such as hammertoes & bunions

 

For further information concerning 'Callus & Corns'. Click HERE

 

Footmed  can simply & painlessly provide relief of callus or corns. They also can advise you of further options including appropriate footwear, various insoles & supports & surgical options for permanent correction.

 

Private health insurance generally covers a percentage of the cost of Podiatric consultations. Podiatric consultations are also covered under Workcover, 3rd Party Insurance & Veterans Affairs.  

 

[THIS INFORMATION IS OF A GENERAL NATURE & SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS A DIAGNOSIS. SEEK ADVICE FROM A PODIATRIST FOR SPECIFIC ADVICE]