Corns and calluses are a buildup of hard, thick areas of skin. Although these hardened areas of skin can form anywhere on your body, you’ll usually see them on your feet, hands or fingers.
What do corns and calluses look like?
Corns and calluses have many distinct features. Corns look like:
Small, round, raised bumps of hardened skin surrounded by irritated skin.
Raised areas or bumps that may be painful or cause discomfort.
Calluses are:
Thick, hardened, larger and typically more flattened patches of skin.
Less sensitive to touch than the surrounding skin.
Both corns and calluses can cause:
Hardened areas of skin where there’s repeated friction or pressure on your skin.
Corns and calluses may or may not be painful. Some corns and calluses aren’t painful when they first develop but then become painful over time as they thicken. The raised areas of skin — especially of corns — can be tender or sensitive to touch or pressure. Calluses tend to be less sensitive to touch than the normal skin around them. Sometimes, cracks (called fissures) form in a callus. Fissures can be painful. If you have a corn or callus that becomes infected, you’ll likely feel pain or at least some discomfort.
How do I remove corns and calluses?
Treatment depends on your symptoms and what caused the corn or callus. But for the typical corn or callus, removing the buildup of skin is an effective treatment. Follow these steps:
Soak the area with the corn or callus (let’s use your foot as an example) in warm water until the skin softens — usually five to 10 minutes.
Wet a pumice stone or emery board.
While the skin on your foot is still soft, gently move the pumice stone or emery board across the corn or callus to remove dead tissue. Continue to file down the corn or callus, moving the stone or board in one direction. Be careful. Don’t remove too much skin. This could lead to bleeding and an infection.
Apply a moisturizing cream or lotion to the corn or callus and surrounding dead skin every day. Look for products that contain urea or ammonium lactate. These ingredients will soften the skin over time.
Other care tips include:
Surround your corn or callus with donut-style adhesive pads or make your own donut pad from moleskin. (The corn should be in the center hole area of the donut.) You can purchase moleskin padding and other corn and callus products at your local drugstore. Padding helps protect the corn or callus from irritation and relieves pain and pressure.
Wear properly sized and shaped footwear. Wear shoes with increased width and height in the toe area. Consider buying footwear at the end of the day when your feet are slightly swollen.
Keep your toenails trimmed. Long toenails can make your toes push against the top of your shoe causing friction and increased pressure. Cut toenails straight across. Don’t round the corners.
If your corns or calluses are painful, apply a cold pack to reduce the pain and swelling for no more than 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
Never try to cut out, shave away or remove corns or calluses with a sharp object.
Don’t try to treat corns or calluses if you have diabetes, have poor circulation, are prone to infections or have delicate skin. See your healthcare provider.
Should I try over-the-counter medications to treat my corns or calluses?
Over-the-counter products used to dissolve corns and calluses contain harsh chemicals. If you aren’t precise in applying the chemical, it can injure the surrounding healthy skin. If you have diabetes, don’t self-treat. See your healthcare provider, due to the foot complications possible with diabetes.
Is surgery ever needed for corns and calluses?
You can manage most corns and calluses by following the simple tips listed in this article — namely, remove any corns or calluses with a pumice stone after soaking your feet in warm water.
Your healthcare provider may consider surgery if you have a structural deformity in your foot or toes that results in the repeated development of corns or calluses. In this case, a surgeon may need to remove or realign bone tissue. Other reasons for surgery are if the corns or calluses are extremely painful, if they prevent you from walking comfortably or normally, or if they cause reoccurring infections, wounds or tissue breakdown.
How are corns and calluses diagnosed?
A healthcare provider can diagnose corns or calluses by looking at your skin. No tests are required. A simple visual exam of your skin is usually all your provider needs. Your provider may ask you questions about your job, how much walking and standing you do, and in what activities you participate. If your corn or callus is on your foot, your provider may ask you to walk to check your posture and the way you walk, ask about your footwear and ask how you take care of your feet.
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