Relief for Painful Corns and Calluses

What You Need to Know

Understanding corns and calluses helps you protect your feet and know when to seek care.

Understanding Corns and Calluses

Calluses and corns are skin problems often found on the feet. A callus is a thick, hardened skin on the bottom of the foot that protects the skin from too much friction. They are often found on the ball of the foot, the heel, and under the big toe. 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 of skin thickens. If a bone is not in the normal position, skin caught between bone and shoe or bone and ground builds up. In either case, the outer layer of skin thickens to protect the foot from unusual pressure.

A corn forms when two toes rub together, causing thicker skin with inflamed tissue underneath. Corns between the toes have soft cores, while those on the top of a toe are hard corns. Corns often form on top of buckled toe joints (hammer toes). If your toes curl under, corns may grow on the tips of the toes.

A callus may spread across the ball of your foot, usually due to a problem with a metatarsal, the long bone at the base of a toe. A pinch callus may grow along the outer edge of the heel or the big toe. Some calluses press up into the foot instead of spreading on the outside, and a callus may form a central core or plug of tissue where pressure is greatest.

In many cases, corns and calluses look bad but are not harmful. However, more severe corns and calluses may become infected, destroy healthy tissue, or affect foot movement. If your skin growths are painful, growing, or showing signs of infection, schedule a visit so we can examine your feet and start the right treatment.

Treatment and Prevention Options

If your corns or calluses are mild, reducing friction may help. Different shoes, moleskin patches, or soft pads may be all the treatment you need. In more severe cases, treating tissue buildup may require your doctor’s care. Sometimes orthoses (custom-made shoe inserts) are prescribed to reduce friction and pressure.

Home treatment can be effective for corns and calluses that are not painful. Soak feet in warm, soapy water and then rub the thickened areas with a pumice stone or foot file. Apply a moisturizing lotion or cream every night and cover with a loose sock. Over-the-counter moleskin or pads (not with salicylic acid) can be added directly to the callus or corn to ease pressure.

Professional podiatric treatment can ease symptoms and eliminate the skin growth. We will shave the surface of a callus to relieve pressure. An exfoliant such as a cream with urea can remove dead skin. For a painful corn, medication may be injected beneath the built-up tissue, and an oral antibiotic can clear up any sign of infection. If your callus or corn is caused by your gait or foot structure, custom-fitted orthotics can greatly ease the friction and pressure.

You can prevent corns and calluses by wearing well-fitting shoes with lots of toe room and keeping feet dry with synthetic socks. If home care is not helping, schedule a visit so we can examine your feet and recommend the right next step.