Corns and calluses are common foot problems that can often be a source of pain and aggravation, especially when it comes to wearing shoes. Corns and calluses are areas of skin that have become thickened due to pressure. At times, the foot can gradually change depending on one's foot structure. This change can cause toes to contract upward, or areas on the bottom of the foot to become more prominent when skin or a fat pad thin out(such as on the ball of the foot or the heel). As shoes or the ground exert pressure on the skin from the outside and the prominent bone exerts pressure from within, a reaction takes place in the skin's top layer. This reaction thickens the top layer and provides a natural defense for the skin from excessive pressure. This type of skin is called hyperkeratosis. Typically the word corn describes a hyperkeratosis of the toes, and callus describes a hyperkeratosis on the bottom of the foot. Unfortunately, this natural defense can be a source of pain and discomfort, and there is always potential for skin to degrade underneath the corn or callus, forming a wound (or ulcer).


A variety of means may be used to treat corns and calluses. Treatment may be as simple as regular shaving of the lesion, combined with the use of skin softeners, padding for comfort and protection, as well as the use of wider, deeper, or more supportive shoes. Shaving of the lesion needs to be done carefully, as the line between the thick skin and the regular skin underneath can be thin. At home, one should only use an emery board or pumice stone after bathing for the safest result. Products currently in stores that 'grate' the skin should be used with caution, especially if one is diabetic or has poor sensation or circulation. Very thick lesions should be shaved down by a podiatrist. One should never use a razor blade or scissors on oneself, as injury can easily occur when awkwardly cutting on one's own foot. The use of skin softeners and exfoliants after filing the corn or callus down can help to keep the tissue from becoming dry and cracked. Padding is also helpful to reduce the pressure on the skin externally, forming a protective layer between the shoes and the skin for corns on the top of the toes, between the foot and the ground for calluses, or in the case of a corn in between the toes, between adjacent toes. The use of medicated corn pads is not recommended, as they contain an acid which can easily burn the surrounding healthy skin when improperly applied. The pads should be a simple gel, foam, felt, or doughnut-hole style material that eases pressure off the irritated skin. All the above measures may lessen the size or severity of the corn or callus, but due to continued pressure they will return again. Wider and deeper shoes can limit the pressure causing toe corns, and prescription (not over-the-counter) shoe inserts called orthotics can help specifically decrease pressure to the ball of the foot, limiting callus growth there. At times, these simple measures are all that is needed to keep one comfortable. Unfortunately, in certain individuals, such as diabetics, the mere presence of a corn or callus can lead to a serious wound.


Permanent correction requires surgery to address the underlying bone deformity. This includes either removal of the prominent part of bone via a procedure that moves bone out of the way (or one that shaves prominent areas off), or with correction of the foot deformity itself (such as with hammertoes) to reduce pressure on the skin. These surgeries are generally effective, with low complication rates, relatively short healing times, and good success providing lasting relief from the problematic corn or callus.