Corns & Callus Removal

A corn is a thick, hardened layer of skin that develops as a result of friction or excessive pressure on a small area of skin on your foot or toe.  Corns are common on the “knuckles” of toes and the outside of the little toe.  Corns between toes also develop.  The thing common to corns is that they develop as the result of excessive pressure.

A callus is a larger area of thickened, yellowish skin.

Both corns and calluses can be unsightly and/or painful and they might cause you to feel embarrassed about your feet when you wear sandals or go barefoot. They can become very uncomfortable, which is why it is important to keep track of your symptoms and be evaluated by our podiatrist in Queens.

Symptoms of a Callus

Calluses are usually larger than corns, and somewhat flatter. As the skin thickens –a normal skin response to excess pressure– the upper skin layers move further and further away from the moisturizing layers in the deeper skin areas. As the upper skin layers do this they dry and dry skin typically looks white and flaky. You may not feel light touches where the callus is because there is so much thickened, dead skin. As more layers of dead skin build up the skin begins to look yellowish. As the skin continues to thicken and dry it shrinks and loses flexibility which is what just about anything does when it dries: it shrinks and gets more brittle. When this dry, shrunken, brittle skin is then subjected to the pressures and stresses of walking it can crack open. This break in the skin can be painful just by itself but if this now open skin gets infected it can become a serious problem especially to anyone with impaired circulation or sensation such as with diabetes.

New Life For Your Hurting Feet

Corns and calluses are fairly common for people who spend large periods of time walking or standing such as sales people, hairdressers, retail sales people and restaurant servers. Poorly fitting shoes or shoes that don’t provide adequate support can also cause them. Corns and calluses develop as a result of excessive pressure on the skin anywhere on your feet or toes. Once formed they are persistent but can be treated.

Corns and calluses may not be corns and callused but may be warts instead

There are several methods available to treat corns and calluses including a custom arch support, also known as an orthotic. Orthotics are medical devices that correct foot pressure imbalances that cause excessive pressures on various areas of the skin of feet and toes.

Where Calluses Often Occur

A callus usually develops on the heel or ball of your foot. These areas bear a lot of weight when you stand. They also take a lot of the impact when you take a step, run, or climb stairs. If you skip wearing socks or go barefoot a lot, your feet may notice that your calluses and cracked skin increase. This is because closed toe and closed heel shoes help protect our feet by a number of features, not the least of which is simply their ability to hold moisture and keep those upper skin layers from drying out.

Symptoms of Corns

A corn is a small, raised bump with a hard center and surrounded by inflamed skin. They are often confused with warts, which often (but not always) have a dark spot(s) in their center. If you push or put pressure on a corn, it is painful. You might notice that wearing certain shoes aggravates the corn. For example, a corn on the side of your little toe might hurt when you wear shoes that squish your toes together.

Where a Corn Usually Develops

Wearing tight or ill-fitting shoes is a common cause of corn development. You could also get one where your toe rubs on a seam of your shoe. A corn is most often found on a part of your foot that does not bear weight. For example, you might find one on the top or side of a toe. They can also develop between your toes. Much less commonly, they are found on weight-bearing areas, such as the bottom of your big toe or around the ball of your foot. Another cause for a corn on the bottom of one’s foot can be a minor trauma such as stepping on a small rock or piece of glass. Even when all the foreign material is completely removed if some skin cells got pushed into the layer below the skin and survive, they can grow and cause an “epidermal inclusion cyst” to develop. As this grows it can put pressure on surrounding nerves and pain occurs.

When to Be Evaluated for Calluses and Corns

It is a good idea to visit our Family Foot Center podiatrist in Whitestone, Queens if the pain caused by a corn or callus on your foot is disrupting your life. If you have tried home remedies without any pain relief, a medical evaluation is a good idea. In some cases, what you think is a corn or callus could be something else, which is why an evaluation by our podiatrist of the Family Foot Center in Whitestone, Queens is recommended.
You should consider professional medical treatment if:

• The pain you’re experiencing is interfering with your comfort
• Home treatments have not worked
• You’re looking for more immediate pain relief
• You’d like to be measured for an orthotic insert
• You’d like to be evaluated for an orthotic insert

If you have, or think you have, corns or calluses,
don’t hesitate, call Family Foot Center at 718-767-5555.
CALL NOW!