Foot Corns and Calluses
Every now and then you’ll hear someone refer to corns and calluses, but do you really know how to treat them or even what they are? Well, a callus forms on your skin wherever there is a repeated amount of pressure. This means that if you’re constantly wearing high heels or tight shoes, you’re adding pressure on your toes, therefore causing incredibly painful calluses on your feet. So now that you know what that rough, sore spot is on your feet, here is how you deal with them.
- Soak your feet in some warm water to soften up the callus.
- Buy a pumice stone and use it to file down the callus. You can get one of these over the counter at the pharmacy.
- Put foam inserts into your shoes – you don’t want to have to file your feet again, do you?
As for corns, they are a buildup of skin tissue on your toes. Once again, this is caused by tight shoes or a bent toe rubbing against another toe, also called a hammertoe. Many people think that you can ditch those corns just by exfoliating or soaking them, but it is pretty unlikely that will work considering how thick they are. Sure, you could try and scrub them away, but you will ultimately only be removing the skin on top, not the corn itself. Your best solution? Fix the hammertoe that is causing it by surgery, or wear shoes that let your feet breathe a little more.
If your corns or calluses get more serious and become even more painful, you should probably see a podiatrist. Definitely don’t try to scrape them off yourself at home. Taking it into your own hands could lead to an infection, making your problem even worse. To prevent corns and calluses:
- Wear shoes that are wider and more comfortable.
- Stay away from heels or any other shoes that put pressure on your toes. Sure, it’s no fun, but trading in your stilettos for a pair of cute ballet flats would do you some good!
- Make sure your shoes actually fit you correctly and provide some kind of support for your feet.
- As we’ve said in previous posts, when you’re shopping for shoes, do it later in the day! This is when your feet are at their largest, so you know you won’t be buying shoes that are too small.
Getting Professional Treatment
It is always our express intent to recommend that you take no chances with foot pain, ankle or knee pain, or injuries. Professional treatment to relieve the pain is available from doctors such as Delray Beach’s Dr. Ian Goldbaum of Delray Beach Podiatry, who has provided us with this blog. If the pain continues, a podiatrist with Dr. Goldbaum’s experience should be consulted. You must get proper treatment to prevent permanent damage.
Our Staff writers are freelance writers with higher education related to, or experience researching and writing for, medical blogs; with education or experience equal to under graduate and graduate degrees in the fields of medicine.
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