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Manage your Corns & Calluses

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What are calluses? 


A Callus is an area of hard skin that develops on areas of high friction, pressure, and movement. This happens as a natural protection mechanism to reduce your skin becoming itchy painful or breaking open. Calluses are not painful unless they build up to be very thick, then the area can become uncomfortable and affect your walking and posture.


What is a corn?


A corn is like a callus. It does look like a small area of hard skin. But a corn will have a small hard centre that is sore or painful to touch. The corn will gradually grow bigger and hard skin will develop around it to protect your foot. As the corn grown it embeds itself deeper into your skin which means the area becomes more painful when weight bearing or walking. This form of corn is called a hard corn.

Corns can also develop on non-weight bearing areas of the foot, specifically between toes that are "squashed" together. This is known as a soft corn. These soft corns are softer in texture and tend to look like moist white or grey lumps of skin. They generally develop in hidden away areas that are moist due to sweating ot not drying between the toes properly.

How do these happen and am I at risk?

Corns and calluses develop because the skin's defensive response is to thicken when consistent pressure and friction is applied against the skin of the foot. This pressure or friction could be caused by:


  • Poor fitting footwear This could be footwear that's too tight and narrow, causing them to rub against the feet or footwear that's too big or loose, meaning your foot repeatedly slides against the shoe. 

  • Excessive pronation of the foot (the extent to which your arch collapses inward when you walk) that creates increased pressure at the front of your feet and toes

  • Feet with high arches can experience excessive pressure on the outside of feet

  • Poor range of motion and mobility in joints 

  • Long periods of standing on your feet

  • Previous trauma or surgery that has altered the structure of your feet, which may mean excessive pressure is applied to new areas of the foot. 

  • Conditions where bones are located closer to the skin's surface (bony prominences) may cause more rubbing and friction e.g. bunions & Tailor's bunions or rheumatoid arthritis.

  • Specific walking and running patterns that may place extra pressure on a specific area of the foot e.g. flat feet. 

  • Dry skin

 

A brief guide to self-manage your Corns or Calluses

 



 

Please feel free to email me if you would like to explore your treatment options.

 

This blog contains general information and tips about foot healthcare related issues. As a Registered Foot Healthcare Practitioner I do not offer medical advice or a medical diagnosis. This should be sought from your GP / Specialist Doctor.

 

 

 

Adapted from:




 

 

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