Corns are the hard, thickened area of the skin that occurs at the sides of the toes and bottom of the feet. They are annoying and can be painful, but they form to protect your sensitive skin.
What causes corns?
They can develop as a result of improper walking motion and wearing ill-fitting shoes. Many people get corn after wearing ill-fitting shoes for a long time. Wearing shoes and sandals without socks can also cause foot corns due to increased friction.
Types of feet corns
There are three main types of corn that can form on your feet: seed, soft, and hard. Seed corns are small and usually form at the bottom of the feet. Soft corns are grey or whitish and have a rubbery texture that often appears between toes. Hard corns form a wider area of thickened skin on the feet.
Treating corns on the bottom of the feet
The best treatment of feet corns is avoiding the repetitive actions that made them develop. Using protective pads and wearing properly fitting shoes will make them disappear. If they are painful, you should visit your doctor.
Medical treatments of feet corns
If you have diabetes or any other chronic condition that affects blood circulation, you should seek medical attention. The doctor may trim the thickened skin using a scalpel during the office visit. Your doctor can also prescribe or apply corn removal medication, such as a patch containing 40 percent salicylic acid. The doctor will then recommend how often you will need to replace the patch. He or she may also recommend using a nail file, emery board, or pumice stone to smooth away dead skin before applying another patch. In rare instances, the doctor may prescribe surgery to correct the alignment of the bone that might be causing friction.
Home remedies for treating corns on bottom of feet
You should only try to treat corns on your own if you are healthy and don’t have conditions such as diabetes that cause poor blood circulation. You can treat corns by soaking your feet in warm and soapy water to soften and make it easy to remove them. You can also use over-the-counter pads, but be careful most of them contain salicylic acid that can irritate your skin and cause an infection.
Rubbing corns with a pumice stone, washcloth, emery board, or nail file can also help remove a layer of the toughed skin.
How to prevent feet corns
Most feet corns form when there is friction between the skin and the shoe or sandal. Wearing a comfortable shoe with high arch support and socks and moistening your feet can help prevent corns.
