Corns -- the unsightly and painful thickening of skin on the feet -- are ugly but rarely dangerous. Corns most often occur on the toes, where friction and pressure is most prevalent, but they can occur anywhere on the foot where the skin is squeezed or pinched consistently. Luckily there are treatments for existing corns and strategies to prevent them.
Description
Corns are painful, thickened areas of the skin with a small hard, cone-shaped center that points down into the foot. Hard corns feel hard to the touch and will most often occur on the outside of the toes. Soft corns occur most often under or between the toes where moisture collects. Corns may also grow on the soles of the feet at the base of the toes. They are similar to calluses in that the skin thickens, but corns have the conic focal point where a callus does not.
Causes
Corns are caused by pressure and friction, so you'll feel them when you are wearing the offending shoes or boots. They can also grow from wearing shoes and sandals without socks. Unsupportive, ill-fitting or poorly made shoes can cause corns to develop. Deformities of the foot such as a hammer-toe, bunion or bone spur may cause your foot to rub against your shoe, resulting in corns.
Treatment
Treatments for corns include topical medications, trimming the thickened skin with a scalpel, or surgery to fix an underlying bone deformity. There are over-the-counter preparations or patches that contain salicylic acid that will soften the skin so that the corn can be slowly scraped away with a pumice stone. The patches may need to be replaced for several days or a week before the corn is completely healed. Your health care provider may also suggest that you apply an antibiotic ointment to the area, too. Shoe inserts may help better align your feet in your shoes and can prevent further corns from forming.
Complications
Corns are usually benign, but complications can occur, including infection. Complications are most often seen in people with diabetes or poor circulation in the legs and feet, reports MayoClinic.com. Without proper care, a small wound on the foot can become infected, ulcerate and heal very slowly, if at all. See a health care provider for treatment of corns if you have any underlying heath problems that would cause frail skin, numbness or poor circulation.
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