Calluses & Corns

Calluses/Corns

Corns and Calluses are a very common issues that we see every day. With all the wear and tear we put on ourselves, calluses and corns are Mother Nature's way of protecting your feet. A callus is a thickening of the skin due to persistent pressure or rubbing of one area. A callus can form on any part of the skin that is exposed to continual friction: your feet, your hands, and even your elbows.

What is a callus? A callus is an accumulation of damaged skin cells that form on the outer layer of your skin. As time passes and an area of skin is continually assaulted, the damaged skin cells will continue to form and build up the callus to protect the underlying skin from damage. This shows as a portion of skin that is rough and harder than the surrounding tissue. They also tend to vary in size and shape.

Calluses aren't always painful. However, there sometimes they can become uncomfortable from either from the callus itself or from irritation caused by the callus. In either case we are able to help. Though it is very difficult to remove a callus permanently (as the only way to do this is for the irritation that is causing the callus to stop) we are able to reduce the callus down so that it isn't painful or uncomfortable. Our treatment causes no pain or discomfort to our patients but provides a sense of relief!

Similar to Calluses, Corns (also called helomas) are also caused by a constant irritant to the skin. However, corns tend to be hard and circular, with a waxy or translucent center. Unlike a callus which shows as a dry, hard patch of skin. They can be very painful and if left untreated can cause discomfort and ulceration of the skin. Corns are formed when the pressure being applied to the skin (the irritant) traces an elliptical/semi-elliptical path while the rubbing/pressure is applied to the skin. This motion causes the skin to form into a hard diamond shape. There are two types of corns that can be found on the feet. Hard corns are found on the tops and tips of the toes and on the sides of the feet. One of the most common factors in the development of hard corns is ill fitting footwear.  Then there are soft corns, which are normally found between toes and are sometimes referred to as kissing corns. These soft corns tend to be caused by slight bone deformities in your toes that causes rubbing thus forming a soft corn.

If you suffer from either of these conditions call today 705-526-6363 or CLICK HERE We can help!