Corns on feet are painful thickenings that form in the skin of the feet. They are hard at the center surrounded by swollen and reddened skin. Corns usually occur on parts of your feet that don’t bear weight, such as on the sides or tops of your toes or at times even between the toes. In some rare cases, they also appear in weight-bearing areas. It usually has a conical or circular shape with a translucent appearance and can be painful when pressed.
How Do Corns On Feet Develop?
Corns on feet are caused due to friction and pressure from repetitive actions.
- Wearing ill-fitting shoes: Certain areas of the foot get badly compressed by tight shoes. This causes the foot to repeatedly rub and slide against the feet. The tear may also happen due to friction against a stitch inside the shoe. When such frictions happen for a bit too long, it leads to formation of corns on the feet.
- Skipping of socks: Many people have the habit of wearing shoes without the socks. This increases friction of the shoes with the feet causing corns. Corns may also occur because of wearing socks that don’t fit properly into the feet.
- People with abnormal anatomy of the feet are more prone to this disease. Abnormalities like hammer toe or extra toe deformities can lead to corn formation in the feet.
- Another possible reason for contracting this disease is improper gait. It normally results in increased pressure to specific areas on the feet.
Symptoms Of Corns On Feet
Primarily there are three types of corns on feet and each of them has their own symptoms:
- A hard corn is a solid patch of hard skin with a dense core. It is usually formed on the outside or top of a toe.
- A soft corn is a tender, reddened formation on the skin. It consists of a small and smooth center and is formed between the toes.
- A seed corn is a circle of dead skin. It is mostly formed on the heel and is accompanied with pain.
Home Remedies To Remove Corns On Feet
If your feet are afflicted with corns, then there must be a reason for it. So, you first need to identify the reason. If it is caused due to excess pressure and friction try to eliminate the cause. Next treat the corn with a gentle wash with warm water and Epsom salt.
- Soak the affected foot in a solution of warm water and Epsom salt. Gently clean the wet area with a towel and apply a moisturizing cream. This can provide temporary relief and make the coarse corn tender. After a few days of similar treatment you can rub the area with a pumice stone.
- A good way to reduce the pain is to pad the area. Padding the affected area takes away pressure from the region. Non-medicated corn pads, for instance can cocoon the corn from contact with the shoe. Once the corn is safeguarded, pain can gradually subside.
- Reducing friction between toes or between the shoes and feet can also ameliorate the pain. This can best be done by applying petroleum jelly on the affected areas.
Corns on feet can best be checked by the above home remedies. However, if the corn is too hard and painful, it is advisable to consult a physician.