What Are Corns?
When a skin area is subjected to pressure or friction over an extended time, corns can form. They primarily affect the soles of the feet and toes. First, a callus, a thicker skin patch, forms. It could become a painful corn if pressure or rubbing is applied to it incessantly. Corn is known by the medical word clavus. If friction and pressure cease, for example, if people begin to wear footwear that suits them better, corns typically disappear independently. The hard skin may become softer and simpler to remove with care if it is soaked in warm water.
What Are the Symptoms of Corns?
Corns are often unpleasant, especially while moving around and standing. Usually, the most painful part of these spherical, wart-like lumps of firm skin is in the center. Usually, a distinct core is visible there.
Corns are typically quite easy to identify because of their elevated appearance and the yellowish-beige shade of their rough skin. Compared to other areas of the foot, those that grow between the two toes are often softer and have a whitish tint. This is a result of the skin being more damp there.
What Are the Causes of Corns?
Corns are caused by rubbing and pressure applied to a skin area repeatedly or continuously. The epidermis, the skin's outermost layer, experiences an increase in growth and division as a result. The skin thickens and gains more keratin as a result. Over time, a callus, a circular or oval patch of hard skin, develops in that location.
The likelihood of pressure and rubbing on the skin is higher in areas adjacent to bones. For this reason, calluses and corns are more prevalent on the hands and feet than on the thighs or abdomen. During daily activities, such as utilizing tools, sporting equipment, or musical instruments with the hands, there is a greater chance that the skin on the hands and feet will be subjected to pressure or friction. Using overly tight shoes is frequently the cause of calluses and corns on the soles of feet.
Corns on the feet are also more common in people with joint diseases or foot deformities because these conditions force the affected foot's ball to bear additional weight. The toes may continually brush against the internal surface of the shoes or press against one other due to toe abnormalities. If individuals have dry skin, they are more susceptible to developing calluses and corns from pressure and rubbing. Some individuals have nerve-related medical conditions that make feeling their feet and legs difficult. Often, they are blind to calluses or corns when they initially appear. Therefore, they must frequently examine their legs and feet.
How to Diagnose Corns?
Typically, corns are simple to identify only by their appearance. The hard skin lump is most likely a corn if it is located in an area frequently rubbed or compressed.
Even though they can occasionally be confused for similar bumps like warts, corns are easily distinguished from them by their appearance. For example, plantar warts lack a noticeable firm, dense skin core in the middle of the lump. Rather, they frequently have dots that are brown in color. The doctor might take a skin sample and evaluate if the diagnosis is still unclear between a wart and a corn.
What Are the Best Ways to Get Rid of Corn?
Assessing the source of the friction is the first step towards treating corn. When the pressure or friction generating them subsides, they usually disappear independently. If removing the source of friction does not resolve the issue, dermatologists advise taking the following actions to eliminate corn:
1. Soak the Foot in a Bowl of Warm Water for a Few Minutes: Allow the corn to soak for approximately ten minutes until the skin softens.
2. Use a Pumice Stone to File the Corn: A rough and porous volcanic rock, Pumice stone removes dry skin cells. Gently file the corn after dipping the pumice stone into some warm water. The dead skin can be removed with mild sideways or circular motions. Try not to remove too much skin. An excessive amount of filing may result in bleeding and infection.
3. Coat the Corn With Lotion: Use a salicylic acid-containing moisturizing lotion or cream. The keratin molecule that builds up the corn and the dead skin around it dissolves when exposed to salicylic acid. However, those who have diabetes, poor circulation, or fragile skin are generally not advised to use salicylic acid.
4. Utilize Corn Pads: These adhesive pads in the shape of donuts will prevent corn from sticking to the footwear.
5. Avoid Shaving or Trimming the Corns: Stay away from trying to trim or shave off the corn, as this may cause the surrounding tissues to become severely infected. Only medical professionals should trim or shave corn.
6. Laser Therapy: As an alternative to scalpeling corns, ablative laser therapy can be utilized for their treatment. Some authors have claimed that the carbon dioxide laser is effective.
What Are Some Advice for Preventing Corn?
The following advice can help reduce friction and stop corn from developing:
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Invest in correctly fitting socks and shoes. Ask the salesperson to take measurements of the foot to ensure the proper fit, then select shoes that are neither too tight nor loose.
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File down the nails on one's toes. The toes may press against the footwear if the nails are overly long. Over time, this may generate pressure and lead to the formation of corn.
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Employ corn pads. Corn pads offer protection around the corn from excessive pressure or friction. They are made of various materials, including felt, foam, and moleskin. These pads usually have an adhesive backing and a donut-shaped design to disperse the pressure surrounding the corn evenly.
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Maintain a tidy foot area. Use a scrub brush, soap, and water to wash one’s feet daily.
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Maintain a moisturized foot area. Regularly apply foot cream to avoid dryness and friction.
Conclusion:
Corns are not harmful to health, yet they can be highly bothersome. In many circumstances, corns can be adequately controlled or removed with home remedies. Recalcitrant corn may be removed with medical assistance. Treatments may get rid of the corn, but they neglect the root cause, which is the friction the skin feels.
