Corns And Calluses On Feet
How can you notice and prevent the formation of Corns and Calluses on feet?
Corns and Calluses are considered as two of the most common foot problems. The symptoms of both issues are quite similar, and due to that, people usually confuse them up. Corn is generally formed at the pressure points of the feet. It is characterized as thickened and yellow compacted areas under the toes. There can be two types of corn formations, including hard corns and soft corns. They both vary in the structure and level of pain. There are several reasons why these corns are formed but most importantly, they can be formed by the blocking of sweat glands in the areas under the feet.
On the other hand, Calluses are also known as the thickened parts of the skin, but they are painless. They can either be formed on the feet, hands or any area which goes through a lot of friction since they are not painful and mostly harmless, so people go on days without treating them.
Causes of Plantar Calluses and Corns
Corns and calluses develop due to several reasons and over some time. Small and insignificant details can contribute to the growth of corns and calluses. For instance, improper walking styles, wearing high heels and walking for an extended period in tightly fitting shoes can cause the corns and calluses to form under the feet. It is because all these factors put pressure on the feet and as a defence mechanism, the feet become thickened up. A lot of friction in the feet can also be quite harmful to the feet. Feet are sensitive parts of the body, therefore, they require better protection, but people usually ignore their importance. Wearing shoes without socks or closed sandals can harm the feet without notice. The more times when feet are restricted in a closed environment, allows bacteria to breed and form infections. Sometimes, the infected corns can even give non-affected areas the liability to rise and create pus. When the discharge increases, it releases a fluid which spreads and causes further problems.
Treatment Options
Most individuals tend to cut down the infected part to get rid of corns; however, it is not the right way. The absolute correct way is to use a pumice stone to remove the corn very gently and smoothly. It is best suggested to treat the corns right after taking a shower as it softens the areas and makes them easy to be removed. The same treatment can be offered to the calluses too. However, if they become quite painful and inflamed, then medical assistance must be taken at the right time.
Symptoms
Corns and calluses have similar symptoms. They can be characterized as swollen and thickened areas under the feet and especially toes. The corns cause pain, so they are identified a lot quicker than the calluses, which are just harmless pieces of affected skin. Dry skin usually promotes the formation of corns and calluses.
Plantar Warts
Plantar warts can grow in the callused areas of your feet when you are exposed to the HPV virus so always make sure to wear proper foot-wear when you are in public areas. More info on this virus and disease can be found here: https://warts.org/types/plantar-warts
The treatments for Plantar warts https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-warts/symptoms-causes/syc-20352691 will be very different than that of corns and calluses since the warts are an actual virus while the other two are generally caused by friction and stress of the areas.
Prevention
The best protection factors include wearing shoes that a little bigger than your size. It gives a small space to the feet to feel protected. Socks must be worn, which reduce the formation of corns and calluses on the feet.