Painful Calluses

Corns and calluses are very common foot problems. They can occur on any part of the foot. A callus occurs when the skin tries to protect itself from friction, causing the skin to thicken. A corn is like a callus, but it generally occurs on and in between the toes. It can also occur under a callus, or be surrounded by it. Corns and calluses also known as clavus, hyperkeratosis, heloma and tyloma.

Symptoms

• The skin area may be thick and rough. It may be waxy, dry or flaky. There may be a hard, raised bump on the skin. The area may be tender or painful.

Calluses

• Because the bottom of the foot bears most of a person's weight, calluses tend to occur more often there. The long bones, or metatarsals, in the foot bear most of the weight. If one or more of the metatarsals are misaligned, there will be excessive pressure in that area, forming a callus. The callused area can be very small and have a "core," or it can cover a larger area and the skin will become more painful as it thickens.

  Calluses can also occur on fingers, as they do with guitar players when picking guitar strings. These can be particularly painful, especially the more they play.

Corns

• Corns are usually round in shape. They can be very painful because they press into the deeper layers of skin. Corns can be hard and they occur mostly on the top or outer side of the little toe where shoes are usually ill-fitting and rub constantly. Soft corns usually happen between the fourth and fifth toes due to sweat, and they can become infected.

Treatment

• If a person is diabetic or elderly, he should always have a doctor treat his corns and calluses. The doctor may need to cut or trim the hardened skin, and it's very dangerous for an inexperienced person to do so on his own. A podiatrist will use a sharp scalpel, and more than one trimming session may be required. If the corns or calluses were caused by ill-fitting shoes, the best thing to do is to wear shoes that fit properly to avoid a recurrence of the callus.

  If a callus recurs, use a pumice stone or an emery board on it. Most people can do this by themselves, but they need to soften the callus first by soaking their feet in warm water for 20 minutes before sanding it down carefully. Using a moisturizing cream can also help keep the callus under control. Never use a chemical peeler, unless it's under professional supervision, as it can burn the surrounding skin.

  Use footpads or toe protection to protect delicate skin. There are many over-the-counter products made specifically for foot protection. If the calluses are caused by misaligned toes or other foot abnormalities, the doctor may choose to surgically correct the problem.

  For calluses formed on fingers due to guitar playing, the best thing to do is give the fingers a rest between guitar playing to allow the skin that's in contact with the strings time to harden. Never overdo it, as the problem may become worse and painful blisters may form with the potential for becoming infected.