Firm, rough and hard textures that grow on your feet are quite common. But why do they happen? Corns and calluses are uncomfortable and can even become painful, which leads most to find a way to get rid of them. Making them disappear can be easy depending on the reason they appeared to begin with.
Learning how each of them work and how both are formed can give clues to what you can do to prevent them and the types of treatment at your disposal. At Prestige Medical Care in Phoenix, Arizona, with proper follow-up, these conditions can be treated safely, effectively, and painlessly.
What are Corns and Calluses?
The skin is the largest organ of the body and also incredibly smart. Corns and calluses are growths of thicker skin that appear to protect a certain area from constant friction or pressure. Getting more noticeable over time, these growths are for the most part harmless, but they can become painful and uncomfortable, particularly corns.
Everyday the feet have to support your full body weight on them and the friction of all kinds of shoewear. When the pressure on them is unevenly distributed, or certain materials create additional stress like leather, the skin of your feet adapts and begins to produce thicker patches to avoid injury.
Besides functionality, a lot of people find them to be kind of unappealing, and look for ways to soften the calloused skin at home, or to reduce the thickness of corns. However, depending on how they are formed, it’s best to go to a medical professional for removal, so that no after-effects take place.
Do They Only Happen in the Feet?
Although the feet are the most common parts where corns and calluses show up, they can happen basically anywhere in the body. If you do manual labour or weight lifting, you may already be familiar with hand calluses, which even happen if you write too much on your middle finger.
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Causes for Corns and Calluses
Almost everyone at some point has developed corns and calluses on their feet. The natural wear and tear of standing or walking trigger their formation. However some behaviours, hobbies and even jobs make you prone to more significant growth, or even odd placements that can be confusing. We list the risk factors from most to least likely next:
- Long periods of standing: People who work on their feet for long periods of time like retail workers, teachers, cashiers, are prone to developing corns and calluses
- Harsh shoes or ill-fitting shoes: If the sizing is wrong, your feet can end up squished in all the wrong ways and begin to develop growths. Harsh shoes like leather boots and high heels commonly have the same effect, creating corns and calluses on the top of the toes for many.
- Not wearing socks: Socks are a protective layer that avoid the friction of walking from scraping directly against the feet.
- Dancers and Athletes: For some, the calluses that grow overtime can even be positive to endure dancing routines or athletic training. However uncomfortable corns are also prone to happen and can hinder mobility.
- Inherent predisposition: Some genetic conditions or illnesses can make a person develop corns and calluses easier than the general population.
What Treatments are There for Corns and Calluses?
Trying to get rid of corns and calluses at home can be a dangerous endeavor. If you push too far, you risk creating easily infected wounds on your feet that will definitely make your day to day harder.
If the reason for the growth is something like a seam, harsh shoes etc., the best course of action is to simply remove the cause, or wear protective materials. Your body will react to the change, understand that the corns and calluses are not necessary anymore and they will naturally begin to disappear.
However if you remove the apparent cause and they don’t get any better, going to a podiatrist like Dr. Bland, to check out if the way you walk and hold your weight are actually at fault. A morphological and joint evaluation will help along the way.
If there is no way of removing the stressor causing corns and calluses, the medical professional can also advise you on protective wear like silicon bases and pads that help reduce friction.
If the goal is removal, Dr. Bland is a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon, and only a qualified healthcare provider should be performing any kind of procedure. This includes applying creams and liquids promoted as the cure for corns and calluses.
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How Dr. Bland can Help in Phoenix, Arizona
If you are looking for a way to remove or diminish corns and calluses in Phoenix, Arizona, you need not look further. At Prestige Medical Care Dr. Devin Bland —DPM, FACFAS, DABPM— is exceptionally qualified in all matters regarding the health of feet. This of course includes any kind of concern about these growths, he will make sure to discover the root cause for them and create a plan of action to get rid of them in a safe way. When you rely on a certified professional, you can also avoid recurrence.
You can find excellent and understanding medical care for corns and calluses. If you want to begin treatment, call us today to schedule an appointment, and find a comprehensive podiatric clinic that will help you walk your way in life with confidence and without pain.