Friction and pressure caused by your shoes or another source of irritation can result in thick and hardened layers of skin. Corns and calluses are your skin’s way of protecting itself against friction and pressure. In some instances, you may want to develop calluses to protect the skin.

Dancers, especially modern dancers, develop calluses to protect their feet and to dance better. Calluses help the dancers slide easier and turn better. But if the callus becomes over grown, it can become painful. In most cases, with corns and calluses, when the source of friction or pressure is eliminated, they will disappear.

People who have a problem with blood flow to the feet are at a greater risk of developing complications from their corns or calluses. Calluses can occur more often and build up faster on the feet of someone with diabetes. If the callus is allowed to get overgrown, it can break down and form an open sore that is susceptible to infection.

Removal of corns and calluses may require a surgical procedure. Removal of a corn due to a bone issue may require a resection arthroplasty. This procedure removes the hardened skin of the corn, the core of the corn and a small piece of bone involved in the condition.

Types of Corns

There are two types of corns, hard and soft. Both are excess skin cells that have accumulated in one spot on the foot or toe, usually on the sole of the foot or over a bony prominence. The pain experienced with corns is due to the pressure exerted on the underlying nerve endings.

You are most likely to see hard corns on the outer side of the little toe or on the top of smaller toes. These corns are often due to ill-fitting footwear.

Soft corns can form between the toes, usually between the fourth and fifth toes. Soft corns may become infected due to their moist environment.

If your corns or calluses are causing you pain or you want them removed because they are unsightly, contact the office of Dr. Stuart Mogul. We will schedule an appointment for you to have your feet examined, and Dr. Mogul will provide his professional feedback on your specific case. Call today to schedule your appointment.