Corns on Feet
Corns on feet can be both painful and debilitating. These skin growths are the result of rubbing and chafing of the feet, usually due to footwear, or lack thereof. From flip flops to wellington boots all types of shoes and footwear are responsible for corns on feet. Some are worse than others. High-heeled fashion conscious women often suffer from terrible calluses on their feet. The constant cramming of the toes into such a small space is bad enough. Then raising the heel to allow the whole body’s weight to reinforce the pressure on the already teetering fragile bones of the feet makes it worse. Then to cap it all, the gait required to remain balanced in high heeled footwear induces chafing around the big toe, subsequently corns on the feet are inevitable. These can vary from small painful or dry areas to large and swollen lumps that may require professional attention. When found on the toes, corns can be extra sensitive especially where the joints have been inflamed by constant abuse.
The best start to a remedial action is to wear better healthy footwear. Scholl are renowned for their range of healthy shoes. They do come at a price though, as their footwear is slightly more expensive than the usual high-street fare.
Choose a treatment
Once the cause is removed, some daily attention to the corns can reduce and eventually remove them. Abrasive pads and metal “graters” are available at most high street dispensaries and online stores such as Amazon. The popular Pedi-egg has a retainer to catch the dead skin as it is removed. A simple piece of sandpaper held against a small flat block might be enough to abrade away the occasional callus. But for corns on feet in general, the over-the-counter products do a good job and are a matter of preference. Non-prescription topical creams are available that can soften corns on feet and make their removal easier. Keeping the whole area clean and bacteria free are important when treating these corns. Any small cuts or cracks can take up bacteria and cause an infection in a very short time. This is why it is imperative to sterilize all implements before use and apply bactericide afterwards.
One especially important note is that blades and cutting implements should not be used. It is very difficult to gauge the depth of the dead skin and a blade is not controllable enough to accurately remove thin layers. Abrasion or the application of Salicylic Acid to corns on feet is the appropriate method of removal. This effort must be made daily and gently, avoiding over stimulation of the underlying skin and the consequent inflammation and pain.
Be a patient Patient!
Done carefully, the removal of corns on feet does not have to be a big event, nor a painful one. Take a hot bath, shower or just have a foot bath. When the skin feels softer, dry the feet, and apply a lotion to soften the skin if required. If using a Salicylic Acid-based corn remover follow the instructions on the box carefully. For the abrasive methods, gently scrape away a layer of skin and let the foot rest for a moment. Feel the area with your finger and if it is not hot or painful, carefully slough away another layer.
As soon as the area goes pink, that’s time to stop and repeat the exercise tomorrow. Do not apply softener after the abrasion has be done, this will damage the live skin. Instead apply some bacterial lotion or spray and clean all the implements you used. Repeated daily or every other day, corns on feet can be removed completely.
