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Corns and Calluses
Overview
Corns and calluses are areas of thick, hard skin. They develop from constant pressure and friction on the skin, usually over bony areas. They’re often caused by wearing tight shoes that rub on your toes or from working with your hands and not wearing gloves.
Corns usually appear on the sides and tops of your toes. Calluses typically develop on the soles of your feet or on your hands. The skin thickens and hardens to protect itself from the pressure or friction.
Corns and calluses are not serious for most people. They usually go away in 1 to 2 weeks once you remove the cause.
Symptoms
Corns and calluses are hard, thick, raised bumps of skin that are often tender. They may:
- Cause the skin to be dry, flake, or peel.
- Develop in areas where your skin gets constant rubbing, pressure, or friction.
- Appear over a bony area, such as your fingers, hands, toes, and feet.
Corns can be painful. They have a firm center surrounded by reddened, swollen skin. When you push on the corn, it drives the firm center into deeper tissue, causing pain. Corns develop most often on the tops and sides of your toes but can also appear anywhere on your feet.
Calluses are usually larger than corns, although they can be any size. Calluses appear most often on the ball of your foot, heel, sides of large toes, palms of your hands, and sometimes the knees. Calluses are not usually painful, even when pressed.
Corns and Calluses
Corns and calluses are areas of thick, hard, skin on the feet.
Corns and Calluses
Corns and calluses are areas of thick, hard, skin on the feet.
Corns and Calluses
Corns and calluses are areas of thick, hard, skin on the feet.
Corns and Calluses
Risk Factors
You’re at greater risk of developing a corn or callus if you:
- Have bunions or hammertoes on your feet. A bunion is a bump or bony area on the joint of your big toe. A hammertoe is a toe that curls and looks like a claw.
- Work with your hands using gardening, construction, or mechanical tools and don’t wear gloves.
Diagnosis
To diagnose a corn or callus, your doctor will exam the affected area.
If you have a physical abnormality in your foot, we may order an X-ray.
Prevention
To prevent corns and calluses:
- Avoid wearing tight shoes or socks, narrow-toed shoes, and high heels.
- Wear gloves when working with your hands and using tools such as hammers or shovels.
- Avoid walking barefoot.
Home Treatment
Use these home treatments for corns and calluses:
- Wear flat properly fitted shoes with a wide toe box, so your toes have room to move.
- Use a 40 percent salicylic acid adhesive patch, if recommended. Follow the directions on the package. Salicylic acid also comes in liquid and plaster forms, so we’ll let you know which type to use. Don’t use salicylic acid if you have diabetes or circulatory problems.
- Use a pumice stone soaked in warm, soapy water and gently scrub corns and calluses. Repeat 3 to 5 times over a few days to fully remove a callus.
- Try ammonium lactate 12 percent lotion or urea 20 percent cream (Carmol 20) to prevent or soften calluses.
- Use shoe inserts if you have a bunion, hammertoe, or another foot abnormality You can buy them at your local drugstore. We may recommend you go to a shoe repair shop and ask them to place a “metatarsal bar” onto the soles of your shoes.
- Treat infections promptly. If a corn or callus appears infected, call your doctor. We may prescribe an antibiotic cream or ointment. In rare cases, we may recommend surgery to correct your foot abnormality.
- Don’t trim excess skin from the corn or callus. You may develop a skin infection. Your doctor can trim or shave the hardened skin when needed.
- Place a protective pad (felt or moleskin) over the area once the corn is removed.
When to Call Us
Call us if you develop any of these signs of infection around a corn or callus:
- Warmth
- Tenderness
- Swelling
If you have diabetes or circulation problems and think a corn or callus might be infected, call us to schedule an urgent appointment.
Additional References
Disclaimer
If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder.
This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.