While corns are one of the more mild forms of foot problems that we see in the Best Foot Doctor offices, they are a common ailment for our NYC patients. Wearing incorrectly-fitting footwear and lack of good foot hygiene can lead to painful corns and calluses. Find out what to do for your untreated corns.
What Causes Foot Corns?
The most common cause of developing foot corns is pressure on the area. When footwear pressures joints or places on the foot with thin skin, it can cause the skin to thicken and become stiff, creating a foot corn. While corns tend to be mild and treatable with over-the-counter products, untreated corns can make your life complicated and painful.
If you are prone to developing bunions, you are also at a higher risk of developing corns. You can prevent both types of foot conditions by choosing footwear with a comfortable padded sole and a roomy toe box, allowing your toes to rest freely without pressure. It would be best if you also avoided high heels to prevent bunions, corns, calluses, hammertoes, and other unwanted conditions from cropping up.
How Can I Fix Untreated Foot Corns?
If these prevention tips come too late for you and you already have painful foot corns, here are four ways you may consider treating them at home or in a doctor’s office.
- Trimming your corns with a pumice stone or emery paper can reduce the amount of hardened skin in the area and help eliminate pain caused by the corns. If you have considerably thickened skin and a pumice stone is not helpful, you may need to consider visiting a podiatrist who can help remove the skin with a scalpel. Never use sharp knives or similar instruments to attempt to remove dead skin on your own.
- There are many chemical treatments, some of which contain salicylic acid, a compound that breaks down keratin (what dead skin is made of). Many different brands and forms are available, as creams, plaster, or even contained in unique socks. You can use many of these products for calluses as well. Please note that you should not use salicylic acid treatments if you have diabetes or a similar condition. Your body may not recover properly from the treatment, and you may develop more severe health conditions because of it.
- Once you have had the corns or calluses removed, or even while undergoing treatment (at home or in a doctor’s office), you can wear special shoe inserts and pads to prevent shoes from rubbing on your corns. These inserts are not likely to help existing corns heal, but they can help prevent them from worsening or new ones from arising.
- If your corns do not respond to any lesser forms of treatment, your podiatrist may recommend surgery to repair your ongoing foot condition. Surgeries can be expensive and require long recovery times, so make sure you are well informed before making your treatment decision.
If you have developed foot corns that are giving you trouble and would like help, please contact our Best Foot Doctor offices in the NYC area. Our Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn locations are open and ready to serve you.