Corns

Medical terminology: heloma durum (hard corn), heloma molle (soft corn)

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Corns are thickened areas of skin that have a hardened centre/core of dead skin. These layers of thick, dead skin can cause foot pain and usually develop on weight bearing areas, such as under the ball of the foot or on the heel. Excessive corn formation can lead to the breakdown of tissue underneath the hard skin, which can lead to a serious infection.

The difference between a corn and callous, is that a callous only builds up on the surface of the skin while a corn builds up a hard core that goes into the skin. This usually makes corns more painful than callouses.

Attempting to cut off the hard skin yourself is dangerous as you can cut yourself creating the chance of an infection. Keeping your skin moisturized can alleviate some of the discomfort caused by the corn.

How can you treat?

• Removal of thick, dead skin and hard centre core through painless sharp debridement by a professional
• Using various padding material to offload pressure from the area
• orthotic therapy for long term offloading of pressure from the area
  

Recommendation to prevent the issue:

• Filing down excessive hard skin using an emery board
• Footwear which has extra cushioning
• over-the-counter inserts that allow for extra padding
• custom orthotics to address any faulty foot mechanics creating a more even weight distribution