Caring for Corns

You use your feet all the time—they are, perhaps, your most used body part! Because you're on your feet all the time—walking, running, shopping, biking, dancing, cooking—probably most of what you do is done on your feet. You use your feet every day and for many different purposes; thus, your feet receive plenty of wear and tear. I know that my feet are definitely not in the best condition: calluses, blisters, rough skin. Using my feet all the time puts enough strain and wear on them. Your feet may have enough wear and tear so that you have developed corns. If you suffer from corns, then you need to know how to care for them

First of all, what is a corn? That is a very good question! You often hear commercials advertising treatments for corns, but if you don't know what corms are or if you're unsure if you even have corns, then keep reading. You are probably more familiar with calluses, and that familiarity will help you spot and identify corns. Corns are very much like calluses in that they are a hardening of the skin. Corns come in two forms: soft and hard. Hard calluses are the most common and are polished and shiny. The soft corns are white and are usually found in between the fourth and pinky toes. Corns, unlike calluses, have a core that has a base on the skin surface and a point directed inward. This point affects the nerve endings, making corns very painful and uncomfortable.

Corns can often be treated with over-the-counter treatments approved by the FDA. The main ingredient in corn treatments is salicylic acid, which is found in varying concentrations on different treatment pads. Salicylic acid is only effective and approved of for hard corns; soft corns have no surefire way of treatment, but scientists are conducting studies.

Now that you have your corns removed, how can you prevent them? Corns are most often caused by the wearing of ill-fitting shoes—fashion comes at a price! Even though your shoes may be cute and may go with your best evening outfit, if your suffering from corns, you might want to hold back a bit on wearing such footwear. Corns happen, and they can be treated; however, if you can prevent them, then you should.