What are corns?
Corns are little areas of circular skin that are much thicker than normal skin. They usually develop on the sides and tops of toes or on the sole of your foot. However, unfortunately for us, they can develop just about anywhere! They are very common on the foot and so that is the area we shall focus on in this article. If you have corns then you will know that they can cause quite a discomfort when you walk or run.
How do they form?
Corns form on areas of your feet that are under high pressure. This pressure can be caused by many things but most commonly it is due to wearing shoes that do not fit properly. Shoes that are really loose allow your feet to rub and move around inside and this can cause the thick painful areas known as corns.
Other shoe designs can also place a huge amount of pressure on certain areas of your feet. An example of these types of shoes is high-heeled shoes as they can squeeze your toes. Corns are also much more common to occur on bony feet simply because there is no natural cushioning.
How can you treat corns?
Corns are a symptom of a fundamental problem and they will not get better unless the cause of this underlying problem and pressure is removed. The skin will become thicker and a lot more painful over time. You should only treat your corns yourself if you know what is causing them. By speaking to a specialist, you may well be able to find the cause and the best way to solve the issue.
There are over-the-counter treatments for corns like corn plasters. These do not actually treat the cause of the problem and so if the cause is not found and sorted, they probably won’t do much for you and could affect the thinner, normal skin around the corn.
Another word of caution regarding corn plasters is that they may not be suitable for certain people. People with fragile skin, circulation problems and diabetes should seek specialist advice before using them.
So basically, to treat corns you have to find the source of the issue, the source could be something like wearing ill fitting shoes or high-heeled shoes that cause high pressure areas on your foot and, over time, corns.
Preventing corns
Preventing corns may seem fairly simple after you have read the information in this article. If you are thinking that it all comes down to the shoes you wear then you are basically right, good fitting and comfortable shoes can help greatly. However, there is more that you can do as well. After washing your feet, dry them very well and use a moisturising foot cream, not body lotion but specific foot cream. Also, go shoe shopping in the afternoon, your feet swell during the day so a shoe that fits in the afternoon will be far more comfortable for the rest of the day.
If you do have foot pain, do not just accept it as if it is normal. Go to your GP or directly to a podiatrist, they can help you find a cause and solve the issue for you.
We hope that this article has helped you understand what corns are and has given you some ideas that can help if you have corns. Please explore our website further for more information on many other topics relating to this one.