CORN AND CALLUSES

Corns are painful thickenings of the skin usually found over the joints of the toes and on the soles of the feet. They are tender when touched, and often result from wearing badly fitting shoes. Calluses are similar to corns except that larger areas of the skin are involved. In these the skin itself is not so tender but is greatly thickened by the extra use, such as on the soles and heels of the feet. Any undue pressure on the feet may produce a corn or callus.



The thickening of the skin is a normal body response to pressure or friction. Often times they are associated with a projection of bone called a bone spur. Not all areas of thickened skin are corns or calluses.



Soft corns are areas of white moist skin between the toes. They most commonly occur between the fourth and fifth toes. They can be very painful and if not treated can form small ulcerations that can become infected.



Corns can be annoying and sometimes painful, but they're not life threatening. However, it is important to note that there are various lesions of the skin on the foot, including moles, warts - and even a few rare cancerous growths - that have similar or identical characteristics.



Some of the other causes of corns are flat feet; a bone spur or hammer toes are also contributing factors to some corns and/or callouses. Occasionally, a blocked sweat gland on the foot can have symptoms that resemble a corn or callous.



HOME REMEDIES FOR CORN AND CALLUSES TREATMENT



Soak your feet in a solution of Epsom salts and warm water.
Soak your feet in very diluted chamomile tea. The tea will both soothe and soften hard skin.
Place a plastic bag over the foot and then a sock. Leave in place until morning. Then rub off as much callus as you can with a coarse towel or firm brush. Do this regularly to control a difficult heel callus.
Crush five or six aspirin tablets into a powder. Prepare a paste with a half-teaspoon each of water and lemon juice. Apply this to the hard-skin spots on your foot, then put your foot into a plastic bag and wrap a warm towel. Sit still for at least 10 minutes. Then unwrap your foot and scrub the area with a pumice stone. All that dead, hard, callused skin should come loose and flake away easily. This is also an effective home remedy for corn and calluses treatment.
Gently massage the area with lanolin to soften the corn and make it less responsive to pressure. And then pad the area to relieve pressure .
Place a little gauze or absorbent cotton over the area, then covers it with a thin piece of moleskin.
Stretching your shoes to remove the pressure that caused the friction can have sometimes relief of a painful, hard corn.
Soak a small piece of cloth in vinegar and bind it on the toe; leave it on day and night. The corn will come out by the root.
Apply castor oil on the corn. This is an effective treatment for corn and calluses.
Soak the feet in warm water for 15 minutes; apply a small piece of the inside of a lemon peel to the corn; tape it and leave it on overnight.
Prepare a paste by grinding three or four liquorice sticks and mixing it with half a teaspoon of sesame oil or mustard oil. Rub into the hardened skin at bedtime. The skin gradually softens and the corn decreases in size.
Apply half a teaspoon of raw papaya juice thrice daily.
The herb Indian squill, botanically known as Urginea indica, is useful in removing corns. A bulb may be roasted and applied over the corn. Apply a bandage over it. This application may be made at night and removed in the morning.
The milky juice of green figs is very effective for corns of long duration. It helps to soften them. Half a teaspoon of this juice may be extracted from the fruit and applied two or three times daily.
A small piece of chalk may be ground into a paste with water and applied over the affected area.
A light nutritious diet containing vitamins and minerals in the form of fruits and vegetables is recommended.
Stop wearing the shoes that caused it. In most cases the corn will disappear when the pressure is removed. Do not wear shoes that cause blisters, redness or sore spots on your feet.
The feet should be washed daily. This should be followed by the application of a mild talcum powder.
Another home remedy for corn and calluses treatment is - apply a small piece of moleskin plaster or bandage to prevent any undue soreness and thickening of the skin.