This website has been written by Elizabeth Smith, Podiatrist to The Whiteley Clinic in Guildford (www.easmithchiropodist.co.uk).

The purpose of this website is to describe the treatment of corns and calluses. The causes of corns and calluses are discussed on the sister site, www.corns-and-calluses.co.uk.

Why treat corns and calluses?

Corns and calluses are painful. This might range from a little discomfort to quite severe pain. This pain is caused by pressure on the soft underlying tissue which is under the corn or callus. The pressure or rubbing that has caused the corn or callus pushes on the hardened tissue - and this is transmitted through to the soft tissue and pin or discomfort is felt.

Podiatrists and Chiropodists treat corns and calluses to remove this pain or discomfort.
 

Principles of treatment:

As the pain or discomfort is caused by the mass of hardened tissue being pressed into the soft underlying part of the foot, the best way to treat a corn or callus is to remove both:

·                     the cause of the pressure
·                     the mass of hardened tissue

whilst causing as little damage to healthy tissue as possible.

The underlying causes:

For successful treatment of a corn or callus, one of the most important factors is to identify what has caused it in the first place.  It is essential to remove the cause of rubbing or pressure prior to removal of the corn or callous.  There are two reasons for this. 

·                     Firstly as the corn or callus has been caused by this pressure or rubbing, any good from treatment will be immediately undone if the underlying cause is not removed.

·                     Secondly, the corn or callus only formed in the first place to try and protect the underlying tissue from the rubbing or pressure.  Therefore if your podiatrist or chiropodist removes this protective layer, but does not also remove the cause, the soft underlying tissue would be exposed to the damaging effects of the pressure or rubbing directly onto soft and healthy tissue.