Foot Corns - Foot Calluses
Foot corns are closely related to another condition of the foot called calluses. Calluses are formations of hardened skin that can occur in various parts of the body due to some kind of continuous damage to the area of skin. In many people, calluses form on the feet when the foot rubs against the inside of footwear and the sustained frictional damage then causes the softer skin to retreat within the foot and the outer skin to harden. A corn is however, a much more advanced stage of a callus. When the sustained damage to the foot does not stop, the corn can then spread into the softer tissues of the skin on the foot. This then causes pain and irritation, at which point the corn must be removed and the cause of the irritation addressed immediately. Corns are completely exclusive to the skin of the feet and are generally noticed on the big toe but calluses can occur anywhere in the body like the fingers. Calluses of the fingers are a regular problem that face guitar players and occurs due the continuous friction and pressure from contact with the metal strings of a guitar.
Foot Corns Treatment
Calluses being dead skin can be treated quite easily and the same applies to corns as well. This requires one to practice some foot care and a process of exfoliation, or removal of dead skin. Exfoliation is a term that is normally not used for the removal of dead skin from the feet but the fundamental process is the same. An exfoliation regime requires an acidic medium to break the bonds of protein that holds dead skin together and abrasive medium. When dealing with softer skin, the usual abrasive media that can be used are cloth, sugar, baking soda and other mild abrasives. However, when dealing with the foot, you can use substances that are a little more aggressive in their abilities. One of the most used abrasives is pumice stone. The acidic medium that you can use is salicylic acid, lactic acid (milk), or citric acid from lemons.
It is however best to use salicylic acid as it is much more effective than the other two. Dip your feet in a solution of salicylic acid for a period of about fifteen minutes. After that, dry your foot with a wash cloth and then rub the pumice over your foot and pay special attention to the corn. After you are finished, apply some aloe vera cream to the foot so that there is some moisture retention.
Tags: foot calluses, foot corns, foot corns treatment, treating foot corns