Calluses are corns that appear on the hands and feet. They usually do not cause much discomfort, but if left untreated, they can cause great pain and become inflamed over time. This mainly applies to women who wear high-heeled shoes. People suffering from diabetes and cardiovascular diseases should pay special attention to calluses. How to prevent calluses and what to do if you already have them.
Callusestocornscaused by permanent pressure or rubbing of the skin surface. This pressure causes the skin to die and creates a horny layer of the epidermis that does not peel off, but grows, creating a thick and hard protective layer. Calluses are not caused by a virus and therefore cannot be infected.
What do calluses look like?
Calluses are gray or yellow bumps that are less sensitive to touch than the surrounding red skin. These types of corns form mainly on the hands and feet, although they can also form on the knees or elbows.
Calluses on your hands usually form at the base of the fingers. In turn, calluses on the feet usually form on the heel and under the big toe.
Causes of calluses
- tight shoes that cause oppression
- high-heeled shoes that put pressure on the front of the foot
- loose shoes that can cause chafing
- thin-soled shoes that put more pressure on the foot than thicker-soled shoes
- wearing shoes without socks
- walking without shoes
Calluses are also formed when rheumatoid arthritis is not treated.
They can also be the result of a disturbance in gait (e.g. transverse flatfoot) or bone structure (e.g. heel spurs - a small bone growth that forms along the joints).
What is the difference between calluses and corns?
Callusesare large, hard and yellow or gray corns that are surrounded by reddened skin. The main cause of calluses is the pressure or friction exerted by mismatched footwear, which is why these types of corns usually appear on the soles of the feet.
In turn,cornsare small, hardened, colorless spots that usually form on the toes. Corns,unlike calluses, they cause sharp pain caused by the core that grows into the skin, compressing the nerve endings of the skin.
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How to treat calluses?
The goal of treatment is to minimize the pressure or friction that causes an imprint. Usually, it is enough to wear appropriate protective insoles that separate part of the foot from the inside of the shoe.
Calluses can be softened and removed with salicylic acid. You can also soak your feet in warm water and then rub the dead skin with a pumice stone.
The best solution, however, is to visit a certified podiatrist - you can find a list of trustworthy offices here.
If you have diabetes, peripheral arterial disease, peripheral neuropathy, or other cardiovascular disease, see your doctor.
A specialist may use a small knife to cut out the calluses or refer us to a podiatrist. You should never cut the calluses yourself. If bone structure changes as a result of the appearance of calluses, your doctor may decide to have surgery.
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