Corn foot
Corns are hard and thickened skin that causes irritation and pain on pressing at sites it is present.
They are specially shaped callus made of dead skin usually occurs on thin skin surfaces ,predominantly on dorsal surface of toes and sometimes on plantar thick skin surfaces
A foot corn will grow where there’s pressure applied onto the skin of our toes in response to our body’s demand for cover against the pressure and friction that’s being applied thereon area. this is often a traditional body condition and it’s not very serious unless it becomes an ulcer.
Pressure and friction if not removed for prolonged period of time, the hard skin has formed into a cone with a hard center.
Corns are cone or funnel shaped with pointed bottom and broad raised top containing hard central region Due to their shape, corns at the tip are pointed that pushes deeply into dermis and putting maximum pressure can cause pain and sometimes inflammation later blister, pus formation and ulceration
They’re also called as hyperkeratosis, clavus, heloma and tyloma.
There are three differing types of corns: hard, soft, and plantar corns.
The location differs for both the soft corns and hard corns.
Hard corns seen on dry, flat surfaces of skin usually found on the dorsolateral aspect of the fifth toe
Soft corns (frequently found between toes)
are given the title soft thanks to the very fact that the moisture that’s between the toes contributes toward the softness of the corn.
Plantar corn – seen on thick plantar surface of skin
Causes-
1)wearing tight fitting shoes
2)biomechanical or gait problems leading to increased pressure at certain area while walking
3)foot deformities like hammer toes causing corn at tip of toes etc..
Prevention-
Both Corns and calluses can be prevented by minimizing rubbing and pressure over corn areas. Footwear should be customised with broad toe box and loose fitting preventing pressure, according to corn or callus regions, protective pads, rings or skin dressings can be used.
Treatment –
Calluses and corns may heal if pressure irritation area is consistently avoided by themselves eventually,
Corn and calluses may also be dissolved with keratolytic agents like salicylic acid, sanded down with a pumice stone or silicon carbide sandpaper or filing down with a callus shaver, or callus or corn trimming could be done by a foot doctor,
If pressure reduction not done corn may regrow even if surgically removed.
In diabetes persons with sensory neuropathy, due to loss of feeling of pain corn if presses too much sometimes can turn into ulcer or infection, sometimes needing amputation
