Published by Bupa's Health Information Team, November 2010.
This factsheet is for people who have corns, or who would like information about them.
A corn is a painful area of hardened skin on the foot. Corns develop over bony areas of the foot that are under high pressure, usually caused by poorly fitting shoes, or sometimes from the way your feet bear your weight.
A corn is a type of painful callus on your foot. A callus is an area of hardened skin made of keratin – a tough protein that is found in the outermost layer of your skin (the epidermis).
When your skin is exposed to lots of pressure or friction, the keratin layer thickens to protect it, and develops into a callus. Although calluses can cover a wide area, they aren't usually painful.
However, if the pressure is over a bony protrusion, a small hard plug of keratin can form that presses into your skin, sometimes causing pain and swelling. This is a corn. It can be very painful as the keratin plug may put pressure on your underlying nerves.
Unlike calluses, corns are clearly separate from the surrounding area of your skin. In the middle of them is a see-through plug of keratin, which is surrounded by a margin of tough skin (often white in colour).
If you develop a corn and you have diabetes, it’s very important that you see your GP because you’re more prone to developing infections. Sometimes a corn can ulcerate – this means it develops into a sore (ulcer) – and may become infected.
There are two main types of corn.
Hard corns
Hard corns are the most common. They are concentrated areas of dry, hardened skin about the size of a pea. Hard corns may develop within a broader area of callused skin. They are often found on your toes, most often on your fifth toe. They are sometimes called digital corns.
Soft corns
Soft corns are white and rubbery. They can be extremely painful and tend to develop between your toes. They are like hard corns that have been softened by continual exposure to moisture, usually because you don’t dry between your toes properly or from sweat. Soft corns may form opposite one another and are known as ‘kissing lesions’.
Sometimes, soft corns can become infected by bacteria or fungi.
Other, rarer types of corn include:
The main symptoms include:
If your corn is left untreated, it can ulcerate. This means an open sore will form on it. This is especially a problem if you have diabetes or are an older person as the sore may become infected and/or not heal very well because of bad circulation. See your GP, podiatrist or chiropodist (health professionals who specialise in conditions that affect the feet) as soon as possible if you have diabetes or are 65 or over and notice any broken skin, loss of sensation or bruising on your feet.
If you have an infected corn, for example if it contains pus or clear liquid, it may need to be drained. You may also need antibiotics.
Corns are caused by constant pressure on a bony area of your foot. This can happen for a number of different reasons. These include:
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and examine you. He or she may also ask you about your medical history and your footwear.
Corns can be confused with verrucas. Your GP may use a scalpel to remove the top layer of hardened skin (this isn't painful) to look for blood vessels that would be present in a verruca but aren’t found in a corn.
You GP may refer you to a registered chiropodist or podiatrist.
If your corn is a serious problem or if it keeps coming back, you may have:
Your healthcare professional will try to deal with the underlying cause of your corn to stop it coming back as well as treating its symptoms.
There are several ways that corns are treated.
Although you should never try to cut out a corn yourself, there are other things you can do to help relieve the symptoms.
If you aren't sure how to go about tending to a corn, see your GP or a registered chiropodist or podiatrist.
Your GP, chiropodist or podiatrist may apply a paint that can break down the keratin in your corn and soften it. However, these paints contain chemicals that can burn healthy skin so aren't always used. They can be bought over the counter but there is a risk of them burning healthy skin, so don't use them unless your GP or a chiropodist or podiatrist recommends them to you.
Footwear
The main cause of corns is wearing shoes that are too small and tight for your feet. You will need to stop wearing any shoes that don’t fit well. Your healthcare professional can advise you on the best type of shoes to wear but in general they should have:
If you have a corn between your toes or on the outer edge of your fifth toe, you may need wider shoes to give your feet more room.
Foot pads
Your health professional may recommend using:
He or she will be able to help advise you about what to use and how to fit it.
Injection of artificial fillers
Your healthcare professional may suggest injecting an artificial filler such as silicone under your corn. The filler acts like an internal pad under your corn to relieve pain and provide some protection. However, this treatment is relatively new and there isn’t much evidence available to show how effective it is. At present, it isn’t widely available in the UK.
Your GP or a chiropodist or podiatrist will be able to use a scalpel to remove the central keratin plug from a corn. This is a painless procedure and should almost completely relieve any pain. He or she may also advise you to gently rub away the corn using a pumice stone every week to help prevent it coming back.
If the corn keeps coming back and all other methods have failed to solve the problem, further surgery might be able to help. For example, if your corn is being caused by a deformity on your foot, an operation to reshape your foot can sometimes prevent it returning.
Your GP or healthcare professional will be able to advise you on whether surgery is necessary.
You can help prevent corns by:
If you already have a corn, apply an antifungal or antibacterial powder after washing your foot to help prevent it becoming infected.
For answers to frequently asked questions on this topic, see Common questions.
For sources and links to further information, see Resources.
See a Private GP in confidence to discuss any concerns you may have about your health or your family's health or call 0845 600 3458 quoting ref. HFS GP.
Bupa Health Cash Back can help with everyday costs like chiropody, dental and prescription expenses. Get a quote for Bupa Health Cash Back today or call 0500 000 125 quoting ref. 4096.
This information was published by Bupa's Health Information Team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals. Photos are only for illustrative purposes and do not reflect every presentation of a condition. The content is intended only for general information and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional. For more details on how we produce our content and its sources, visit the About our Health Information page.
Publication date: November 2010
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