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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffCorns and calluses are thick, hardened layers of skin that develop when your skin tries to protect itself against friction and pressure. They most often develop on the feet and toes or hands and fingers. Corns and calluses can be unsightly.
If you're healthy, you need treatment for corns and calluses only if they cause discomfort. For most people, simply eliminating the source of friction or pressure makes corns and calluses disappear.
However, if you have diabetes or another condition that causes poor circulation to your feet, you're at greater risk of complications from corns and calluses. Seek your doctor's advice on proper care for corns and calluses if you have one of these conditions.
- Goldstein BG, et al. Overview of benign lesions of the skin. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 13, 2010.
- Smith BW, et al. Disorders of the lesser toes. Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review. 2009;17:167.
- Calluses and corns. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec10/ch113/ch113b.html. Accessed Dec. 19, 2010.
- Corns & calluses. American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society. http://www.aofas.org/Scripts/4Disapi.dll/4DCGI/cms/review.html?Action=CMS_Document&DocID=34&Time=1594904778&SessionID=7971732q9hp5yh5dy37bavztg8mbo8b8n5pm0obw17xtxh089e25es8586jcdqv3&MenuKey=123. Accessed Dec. 19, 2010.
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