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Hours spent raking leaves or a long day spent in your high-heels can create excessive pressure and friction on your feet and toes. This ongoing and repeated pressure can lead to irritating and even painful foot conditions, among three very common: corns, calluses and blisters. Prevention is important for avoiding these three common foot problems by lessening the pressure and friction exerted on the skin. Calluses and Corns Calluses and corns are layers of hard, thickened skin that form due to excessive pressure or friction over a bony prominence. This thickening of the skin is your body's normal response to repeated pressure or friction. The main difference between the two is where they are found. A corn is simply an area of hard, thickened skin that can occur on the top, between, or on the tip of the toes. A callus is similar in nature, but is larger and usually develops on the ball of the foot or on the heel. Never attempt cutting away a corn or callus on your own, as this can cause further damage or infection. Instead visit your podiatrist to have them removed quickly and painlessly. Your podiatrist can also advice you on how to best prevent additional corns and calluses from developing. The following home remedies can help reduce the pressure and treat a corn or callus: * Avoid wearing shoes that are too tight; instead wear well-padded shoes with open toes or a deep toe box
* Wear thick socks to absorb pressure
* Apply petroleum jelly or foot cream to corns or calluses to soften them
* Wear pads that fit over a corn to decrease pressure and friction.
* Soak your affected foot in warm soapy water then rub the callus with a pumice stone to remove dead skin You should always consult with your podiatrist first before treating a foot problem on your own. And if you have diabetes or poor circulation in your feet, never try to treat corns or calluses yourself. Instead always visit a podiatrist for professional care. Blisters Almost everyone will experience foot blisters at one point or another in their life. Some people choose to cope with the pain, while others seek treatment from over the counter products. Unfortunately, some over the counter products are not the ideal choice to heal foot blisters. This is especially true if there is an infection. Additionally, if you have diabetes and you have a blister on your foot, it could be a sign of something more serious, such as a foot ulcer. If you experience severe redness, swelling, soreness, pus, or even pain at the site of your blister, have it checked by your podiatrist. While your blister heals, it will most likely be sore. You can do things to keep yourself comfortable until the pain subsides, such as placing some padding on the spot where your blister is. To prevent a blister from forming again, make sure you wear proper fitting shoes that are comfortable. Most foot blisters are treatable with home remedies. However, a professional diagnosis and recommendation by your podiatrist may be necessary. Developing a corn, callus or blister is normal, but can typically be avoided with prevention and proper fitting shoes. As a general rule, if it hurts, see your podiatrists in Memphis, TN. Your Memphis podiatrist can administer the best treatment for your specific case and advise you on the best ways to prevent corns, calluses or blisters from developing in the future.
Dr. Nathan Lucas of Advanced Foot and Ankle Care of Memphis, LLC is a board certified foot surgeon specializing in reconstructive, revisional and cosmetic foot and ankle surgery. Services include the treatment of Memphis, TN heel pain, and CoolTouch laser for toenail fungus in Memphis, TN.
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