- What is a Corn and Callus?
- What Causes Corns and Calluses?
- How to Remove Corns and Calluses?
- Corn Prevention Tips
What is a Corn and Callus?
Corns and Callus is also known as ghatta (Hindi/Urdu), kurup (Marathi), Tatitta tol (Tamil), Pianzhi (Chinese), callo (Spanish), calo (Portuguese), Jamura (Bengali), mozol (Russian). A callus is a hardened and thickened area of skin occurring as a result of constant friction. The skin cells respond to the friction by reproducing, which results in the characteristic hardening of skin. Calluses generally appear on the fingers and toes, knees, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet. When a callus on a toe joint becomes painful, it is known as a corn. The pain is caused by pressure on nerve endings. Soft corns can appear between the toes. Manual laborers are prone to calluses, which can be permanent, while ill-fitting shoes and high heels can be responsible for calluses on the feet or corns.
What Causes Corns and Calluses?
On feet small circular tough and thick skin starts forming which gets worse when its infected by viral infection. Infection gets deeper till the nerves and becomes painful. Wrong sized shoes are the main cause of corns and calluses. Shoes and foot skin when gets rubbed with each other for long time causes corns. Usually corns gets formed on the bottom side of feet and in between the toes. But corns on hand are also common. Painful infected warts can also be considered as corns.
How to Remove Corns and Calluses?
1. Raw Papaya / Fig Sap
Try applying fresh raw papaya fruit sap from it’s outer skin. For chronic corns raw fig is also effective. Take out some juice from a raw fig and apply on corns trice a day.
2. Mustard Seeds
Place your feet in a basin with 4 tablespoons of mustard seeds and some boiling water to soothe. Pare the thickening skin away, and apply an emollient cream with rose oil. Rose oil will moisturize the skin.
3. Liquorice Root
If the corns are at initial state Liquorice root is very useful. Apply the paste of Liquorice root mixed with sesame seed oil (or mustard oil). Put the paste on hard part of skin and leave it overnight. Slowly tough skin becomes small and corn size also become small.
4. Garlic
Apply compresses of fresh garlic to the area. Or you can also try vinegar as it soothes the skin. Corns can be softened and treated by painting them with fresh lemon juice or vinegar.
5. Lemon
Cut the fresh slice of lemon and make home made bandage with it. Keep it on the corns overnight, this is very effective and simple.
6. Indian Squill Bulb
Indian squill bulb is also effective for corns and calluses. Squill bulb is also known as jangali pyaj or ran kanda. Dry roast the bulb and make a poultice with it. Apply on corns in the night and remove in the morning.
7. Chalk
Take a small piece of chalk and make a paste with small amount of water. Apply this paste on corns. This is a simple alternative folk remedy.
Corn Prevention Tips
- If you think your current shoes are putting extra pressure on feet, better change them right way to avoid further formation on corns and calluses.
- Try corn caps at initial stages. You can get corn caps at any convenient store.
- Always clean your bottom of feet neatly and wash area between toes with soap and water. Dry it with clean towel and apply powder before putting shoes on.