Your feet develop corns as a means of protection against friction caused by your shoes or toes. But, unlike calluses, corns can be painful. Vito La Puma, DPM, and the experienced team at Healthy Step Podiatry, with an office in Midtown East and the Financial District of New York City, provides expert foot care and can take care of your corn and recommend treatments to prevent a recurrence. For management of your corn, call the office today or request an appointment online.
What is a corn?
A corn is a thickened layer of skin that develops from friction or pressure from your shoes or toes. It serves as a means of protection against the source of friction. Unfortunately, corns can be painful when pressed on.
Corns tend to develop a hard center surrounded by inflamed skin. Unlike calluses, corns most often occur on non-weight-bearing parts of your foot, such as the top and side of your toes or in between your toes.
Should I get medical help for my corn?
Yes. Corns are painful, and you should seek help from the foot experts at Healthy Step Podiatry so you can get the most effective treatment for your corn and get relief from your pain.
It’s especially important for you to get professional help for your corns if you have diabetes. Due to the effects diabetes has on both circulation and the nerve endings in the feet, people with diabetes are very susceptible to serious foot infections. Any foot issue, including the treatment of corns and calluses, should be conducted by the podiatric specialists at Healthy Step Podiatry.
What treatments can help get rid of my corn?
Your specialist at Healthy Step Podiatry develops an individualized treatment plan to help get rid of your corn. Your specialist may gently scrape off the corn to reduce your discomfort and recommend custom-made orthotics to reduce the stress and pressure that caused the corn.
Your specialist may also offer suggestions on the best type of shoes to wear to prevent the friction and the development of a corn, as well as treatments you can do at home to help soften your corn to relieve your pain, such as:
- Soaking your feet in warm, soapy water
- Using a pumice stone after a shower to gently trim the rough skin
- Applying a moisturizer to your feet
If you have a foot deformity, such as a hammertoe or bunion, your treatment may be directed at managing the deformity, which may include surgery.
Corns are painful but can be easily treated when you get expert help from the specialists at Healthy Step Podiatry. Call the office today to schedule a consultation, or book online.