ZocdocAnswersIs there an effective way to remove and prevent corns?


Is there an effective way to remove and prevent corns?

I get painful corns on my feet. Every time one goes away it seems like I get another one. I want to know if there is something I can do to prevent this and what is causing them. Could I have a disease in my feet or something?


Sorry to hear that this has been such a persistent problem for you. As you probably known, corns are simply areas of thickened, tough skin that forms over areas of chronic pressure on the feet. The most common location for corns is on the ball of the foot or edge of the big toe, but they can occur elsewhere, including between the toes. Since corns occur primarily due to too much pressure over certain areas of the foot, the main treatment for preventing them is to make sure that you always wear sensible, good-fitting shoes. Unfortunately, for many people this is a deal breaker, since 'sensible and good fitting' does not always mean very fashionable. But, nevertheless, this is the only guaranteed way to keep the corns from coming back again and again. In terms of treatment of pre-existing corns, there are numerous over the counter treatment products that can be used to soften the hardened skin, permitting you to file down the corn. Cutting and trimming should always be done very carefully to prevent injury. Application of moleskin or another pressure relieving patch over the corn can be helpful. But a podiatrist is a the best place to start to make sure you are taking the right approach. Good luck!

