Preventalble foot ailments part 6: Calluses, Corns, and Warts OH MY!

My blog today is going to be about not one type of foot ailment but 3; Calluses, Corns, and Warts. Why have I decided to lump these ailments together. Well because they are all very similar. So similar that they can be mistaken for each other. As I go through each ailment you will see why.

So lets start with Calluses. Footcare4u.com defines a callus as a protective thickening of the skin that develops as a result of abnormal recurrent friction and pressure. Calluses are usually found on the ball of the foot or the heel, and can also occur on the inside of the big toe. Calluses are a natural defense mechanism against friction and abnormal pressure from the bones of the feet.

The most common cause for the development of calluses are you guessed it shoes! More specifically high-heeled dress shoes, and shoes that are too small for your foot. They can also be caused by obesity, abnormalities in the gait cycle (walking motion), Flat Feet, High arches, Bony prominences, and the loss of the fat pads on the bottom of you feet.

So if calluses are a natural reaction to unnatural pressure what makes them so bad? Apparently calluses can cause pain due to the excess pressure. Footcare4u.com says the patients will “normally complain of burning pain on the bottom of the foot…[or complain about having] a pebble in their shoe.” (much like the sensation of having a Wart on the bottom of your foot).

Some good cures for calluses are well fitting shoes, orthotics, and in some cases surgery.

Corns like calluses are a thickened area of skin that form in response to excessive pressure and friction. They are a natural form of protection from damage or injury for your skin, and structures beneath it. There are 2 types of corns Hard and Soft. The Soft variety are commonly found in between the toes and are caused by perspiration that collects between the toes and since this moisture is always present the corn tissue does not have an opportunity to harden. Hard corns are commonly found on the top of any of the toe digits, and can be caused by bone spurs on the toe, arthritis, tight ill fitting shoes or even hammertoe. Corns hurt because there continues to be irritation of the skin, nerves and other tissue that are being constantly rubbed by the abnormal bone.

Possible treatments for corns can be wider shoes or sandals (perhaps a Dansko that has a large toe box?), fixing the bone problem, or wearing an orthotic pad in your shoes. Hard corns can be cut or burned off. If you think you have a corn please do not try to remove it yourself as many sites have noted that thousands a year loose toes, feet, and legs (most likely from infection) from home treatments. Please see a doctor to find your best treatment options.

Our final subject on this blog is warts. I have been assured by friends and relatives that warts do not come from touching frogs. Warts are actually created by a viral infection that invades the foot threw microscopic breaks or wounds in the skin. Warts can happen anywhere on the body, but usually occur of fingers and feet. When the wart is on the bottom of the foot it is called the plantar wart. Now get this according to podiatrychannel.com the virus that causes plantar warts is in the family of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)! The podiatrychannel.com also states that with most plantar warts the virus dies within a year or two and the wart simply goes away. You would need to get a plantar wart removed because they are often irritating and painful.

Getting warts is not as hard as you may think. They are contracted when you come in contact with it on contaminated surfaces such as tile floors of public locker rooms, showers, and swimming pools. The APMA states that plantar warts are most common in children and young adults between the ages of 12 and 16.

The apma also offers these helpful tips on avoiding warts:

• Avoid walking barefoot, except on sandy beaches.
• Change shoes and socks daily.
• Keep feet clean and dry.
• Check children's feet periodically.
• Avoid direct contact with warts—from other persons or from other parts of the body.
• Do not ignore growths on, or changes in, your skin.
• Visit your podiatric physician as part of your annual health checkup.

Not sure if you have a plantar wart? Warts are usually rough and spongy (like a callus or a corn), most are grey, brown, or yellow with dark pinpoints. Plantar warts can cause pain on the bottom of the foot, like having a sensation of a rock in your shoe.

Again over the counter treatments are not recommended because they contain acid that may damage healthy tissue surrounding the wart and contributing to spreading. If you are having a trouble with warts please see a doctor and discuss the best treatment option for you.

If you would like to read my other posts about foot problems and their solutions please click on the links below:

Bunions
Hammer toe
Plantar Fasciitis
Heel Spurs
Flat foot
Calluses, Corns, and warts
Gout