What are Corns?

Like a callus, a corn is a bit of hardened skin. But it is common for corns to be painful, and many people dislike their appearance. Although corns may not cause serious problems, it may be dangerous for patients to remove them on their own. We can provide safe treatment for them at the Integrity Foot and Ankle Associates in Lorain and help patients to prevent them from recurring.

Corns and calluses develop in places where the skin is subjected to a lot of friction. What makes them different is that corns have hard centers and tend to be smaller, which is why they are said to resemble kernels of corn. They usually develop in locations that are often damp but don’t have to bear weight, such as in between toes. Corns can sometimes be reduced by rubbing them with a pumice stone, but attempting to cut them away is dangerous, particularly for people whose neuropathy may prevent them from feeling if they have cut too far or rubbed too much.

A person should seek medical help for a corn when it is painful or inflamed. Corns are particularly likely to develop when someone has an underlying problem such as a hammertoe or a bunion, which would cause their skin to chafe against their shoes as they walk. We can provide orthotics and corrections for these conditions, as well as instructions for using prescription-strength corn-dissolving liquids safely.

Doctors David J. Hintz and Michael A. Wenowitz run Integrity Foot & Ankle Associates at 1740 Cooper Foster Park Road #B, Lorain, Ohio, 44053. To schedule an appointment, visit Integrity Foot and Ankle or call 440-282-1221.