A - Z Encyclopedia
Understanding Corns and Calluses: Information, Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention
The Basics | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention
Symptoms
What Are the Symptoms of Corns and Calluses?
- A hard corn is a compact patch of hard skin with a dense core, located on top of a toe or the outside of the little toe.
- A soft corn is a reddened, tender area of skin, up to one-half inch in diameter. It has a thin, smooth center and is found between toes.
- A seed corn is a plug-like circle of dead skin, often painful, on the heel or ball of the foot.
- A callus is a patch of compact, dead skin on the bottom of the foot, the palm of your hand, or any area subject to friction.
- A plantar callus is a callus on the bottom of the foot, often with compact, dead skin up to an inch wide.
Call Your Doctor If:
- You cut a corn or callus and cause it to bleed. The break in the skin invites infection.
- A corn discharges pus or clear fluid, which means it's infected or ulcerated. Both conditions require medical attention.
- You develop a corn and you have diabetes, heart disease, or other circulatory problems. You run a high risk of developing an infection.
The Basics | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention
