Corns on the feet are due to prolonged friction which is generally caused by ill-firting shoes. Corns are merely layers of thickened skin that form around an area of friction to protect it. Most corns are yellowish white in color and although the skin around the area is very thick the corn itself is generally very tender. If it is ignored and not attended to, the corn can cause immense pain with the slightest pressure. This will severely restrict your daily activities and in some cases, surgery may be necessary.
Corns on the feet are easy to treat as well as prevent. You can use several home remedies as part of your foot care regimen to get rid of the corns. Make sure that you follow this regimen for at least a week or two to ensure that the corns disappear completely. Home remedies for corns have been seen to be very effective and have long lasting results.
The first thing that you will need to concentrate on is getting rid of the thickened skin. This can be a little tough to do as the area would be very sore. Soak your feet in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes and then use a pumice stone to very gently exfoliate your skin. This will allow the upper layers of thickened skin to be slowly scraped away without causing you any pain. You can add a few spoons of sea salt to the tub of water in which you soak your feet as salt is a mild antiseptic and will help to prevent infections.
If you have had the corn for a long time, the skin around it would be very thick. You can wash your feet well before you go to bed and smear a large dollop of petroleum jelly over the entire corn. Make sure it stays in place with a thin piece of gauze and some plaster. You can also wear thick woolen soaks over this as this will help to retain your body heat and will allow more of the jelly to be absorbed by your skin. When you wake up in the morning, the skin surrounding the corn will be much softer and will be easier to remove. You can then soak your feet and use your pumice stone to scrub the area.
Do not use any sharp instrument to try and remove the excess skin. If you have diabetes or any circulation problems, you need to speak to your doctor as this could have more serous risks of secondary conditions.
To prevent corns make sure that you wear comfortable shoes. You should ensure that you clean your feet well when you go in for a shower. Make sure that you moisturize your feet well after your shower and before you go to bed.
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