W. J.  McCartney M.Ch.S.   Podiatrist

Corns or Callus

 

Also, often described as hard skin.

Our skin is a living organ (the largest in our body). It is covered on the surface with a layer of dead cells and a flora of micro organisms. About 98% of these organisms are friendly and are necessary for our good health. About 2% are dangerous, and it they gain entry to our body through our skin, can lead to ulceration.

In very bad cases, this can cause septicaemia or even require amputation.

Our skin is also a soft thin membrane. Therefore, it is easily damaged.

Living organs react to damage, and the way our skin reacts, depends on the type of damage that is occurring.

A sharp cut or laceration automatically begins a process we call healing, with the object of restoring the skin to normal.

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Continuous rubbing of an area, causes our skin to produce reinforcement to prevent it being rubbed into a hole.

This reinforcement (Hard skin or Callus), when it builds up can become compacted into a hard lump (Corn). This in turn leads to an increase in the pressure on the nerves therefore causing us to feel pain.

This pain is not to tell us we have a corn or hard skin, but rather to tell us we are damaging our skin.

If we cannot stop the damage, our body will have to keep producing the protection (corn and callous), to prevent us from developing more serious complications.

Professional treatment to identify and treat the problem, together with the removal of the hard skin or corns, is the most effective way of dealing with it.