You may well be suffering with foot pain due to corns (heloma durum) on the soles of the feet. They can feel like you are walking on pebbles, and make every pair of shoes you own uncomfortable. When you look at your feet there appears to be just some hard skin, and you may have tried rubbing the skin with a file but can’t seem to shift the problem. Your next step may have been to buy a corn plaster, and that may have just made a mess of your skin, so what should you do now?

Well, let’s first have a look at the causes of corns on the feet. Corns are caused by pressure. Pressure can be continuous, direct, or shearing, and these can lead to different types of corns. The skin on the soles of feet is quite different to the rest of our skin, as it has to endure the pressure of our body weight as we walk about.

The skin on the base of the heel (plantar calcaneous), and under the joints where our toes begin (metatarsal phalangeal joints) are the common sites for hard corns (heloma durum) to develop. Ideally these should be enucleated by a podiatrist. This is usually a pain free procedure where a scalpel is used to remove the corn, and will lead to immediate pain relief on walking in most cases. The corn will return however, unless the cause is removed. Cushioned insoles, or orthotics designed to redistribute the pressure have great success in preventing their return. A podiatrist can make or prescribe these devices.

Soft corns (heloma molle) usually develop between the toes and are caused by the toes pressing on each other. Again, these can be removed by a podiatrist using a scalpel. Their return can be halted by the use of toe separators, often made from silicon based materials. The solution may even be as simple as footwear with a wider toe box.

Seed corns (heloma milliare) are so named because they look like seeds. They are caused by friction, and lie very superficial. They are easily removed by a podiatrist, and again the cause needs to be addressed to prevent their return. Materials that reduce friction can be used to ease the stresses on the skin that cause these problem corns.

All of us walk differently; our gait has a direct impact on the type and size of forces that run through areas of our feet. Often, by correcting gait abnormalities with orthotics, these high pressure areas can be reduced, and in turn prevent the return of those troublesome corns.

Do not be tempted to take sharp instruments to your own feet, seek treatment from a registered podiatrist. This is particularly important if you have any medical conditions. Do not use corn plasters which contain acids if you are diabetic, have peripheral vascular disease, or are in any way immuno-compromised. If in doubt do not use these products without consulting a Podiatrist or medical doctor. A podiatrist will take a full medical history before any treatment to ensure that it is appropriate for you as an individual.