Corns

Corns are small, thick areas of skin that form from repeated pressure or rubbing.
They often develop on toes or the ball of the foot and can be quite painful.

Other type of corns
1. Seed corns

- Tiny, superficial, and often numerous.
- Usually appear on the heel or ball of the foot.
- Can feel like small sharp points when walking.
- Often linked to dry skin and friction.

2. “PK corns” (Porokeratotic corns)

- Larger, deeper, and more painful.
- Can occur on weight‑bearing or non‑weight‑bearing areas.
- Often associated with pressure, long hours standing, and sometimes smoking.
- Characterized by a central core.

3. Hard corns (Heloma durum)

- The classic corn.
- Firm, dense, usually on tops of toes or areas with shoe pressure.
- Painful with direct pressure.

4. Soft corns (Heloma molle)

- Found between toes, especially between the 4th and 5th toes.
- Soft, white, rubbery due to moisture.
- Can be very tender.

5. Neurovascular corns

- Corns that develop tiny blood vessels and nerves inside.
- Often very painful and may bleed if trimmed.
- Typically chronic and recurrent.

6. Fibrous corns

- Long‑standing corns that develop fibrous tissue underneath.
- Tend to be more firmly attached and more painful.

7. Plantar callus (not a corn but often confused)

- Diffuse thickening of skin on the sole.
- Not sharply demarcated like a corn.
- Usually from general pressure or gait patterns.

Common causes:

Tight or ill-fitting shoes
High pressure points from toe shape or foot biomechanics
High heels or narrow toe boxes
Walking/running friction
Bony prominences (toe joints)
Being a smoker or secondary smoker.

Symptoms:

Hard, raised spot of thick skin
Pain when pressed or when wearing shoes
Tenderness around toes
Sometimes redness or swelling

How we treat it 

Safe corn reduction (debridement) to relieve pain
Footwear advice and pressure reduction strategies
Padding/offloading devices
Biomechanical assessment (if recurring)
Orthotics if pressure is caused by foot mechanics

Home care tips

Wear wider, well-fitted shoes
Use protective pads (do not cut corn yourself)
Moisturise feet daily (avoid between toes)
Use a pumice stone gently after shower (only if skin is not broken)

When to see a podiatrist urgently

You have diabetes, poor circulation, or neuropathy
The area is bleeding, infected, or very swollen
Severe pain or rapid worsening
You see pus or increasing redness/heat