Before And After Foot Corn Removal

Surgery is only advised when conservative treatments fail. The procedure involves removing the corn and correcting abnormal mechanical stressors causing the formation of the corn.

Top 9 Corn Removal Methods (With Instructions)

Many corn removal methods involve eliminating the source of friction so your skin can heal. Most corns improve with conservative treatment that uses home remedies or over-the-counter products. While these treatments can produce results, they can’t remove a corn on your foot overnight.

Corns, which are hardened layers of skin resulting from friction, can also be removed with surgery. This is only performed when other treatments fail, and symptoms persist. Trying to do this on your own is not advised because it poses a risk of infection.

This article describes nine corn removal methods and the steps involved. It also discusses when you should consult a healthcare provider.

Rasulovs / Getty Images

Do I Have to Remove Corns?

Without treatment, a corn can cause foot pain. It can harm your posture, your manner of walking, and your foot alignment.

Different Ways to Remove Corns

There are several different ways to remove corns. The most appropriate treatment for your corn depends on your symptoms, your general health, and the severity of your problem.

A corn that isn’t bothering you can probably be left alone without intervention. If you are a healthy adult with a minor corn, you may be able to manage the problem with conservative treatment.

However, if you have a corn with severe symptoms that interfere with your ability to walk normally and participate in daily activities, you may benefit from a medical evaluation. This is especially important if you have a chronic condition like diabetes, which can affect the sensation in your feet.

Corn Removal Techniques to Avoid

There is no recommended technique for trying to dig out a corn on your foot. It’s not possible to remove a corn by pulling it out of your foot. Trying to extract a corn or cut it with a blade or other sharp object on your own can put you at risk of infection. Infections can create a severe problem if you have diabetes or another chronic condition.

Home Remedies

Home remedies for corn removal may be appropriate for removing mild corns. These treatments involve removing the source of friction using the following techniques:

#1 Change to shoes that don’t cause friction at the site of the corn:

• Replace tight-fitting shoes with wider shoes that don’t squeeze your feet or apply pressure.
• Avoid wearing too loose shoes, which may allow your foot to slide and create friction against the toes.
• Ensure you’re wearing the correct shoe size by getting a proper foot measurement.
• Shop for shoes at the end of the day when your feet may be slightly swollen and at their largest size.
• Avoid wearing high-heeled shoes because they increase pressure on your forefoot.
• Ensure that your socks fit properly to avoid friction from seams on socks that are too tight or your foot sliding when you walk with too big socks.

#2 Trim your toenails:

• Too-long toenails can force your toes up against your shoe, resulting in the formation of a corn.
• Trim your toenails straight across, with enough room so that the corners of the nail rest loosely against the skin of your toe at the sides.

Over-the-Counter

Over-the-counter (OTC) products can help relieve pressure and reduce the size of your corn. These options include the following:

#3 Soak the corn in warm water before using a pumice stone:

• Soak the corn daily for five to 10 minutes or until the skin softens.
• Dip a pumice stone (a porous, naturally abrasive stone) in warm water.
• Use the stone to file the corn.
• Apply gentle pressure with circular or sideways motions to remove dead skin.
• Avoid taking off too much skin which could cause bleeding or infection.
• Rinse the pumice stone after each use.

#4 Apply moisturizing lotions or creams:

• Use a moisturizing cream or lotion to gradually soften a hard corn.
• Look for a lotion or cream with one of the following keratolytics (medications that remove excess skin gradually), such as salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid), urea, or ammonium lactate (an alpha hydroxy acid).
• Apply the lotion or cream daily as directed on the label, or use a pad medicated with one of these products.

#5 Use foot padding:

• Use a donut-shaped adhesive corn pad or a piece of moleskin over a hard corn.
• This type of foot padding can prevent your toes from rubbing against the top of your shoe, which can help reduce an existing corn.
• Cushion a soft corn on your toe with a piece of lamb’s wool, not cotton, between your toes.

#6 Wear insoles in your shoes:

• Select insoles to correct the position of your toes or feet.
• Wear shoe inserts that help to reduce pressure and friction in the affected area.

Diabetes and Corn Removal

Consult with your healthcare provider before beginning any home remedy or OTC treatment if you have diabetes.

These conditions can lead to nerve damage and poor blood flow in your feet, making them more vulnerable to foot ulcers and infection from treatments that remove skin or leave skin exposed.

Surgery

#7 Research surgical options to remove a corn:

Surgery is only advised when conservative treatments fail. The procedure involves removing the corn and correcting abnormal mechanical stressors causing the formation of the corn.

The following office-based procedure using local anesthesia is a typical surgical method:

• Corn removal surgery that involves shaping the dead skin down to the root of the corn and removing it through a small incision.
• Additional surgery that involves the removal of a hammertoe, bunion, or other bony structure that is causing the corn.

Note that this procedure is more commonly performed in a surgical center or hospital.

Other Medical Interventions

#8 Consider cortisone injections:

A cortisone injection into the foot or affected toe may be used if your corn is causing significant pain. This will only help decrease pain and inflammation and not remove the corn.

#9 Have a podiatrist shave the corn with a surgical blade:

• A podiatrist (foot specialist) uses a surgical blade to shave the thickened, dead skin on top of the corn.
• The debridement procedure can be accomplished without anesthetic because the skin on top of the corn is dead.

Note that this is the most common treatment for corns.

Corn Removal Aftercare

If you have corn removal surgery that involves an incision, the incision will be closed with stitches and covered with a bandage and dressing. Total recovery time ranges from six weeks to three months.

You can expect to follow these instructions for surgical corn removal aftercare:

• Ice and elevate your foot as much as possible the first week after surgery.
• Wear a surgical shoe for at least two weeks after surgery to cover the treated area and prevent swelling and other complications.
• Keep the affected area and dressing dry for two weeks after surgery, using a shower bag if necessary.
• Follow up with your provider for removal of stitches about 10 days after surgery.
• Limit activity for about three weeks after surgery.
• Keep your feet clean and dry to reduce the risk of infection during the entire healing process.

When Should You See a Healthcare Provider?

While you may be able to treat a mild corn at home, a corn with any of the following symptoms should be evaluated by a healthcare provider:

• Symptoms that don’t improve or that worsen with home treatments
• Pain and discomfort
• Persistent pain, redness, warmth, or drainage from the corn
• Interference in your ability to participate in any aspect of your daily life
• A diagnosis of diabetes, poor circulation, neuropathy (nerve pain), or other chronic illness

Summary

There are nine common ways to remove a painful corn. Most corns improve with options that involve taking away the source of friction with home treatments. OTC products can also reduce pain and help improve symptoms.

If these treatments fail, you may be advised to have corn removal surgery. This in-office treatment is done with local anesthesia. While this procedure can reduce symptoms and provide long-term relief, its full recovery can take up to three months.

You should not attempt to perform at-home corn treatments if you have diabetes or another chronic condition. Doing so can put you at risk of having a foot infection and serious foot problems.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. American Podiatric Medical Association. Corns and calluses.
2. UCLA Health. Corns caused by repeated damage to the skin.
3. American Academy of Dermatology Association. How to treat corns and calluses.
4. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Corns.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your foot and diabetes.
6. Harftord HealthCare. Calluses and corns.
7. Mount Sinai. Corns and calluses.

By Anna Giorgi
Giorgi is a freelance writer with more than 25 years of experience writing health and wellness-related content.

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Corns

Corns can be very painful. If you have a corn it may feel as though you are walking on a pebble. Corns do not just develop beneath the foot; they can also occur in between the toes (a soft corn) or even under the nail. Corns occur as a result of pressure, it is therefore important to address why the extra pressure is occurring in order to prevent a corn from reappearing.

What are corns?

A corn is an area of localised thickening of the skin. This thickening is referred to as ‘hyperkeratosis’ and occurs as a result of excessive compressive pressure and shearing forces, it is body’s way of protecting the deeper structures from damage. Pain occurs due to the pressure placed on underlying nerves.

A popular misconception is that corns have roots; this is false, a corn does not have a root. Instead it has what we call a nucleus. The nucleus is a conical shaped area of hard keratin which has formed in response to pressure and/or friction.

What causes corns?

• Ill-fitting/tight footwear
• Poor biomechanics
• Doing lots of activity on your feet ‘ this can put extra pressure on the feet. It is therefore important to wear the correct footwear for the activity

Certain medical conditions can also increase the chances of a corn developing, for example, rheumatoid arthritis. This is because the foot can change shape, leading to high pressure areas.

What are the signs and symptoms of corns?

• Feeling as though you are walking on a pebble
• Burning /smarting sensation
• A soft corn is soft, moist and rubbery
• Pain that may stop you from doing certain activities
• A small area of hard skin. It may feel like a ‘lump’

Types of corns

• Helome Molle (soft corn): These are found in between the toes, most commonly between the 4th and 5th toe. As the name suggests these are soft and moist, they are associated with sweaty feet.
• Helloma Durum (hard corn): These are the most common type of corn. They are found on weight bearing areas, such as underneath the metatarsal heads. In addition they are found on the top of the toes and on the side of the big/little toe as a result of pressure from footwear.
• Hellome mille (seed corn): These are associated with very dry feet and friction and are usually observed on non-weightbearing areas. They are the most easy corn to treat due to their superficial nature as they do not imbed deep into the skin.
• Vascular corn: This is a helloma durum (hard corn) which has a blood supply. It will have dermal potrusions and may bleed when the podiatrist removes it.
• Neuro-vascular corn: This is a helloma durum with a blood and nerve supply. This type of corn can be particularly painful and may require local anaesthetic to remove it successfully.

How are corns diagnosed?

Your podiatrist will be able to tell you if you have a corn or not, the type, and the treatment options available to you. Diagnosis will be based on an examination of the affected area.

Benefits of podiatry for corns

• Immediate relief from pain
• Painless treatment
• Improved foot function
• Pressure redistribution

What would podiatry for corns involve?

Your podiatrist will begin by taking a medical and social history. They will then remove the corn using a scalpel. They will then provide footwear advice and if necessary refer you for a biomechanical assessment. Your treatment will be individual to you.

Treatment for corns typically involves removal with a scalpel. This is called ‘enucleation’. Enucleation is usually painless, however, it can sometimes be a little uncomfortable. If you find it to uncomfortable your podiatrist can take out as much, or as little as you would like. They will only do what you are comfortable with. Enucleation of the corn will provide only temporary relief, it is therefore important to address the underlying cause. Treatment for corns may also include:

• Orthoses
• Silipos
• Advice and education
• Cushioning
• Footwear review

Summary

A corn is a localised area of hyperkeratosis caused by excessive compressive and shearing forces. They can be very painful, and as a result, can affect the way you walk. There are a number of different types of corns: Hard, soft, seed, vascular and neurovascular. Your podiatrist can remove the corn using a scalpel which should be painless. It is important to address the underlying cause to prevent the corn returning, this may be by changing your footwear or wearing an orthotic (shoe insert) to correct any biomechanical issues that may be contributing to the corns .

Take a look at a previous customer.

The following images are before and after photographs of a customer who has been through treatment.