Remove corn yourself: recommendations
Many patients prefer to treat their corns themselves. However, this is risky because it can result in serious injuries and complications. Therefore, depending on the type, depth and extent of the corn, the following recommendations apply:
- You can try to remove small, shallow corns yourself. If this does not succeed or if the corn keeps coming back (recurrence), you should consult a doctor.
- Diabetics, rheumatism patients and people with extremely sensitive or porous skin should generally consult their doctor for any foot problems.
Remove corns with corn plaster
First, take a warm foot bath to soften the skin in the corn area. Then apply a corn patch for two to three days before taking another softening foot bath. Afterwards, you can try to gently lift out the corn.
The acids of the corn patches are very aggressive. If a corn patch slips and the acids no longer get onto the corn, but onto the surrounding healthy and above all much thinner skin, injuries and infections often occur.
Remove corns with liquid corn remedies
The whole thing is repeated every day. As with the corn patch, after two to three days you should take a softening foot bath and then carefully lift out the corn. In some cases, it may be necessary to repeat the application.
Home remedies for corns
Often, people with a corn look for home remedies that can help them get rid of the foot problem easily and gently. Some examples:
- You can apply propolis tincture on the corn and leave it for a few hours. After that, the horny skin is soft and can be easily removed.
The important thing to remember about all of these home remedies is that they can only be effective on small corns at most. In addition, if you remove a corn yourself, be careful not to create an open wound. Such a wound can easily become infected!
Home remedies have their limits. If the symptoms persist for a long time, do not improve or even get worse, you should always consult a doctor.
Removing corns with a specialist
The following applies: The sooner the professional treatment is tackled, the less complicated and quicker it will be. Therefore, consult a doctor immediately as soon as you discover the corn! If you delay going to the specialist and continue to expose the corn to pressure and friction, the core will bore deeper and deeper into the skin.
How the medical treatment proceeds
Remove corn: surgery
In some cases, surgery is necessary to remove a corn. This is the case, for example, if the corneal cone is particularly deep or the corn is very extensive.
Surgical intervention may also be advisable if the foot or toes are malpositioned. Otherwise, the corn will keep coming back.
After the corn treatment
To avoid a recurring corn (recurrence), you must first of all remove the cause of your corn. If too tight or uncomfortable shoes are the reason, you should change your footwear. If you have foot deformities such as hallux valgus or hammer toe, orthopedic inserts, orthopedic shoes or other orthopedic devices (orthotics) can help to protect the affected areas. Seek advice on this from your orthopedist.
Risks associated with corn removal
If specialists remove the corn and patients follow their instructions (such as follow-up care), there are usually no complications.
Risks arise mainly when you want to remove a corn yourself. If the skin is injured in the process, infections and even blood poisoning (sepsis) can result. In addition, you can slip with the knife or scalpel and inflict a deep wound.
In rare cases, the supposed corn is actually a wart or the symptom of another skin disease. Therefore, to be on the safe side, always see a doctor before you remove a corn yourself!
