Corns (clavus or clavus) are cone-shaped thickenings of the cornea that grow inward. In the center of this round corneal growth there is usually a yellowish horny wedge that shines through glassy and looks like the pupil of a small eye. Most often they appear on the foot, in rare cases on the hand or finger. How to distinguish corns from warts and how to remove corns, read here.
Remove corns yourself?
The deeper the corn extends into the tissue, the more painful the corn is. Because the cornea in a corn grows deeper into the tissue over time, the growth should be treated as early as possible.
Basically, people who are prone to corns should take preventive care of their feet and regularly remove the callus. This includes diabetics or people who suffer from circulatory disorders, osteoarthritis or fallen and splayed feet.
How to treat corns?
In some cases, you can treat a corn yourself:
- If corns occur, treatment with corn plasters or tinctures from the pharmacy containing salicylic acid is usually sufficient in the early stages.
- If the corn has already penetrated deep into the tissue, a visit to the doctor, sometimes even a surgical intervention, is often inevitable.
- To treat corns are also suitable home remedies such as lemon juice, onion slices and vinegar.
How are corns formed?
Since corns develop from calluses, they usually appear in places where bones or solid material rub against the skin, that is, on the sides of the toes, at the joints of the toes and the joints of the fingers. Too tight or wrong footwear and inadequate foot care can cause the callus to become thicker and thicker and thus proliferate into corns.
Remedy is usually already the regular removal of the callus with a pumice stone or at the professional foot care. This is therefore the best way to prevent corns.
Corn or wart?
Corns are often confused with warts. However, the distinction is actually quite simple: corns usually have a smooth surface, as they tend to grow deeper into the tissue. In addition, they usually hurt when pressure is applied.
Warts, on the other hand, usually grow upwards and appear as a distinct elevation on the skin. Warts sometimes cause no pain at all, sometimes an itchy pain. Unlike corns, warts do not have a “pupil“, i.e. a yellow, translucent core.
Warts and corns also differ significantly in the way they develop: while warts are caused by viral infections, corns are caused by friction and corneal thickening.
