6 Home Remedies for Foot Corn

17 May, 2011 No Comment

Who hasn’t suffered from foot corn at one time or the other? Foot corns have plagued the living beings ever since life started on the earth. Foot corns can be caused due to a lot of reasons. Irrespective of the reason for their occurrence the fact remains that foot corns are painful and hard to be rid of. Most often than not our lifestyle is to be blamed for formation of foot corns. We never treat our feet with the care and protection they deserve. They get our attention only when the abuse gets out of hand and we end up with foot problems.

Feet support our body weight along with any other weight we may be carrying on our person. On an average the feet have to bear weight equivalent to several hundred tons each day. This is an astonishing number and no wonder abused and neglected feet often result in problems that refuse to go away without proper treatment.

A large number of people all over the world suffer from foot problems and corns and calluses are the most common. Corns and calluses are formation of thickened skin over sensitive areas of feet. They develop to protect the skin tissues against friction and pressure.

Types Of Corns

soft and hard. Soft corns are mainly found between toes. When the toes rub against each other the bones of one toe weigh over the bones of the other toe. The friction causes the skin to develop a protective barrier in the form of a soft corn. As the name suggests they are rubbery and moist to touch.

Hard corns develop on top of the toes or on the side of the last toe. The corns are formed as a result of friction of the bones against the shoes. Often hard corns also form on the ball of the foot. These are extremely painful since their sharp and pointed formations make it difficult to walk without wincing.

Hard and soft corns have both a base and a tip and are mainly conical in shape. The tip points to the inside of the foot and the base is what we see on the outside. Any pressure on the corn makes the tip hit the skin tissues on the foot causing pain. Main causes for formation of corn are wearing ill-fitting shoes. Tight shoes can cause the bones of the toes to rub against each other. This automatically triggers the skin tissues to protect them by forming a hard layer of tissue. In women, high-heeled shoes are often blamed for corns on the ball of the feet. Uncomfortable gait leads to pressure being exerted on the sole of the foot especially the ball. Some other causes of corns are

• Thin skin on the sole of the feet

• Being naturally flat footed (which causes pressure on the ball of the foot as one walks)

• Walking without slippers and on hard and uneven surfaces.

• Diabetes is also a culprit when it comes to foot corns.

Home Remedy for Corns

Foot corn can be treated at home easily if the treatment is done wisely and regularly. Some people resort to treating corns and calluses by cutting them off the skin using blabbed and scissors. This should NEVER be attempted. It can lead to mishaps like accidental cutting of a vein or ending up with septic.
There are many natural remedies that can be tried at home before visiting a podiatrist. However, before you try any of these remedies it is important to first find out and then eliminate the cause of corns.

Banana Peel Remedy for Corn

Begin by softening the corn by soaking your foot in warm water. You may add a handful of Epsom salt to this water. Now take peel of a ripened banana and starch the white part from the inside of the peel till you have about a teaspoon of it. Now place this white part over the corn. Wrap a medicated gauge around it and leave for 6-8 hours. Remove the wrap and wash your feet with warm water. Repeat the treatment after a couple of hours. Expect results in a week’s time with regular use.

Baking Soda Remedy

In a basin of warm water add three tablespoons of baking soda. Soak the affected foot in this mixture for 15-20 minutes. Take a pumice stone or foot scrapper to gently scrape off the extra skin surrounding the area. Do this every night for two weeks to see the results.
Alternatively you can apply a paste of baking soda and water on the affected area and leave for twenty minutes. Next, rub the paste on the corn using a pumice stone. This exfoliation will help loosen the skin surrounding the corn.

Vinegar Remedy

Take a cotton ball and soak it in vinegar. Lightly squeeze the cotton ball and place it over the corn. Wrap the cotton ball over the corn using a medicated gauge. Leave for two hours and then replace the cotton ball. Do this treatment daily for seven days to see the corn disappear.

Chamomile Tea Remedy

Take a bag of chamomile tea and drop it in a basin of hot water. Let the water cool down to a warm temperature and then soak the affected foot in it. The properties of chamomile tea will help dissolve and heal the corn faster.
Tannins of chamomile tea will stain your foot which can be removed using soap and water.

Cornstarch Remedy

Sprinkle cornstarch on your feet, on the corn and in between the toes. This will keep sweat at bay. Moisture can cause the toes to rub against each other furthering worsening the condition of the corn and making it painful. Lack of sweating will also keep fungal infections at bay.

Pumice Stone Remedy

Every day during bath rub the affected area with a pumice stone. This will help slough off the dead skin tissues surrounding the corn. The corn will soften and ultimately fall off with some rough massaging.

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