Your skin doesn’t like friction. When you’re regularly subjected to rubbing across a single location, skin starts to get thicker and harder as a protective measure. This can be helpful, such as when a musician develops calluses that help them avoid discomfort when playing, but often these patches of tough skin prove unsightly, particularly in the case of corns on your toes and feet.
Often, you can effectively self-treat corns, particularly if you’re able to stop the source friction that causes them. However, sometimes discomfort and pain can be a problem, or you may have other health issues requiring special attention for your feet. At times like these, visiting Errol Gindi, DPM in Valley Stream and Hicksville New York is your best course of action. Dr. Gindi is here to help when foot corns and calluses become problematic.
Corns tend to be small, hard spots surrounded by skin that could show signs of inflammation. They usually form in places prone to friction, but that don’t bear any weight. This is typically between and on top of your toes. Their surface is rough, often flaky, waxy or dry in appearance, and raised above the surrounding skin. You may feel tenderness or pain under the corn when it’s pressed.
Footwear -- shoes and socks -- is generally responsible for corn-causing friction. Improperly sized shoes and high heels can force toes together unnaturally when they’re too tight, or they can slide around your foot when they’re loose.
Choosing to go without socks can aggravate friction, and ill-fitting socks cause the same issue as shoes. Yet, even with properly fitted footwear, you can suffer from friction simply through repetition. Walking and running are excellent ways to stay active, but your feet may pay a price.
Foot deformities like bunions, bone spurs, and hammertoe can contribute to unusual pressure on your feet. Reducing corns may depend on treating the underlying problem first.
If your corn causes no discomfort or pain, and if you’re not bothered by its appearance, you can safely ignore it, though it’s still a good idea to review your footwear choices to prevent further irritation. It’s possible to eliminate corns by avoiding the friction that initially caused them.
At the first sign of irritation, inflammation, discomfort, or pain, it’s time to see Dr. Gindi, before your corn starts to interfere with daily living. Often, he can treat your corn painlessly in the office, during your visit. Dr. Gindi can also help you develop a plan to reduce or prevent further occurrences of corns.
If you have nerve or circulatory issues, such as those associated with diabetes and heart disease, you need to pay particular attention to your foot health. Diabetic neuropathy, for instance, can keep you from feeling pain in your feet. A corn could progress to serious stages without you knowing. Poor circulation can delay proper healing, another issue that could have medical complications.
Contact Errol Gindi, DPM by phone or online to schedule an appointment at the most convenient office. Corns need not become a problem. Schedule your consultation with Dr. Gindi now.
