Gourt > Health > Conditions and Diseases > Musculoskeletal Disorders > Feet > Corns and Calluses
In dermatology, a callus (or callous) is an especially toughened area of skin which has become relatively thick and hard as a response to repeated contact or pressure. Since repeated contact is required, calluses are most often found on hands or feet. Calluses are generally not harmful, but may sometimes lead to other problems, such as infection. Shoes that fit tightly can often produce calluses on the feet. String instrument players develop calluses where their fingers make contact with the strings, but these calluses are highly desirable as they help alleviate the pain from the tension of the strings and make playing easier.
Corns
Corns (also called clavi) are specially-shaped calluses that usually occur on thin or glabrous (hairless and smooth) skin surfaces, especially on the top of toes or fingers. They can sometimes occur on the thicker palmar or plantar skin surfaces. Corns form when the pressure point against the skin traces an elliptical or semi-elliptical path. This forms a swirl of tissue, the center of which is at the point of pressure, gradually widening. If there is constant stimulation of the tissues producing the corns, even after the corn is removed or the pressure surgically removed, the skin may continue to grow as a corn.
The name corn comes from its appearance under the microscope. The hard part at the center of the corn resembles a barley seed, that is, a funnel with a broad raised top and a pointed bottom. "Corn" used to be a generic term for grain, and the name stuck. The scientific name is heloma. Hard corns are called heloma durum, while soft corns are called heloma molle.
More on [ Callus ]
Corns - Fact sheet from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Corns and calluses - Information on corns and calluses from Medline.
Corns and Calluses - Full text article from the American Family Physician.
Corns and calluses - Symptoms, risk factors and advice for treatment.
Meta Description: [ A corn or callus is a patch of hard, thickened skin on the foot that is formed in response to pressure or friction. Corns and calluses may be signs of an underlying foot disorder, such as joint deformities. ]
eMedicine Health: Corns and Calluses - Overview of corns and calluses including causes, symptoms and treatment.
Meta Description: [ A callus (tyloma) is an area of skin that thickens after exposure to repetitive forces in order to protect the skin. A callus may not be painful. When it becomes ... ]
Foot corn and callus - Causes and treatment options.
Meta Description: [ Information from ePodiatry on the foot corn and callus (hyperkeratosis, clavus) including callus remover, callus treatment, corn treatment, callus, foot corns, and corn removal ]
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