Calluses on the toes are caused by pressure and rubbing. You can remove them by softening them and gradually exfoliating the superficial dead skin, but you must do this with caution to avoid aggravating the problem. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Basic Home Treatments
Step 1. Wear comfortable shoes
Calluses on the toes are the result of pressure and rubbing, and often result from tight and uncomfortable shoes. One of the most important things you can do to prevent calluses from forming and relieve pain from existing ones is to steer clear of shoes that press on your toes.
- Ideally, you should almost always wear shoes that you can wear with socks. Socks act as a cushion for the toes, and thus reduce the chafing that causes and worsens corns.
- Avoid high-heeled shoes like the plague, especially those with narrow toes.
Step 2. Release the pressure using a toe separator
When you come home and take off your shoes, you can relax your toes even more by spreading them with a toe separator.
You can also try anatomic gel toe separators, which help relieve pain and discomfort between the toes when walking
Step 3. Apply some foot powder between your toes
Foot powder absorbs sweat, so corns will become irritated or inflamed much less.
Dust it in the morning between fingers and all over your toes before putting on your socks and shoes. You can also reapply the foot powder several times throughout the day, as needed and if you feel sweating between your toes
Step 4. Do a light scrub of the thickened skin with a pumice stone
Soak your feet in warm, soapy water for about 20 minutes to soften the skin. Then do a light scrub with a pumice stone to remove the surface layer of the callus skin.
Alternatively, you can use a nail file instead of the pumice stone. When a callus forms between the toes, it can be difficult to rub it with a pumice stone. A cardboard file or a metal file, on the other hand, can do the job
Step 5. Relieve discomfort with ice
If the swelling and discomfort don't subside, you can apply ice to the affected area for a few minutes to numb the skin and minimize discomfort.
Ice does not cure callus per se, but it can be used as an adjunct to treat pain caused by calluses
Method 2 of 4: Part Two: Homemade Medical Care
Step 1. Try non-prescription medications, such as drops and ointments
Most over-the-counter foot medications have a minimal concentration of salicylic acid which dissolves the keratin protein, which is responsible for the callus and the thick, encrusted layer of skin that forms on it.
- One of the downsides of over-the-counter medications is that acids can also harm healthy skin, as well as callused skin, so if you use these treatments too lightly, you could do yourself more harm than good.
- Acids should not be used by people who are blind, diabetic or have thin skin.
- Always follow the instructions in the package when using an ointment or other topical treatments.
Step 2. Use a corn pad or plaster
These treatments are applied like normal adhesives, in order to isolate the callus, but also contain a small dose of salicylic acid to cure it.
- The best pads and corn patches are in the shape of a circle. They provide padding around the callus by retaining enough moisture to keep the callus soft, thus relieving discomfort.
- As many pads contain an acid-based treatment, you should not use them in conjunction with other medications. If you need to cover the callus after using another drug treatment, be sure to use a corn patch or pad that does not contain salicylic acid, or a simple self-adhesive patch.
Method 3 of 4: Part Three: Alternative Remedies
Step 1. Soften the callus with castor oil
By softening the callus, you can minimize pain or discomfort and make the area with calluses easier to exfoliate.
- Apply castor oil with a cotton ball. Leave the oil on for 3 to 4 minutes before rinsing and exfoliating the area.
- Repeat this up to 3 times a day.
Step 2. Take an English salt foot bath
Instead of soaking your feet in a regular foot bath, mix a little English salt (magnesium sulfate) or coarse salt into the water. This will help speed up the softening process.
- Coarse salt among other things is a light abrasive, so by dipping your feet in salt water you can soften them and, at the same time, exfoliate some dead and dry skin on the surface of the callus.
- Dissolve about 125ml of English salt in 8L of hot water in a large bowl. Soak your feet in this salty water for 20-30 minutes.
- When you're done, scrub the calluses with a pumice stone to wash away as much dead skin as possible.
Step 3. Apply some crumbled aspirin
Aspirin is a source of salicylic acid. You can crush an aspirin and apply it to the callus to dissolve some of the proteins that make it up, as well as the layer of dead skin that covers it.
- Crumble an aspirin and add a few drops of water, enough to form a grainy mixture.
- Apply the mixture to the calluses of the toes. Leave it on for 5-10 minutes, then rinse with warm water and dry.
Step 4. Make a mixture with baking soda
A mixture of baking soda, lemon juice, and water can help speed up the healing process from calluses.
- Mix a few drops of lemon with a little water and about 1 teaspoon (5ml) of baking soda. Stir until you get a paste and apply it to the callus. Cover with gauze and rinse everything off the next morning. In 4-6 days the callus should dry on its own.
- Alternatively, mix 3-4 tablespoons (30-45 ml) of baking soda in a bowl filled with hot water. Soak your feet for 15-20 minutes before scrubbing the calluses with a pumice stone.
- You can also mix the baking soda with a few drops of water to make a paste. Apply it to calluses, cover them with gauze and leave it on overnight. Rinse it all off the next morning.
Step 5. Try soaking the callus in a chamomile tea
Chamomile can relieve discomfort, dry sweat between the fingers and alter the pH of the skin, which can make healing faster.
- You can apply a wet and still hot chamomile tea bag to calluses for 1-3 hours.
- Alternatively, take a foot bath in a small container with diluted chamomile infusion for 15-20 minutes.
- When you have tried both methods, you can attempt to remove the callus with a pumice stone or nail file.
Step 6. Dab some diluted vinegar on the callus
Vinegar is an astringent, so its application causes the skin of the callus to dry out and die, giving you the option to scrape it off with a pumice stone or file.
- Dilute the vinegar with a proportion of one part vinegar to 3 of water.
- Apply this sorrel solution to the calluses and cover them with patches or pads. Leave it on overnight.
- The next morning, exfoliate the thickened skin with a pumice stone or nail file.
Step 7. Apply crushed papaya
Papaya is a great ally for relieving the discomfort associated with corns and often causes the callus to dry out and come off faster.
- Slice a papaya and with the help of a fork mash some of the pulp. Apply the crushed papaya directly to the calluses of the feet, cover with a band-aid or pad and leave it on overnight.
- The next morning, the callus can be scratched. If you follow this treatment, the callus will sometimes go away on its own.
Step 8. Use fig juice and mustard oil
Fig juice can soften calluses and make them easier to remove, while mustard oil helps kill bacteria that could cause infections.
- Apply fig juice first. Pat a small amount with a cotton ball and let it dry on the skin.
- After the juice has dried, you can pat with another cotton ball dipped in a little mustard oil. This should stop bacterial growth caused by aggressive exfoliation processes.
Step 9. Make a mix with turmeric, aloe and bromelain
This compound will soften the skin on the toes, making it easier to remove calluses.
- Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory that can relieve discomfort, aloe has healing properties, and bromelain is a pineapple extract that has astringent properties. If you can't get bromelain, you can replace it with tea tree oil.
- Mix equal amounts of turmeric, aloe gel, and bromelain to form a paste. Apply it to calluses, cover them with gauze and leave it on overnight. The next morning, rinse everything off and rub the pumice stone over the corns.
Method 4 of 4: Part Four: Professional Medical Care
Step 1. Get custom insoles
Professional insoles provide the right cushioning and protection for your foot, helping calluses to heal faster and preventing calluses from appearing in the future.
You can use orthotics and gel pads that can be purchased in health care facilities, but custom orthotics will be far more effective. Consult a podiatrist to find out how and where to buy custom-made insoles for your foot
Step 2. Get a prescription for a topical remedy
Prescription drugs typically contain higher doses of salicylic acid than over-the-counter drugs, and some prescription drugs contain other stronger acid combinations, formulated specifically to combat corns.
- Acids should not be used by people with diabetes, the blind or those with thin skin.
- Other acids can be used for treatments, including trichloroacetic acid and a combination of salicylic acid, lactic acid and collodion.
- Follow the instructions carefully when making a dressing to prevent accidental damage to the skin around the callus.
Step 3. Get an antibiotic for infected calluses
If the corns on your toes become infected, you should have your doctor prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection while treating the callus.
Note that your doctor will prescribe a topical or oral antibiotic only if the callus becomes infected. Antibiotics by themselves have no effect on corns and only cure the infection
Step 4. Talk to a podiatrist about removing hardened skin
You shouldn't cut a callus on your own, a doctor or podiatrist can safely remove a callus if they think that's the case.
The podiatrist will anesthetize the area and carefully cut off the thickened part of the callus with a thin, sharp blade. The procedure is painless and safe when done by a professional and can completely reduce discomfort and speed up healing
Step 5. Request surgery
If calluses occur frequently, a podiatrist may suggest surgery to correct the position of the foot bones. This would eliminate the pressure you experience between the toes, almost eliminating the possibility of future calluses.
Calluses can form between the toes when the shape of the phalanges forces one toe to rub against the other. Surgery can really realign the bones of the feet, straightening them and making them stop colliding
Warnings
- Never try to cut the calluses off. Doing so will not only not fix the underlying problem, but worse still, it will result in a wound that becomes easily infected.
- Don't try home callus treatments if you have diabetes, atherosclerosis, or some other form of circulatory disease.
