Buzz
Friction and pressure can cause calluses to form on your toes. You can remove these calluses by softening the skin and gradually exfoliating the dead layers. However, caution is needed to prevent worsening the condition. If you're curious about how to do this, read the steps below.
Steps
Basic Home Solutions
Choose Comfortable Footwear. Calluses form due to pressure and friction on the toes, so tight or uncomfortable shoes can be one of the causes of this condition. One of the most important things you can do to prevent the formation and severity of calluses is to avoid shoes that put pressure on your toes.
- It's best to opt for shoes that allow you to wear socks for daily use. Socks will cushion your toes, thereby reducing friction that can cause calluses or worsen existing ones.
- Avoid wearing high heels, especially those with narrow toes.
- Choose shoes made from natural materials like leather or felt, as these are more breathable.
Reduce pressure with toe separators. After returning home and removing your shoes, you can continue alleviating pressure on your toes by wearing toe separators.
- Try wearing foam slippers or sandals designed to separate your toes. These types of sandals provide separation and prevent your toes from rubbing against each other as you walk.
Apply foot powder between your toes to absorb moisture. Powder helps absorb moisture, which can reduce irritation and redness on calluses.
- Sprinkle powder over and between your toes before putting on socks and shoes in the morning. You can also reapply the powder throughout the day if you notice your toes sweating.
Gently scrub the thick skin with a pumice stone. Soak your feet in warm soapy water for about 20 minutes to soften the skin, then use a pumice stone to scrub off the toughest layer of callus.
- You can substitute an emery board for a pumice stone. Calluses between your toes are hard to scrub with a pumice stone, so in this case, an emery board is a better choice.
Relieve discomfort with ice. If swelling and discomfort continue, you can apply an ice pack to the affected area for a few minutes to numb the discomfort and reduce swelling.
- While ice doesn't heal the calluses, it can alleviate the pain associated with severe calluses.
Home Treatment Solutions
Try over-the-counter ointments or drops for calluses. Most over-the-counter products contain a minimum concentration of salicylic acid, which breaks down keratin, the protein that causes calluses and thick, hard skin on the affected area.
- A downside of over-the-counter treatments is that the acid can damage healthy skin as well as the callused area, so these products may do more harm than good if used too frequently.
- People with diabetes, sensory impairments, or thin skin should avoid using products containing acid.
- Always follow the instructions on the product label when applying ointments or topical treatments.
Use a callus treatment patch. These patches are similar to bandages and provide cushioning for the callus while containing a low concentration of salicylic acid to treat the callus as it is worn.
- The best type of callus patch is a ring-shaped one (with a hole in the middle). This patch not only cushions the callus but also retains enough moisture to soften it, helping alleviate discomfort.
- Many patches contain acid to treat calluses, so avoid using them alongside other medicated treatments. If you need to cover the callus after applying medication, opt for a patch without salicylic acid or use a regular bandage.
Alternative Treatments
Soften calluses with castor oil. By softening the calluses on your toes, you can reduce pain or discomfort, making it easier to exfoliate the callused skin.
- Use a cotton ball to apply castor oil to the callused area on your foot. Let the oil soak in for 3-4 minutes, then wash it off and exfoliate the skin.
- Repeat this process up to 3 times a day.
Epsom salt soak. Instead of soaking your feet in regular water, you can add some Epsom salt or coarse salt to speed up the softening of the skin.
- Coarse salt is also mildly abrasive, so soaking your feet in salt water can help soften the skin as well as exfoliate dead and dry skin from the callus.
- Dissolve 1/2 cup (125 ml) of Epsom salt in 4 liters of warm water in a basin. Soak your feet for about 20-30 minutes.
- After soaking, use a pumice stone to scrub the callus and remove as much dead skin as possible.
Apply crushed aspirin. You can crush aspirin tablets and apply them to corns to help break down some of the protein that forms the corn and the dead skin layer on it.
- Crush one aspirin tablet and mix it with a few drops of water to create a paste-like consistency.
- Apply this mixture to the corn on your toe. Leave it for 5-10 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water and patting it dry.
Make a paste with baking soda. A paste mixture made from baking soda, lemon juice, and water can help corns on your toes heal faster.
- Mix 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda with a few drops of lemon juice and a little water until it forms a paste. Apply this mixture to the corn, cover with a bandage, and wash it off the next morning. The corn will naturally dry out within 4-6 days.
- Alternatively, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda (30-45 ml) into a basin of warm water. Soak your feet for 15-20 minutes, then use a pumice stone to scrub the corn on your toe.
- You can also mix baking soda with a few drops of water to create a paste. Apply this paste to the corn, wrap it, and leave it overnight, washing it off the next morning.
Try soaking the corn in chamomile tea. Chamomile can soothe discomfort in your feet, while also drying the sweat between your toes and balancing the skin's pH, helping the corn heal more quickly.
- You can apply a warm, wet chamomile tea bag to the corn for 1-3 hours.
- Alternatively, soak your feet in a basin of diluted chamomile tea for about 15-20 minutes.
- After applying the tea bag or soaking your feet in the diluted tea, try using a pumice stone or an emery board to remove the corn.
Apply diluted vinegar to the corn. Vinegar has astringent properties, which means it will help the skin on the corn dry out more quickly, making it easier to exfoliate.
- Mix vinegar with water in a 1:3 ratio of vinegar to water.
- Apply the vinegar solution to the corn and cover it with a bandage or corn patch, leaving it overnight.
- The next morning, use a pumice stone or an emery board to exfoliate the thick skin on the corn.
Apply mashed papaya. Papaya can help soothe the pain or discomfort caused by corns, and it may also speed up the drying and shedding process of the corn.
- Cut a few slices of papaya and mash them with a fork. Apply the mashed papaya to the corn on your toe, cover it with a bandage or corn patch, and leave it overnight.
- Exfoliate the corn the next morning.
Use green fig juice and mustard oil. Green fig juice can soften corns, making them easier to remove, while mustard oil works to kill bacteria that could cause infection.
- First, apply the green fig juice. Use a cotton ball to dab a small amount onto the skin and let it dry.
- Once the green fig juice has dried, you can apply mustard oil to the corn using a cotton ball. This step will help prevent bacterial infections that may occur if the skin cracks or splits during exfoliation.
Mix turmeric, aloe vera, and bromelain. This mixture will soften the skin on your toes with corns, making it easier to remove them.
- Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties to soothe discomfort, aloe vera aids healing, and bromelain, an extract from pineapple, has astringent properties. If you don't have bromelain, you can substitute it with tea tree oil.
- Mix equal parts turmeric powder, aloe vera gel, and bromelain to form a paste. Apply this paste to the corn, cover with a bandage, and leave it overnight. The next morning, wash off the paste and scrub the corn with a pumice stone.
Specialist treatment
Purchase custom-made insoles. Custom-fitted insoles can help cushion and protect your feet, allowing corns to heal more quickly and preventing new ones from forming.
- You can buy standard insoles that are available in stores, but custom insoles will be much more effective. A podiatrist can help you get prescription insoles tailored to your feet.
Ask about prescription topical medications. Prescription topical treatments often contain higher concentrations of salicylic acid compared to over-the-counter versions. Some prescription medications also contain stronger acid compounds for the same purpose.
- People with diabetes, sensory impairment, or sensitive skin should avoid products containing acid.
- Other acids that may be used to treat corns include trichloroacetic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, and collodion compounds.
- Use these medications carefully, following instructions to avoid accidentally damaging the surrounding skin of the corn.
Use antibiotics to treat an infected callus. If the callus on your toe becomes infected, you may need to consult a doctor about antibiotics to treat the infection while the callus heals.
- Note that doctors will only prescribe oral antibiotics and topical antibiotics for an infected callus. Antibiotics themselves do not heal the callus, but they help treat the infection.
Consult a podiatrist about removing hardened skin. You should not try to scrape or cut the callus yourself, but a podiatrist can safely perform this procedure under proper conditions.
- The doctor will numb the area and carefully trim the thick skin of the callus using a very thin, sharp blade. This procedure is safe and painless if done by a professional and can help alleviate discomfort and speed up recovery time.
Ask your doctor about surgery as a last resort. For recurring calluses on your toes, your doctor may recommend surgery to realign the bones in your toes. This will reduce the pressure on your toes and significantly decrease the chances of calluses forming again.
- Calluses can develop between the toes when the bones in the toe grow at angles, causing the toes to rub against each other. The surgical procedure can correct these bones, helping the toes straighten and rub less.
Warning
- Avoid attempting to treat a callus at home if you have diabetes, arteriosclerosis, or any circulatory issues.
- Never try to cut or scrape off the callus, as this will not address the underlying issue and could create an open wound prone to infection.
Things You'll Need
- Comfortable footwear
- Socks
- Toe separators or sandal-style toe spacers
- Foot powder for moisture absorption
- Pumice stone
- Nail file
- Ice
- Over-the-counter ointments, drops, or pads
- Castor oil
- Water
- Epsom salt
- Aspirin
- Baking soda
- Chamomile tea
- Vinegar
- Papaya
- Green fig juice
- Mustard oil
- Turmeric
- Aloe vera
- Bromelain or tea tree oil
- Prescription topical medication
- Antibiotics
