Home remedies for corns and calluses

We all have faced this problem of corns and calluses at some point of time or the other. During such times, we find it uneasy to stand properly or walk gracefully. As a result we tend to shuffle our feet too often and this attracts people’s attention to the sorry state of our feet though encased in beautiful footwear. This does not augur well for us and makes us cut a sorry figure in public.

A woman with such problem feet can never look beautiful and graceful. So it is imperative that she attends to it at the earliest.

How are these corns formed?

Often these corns are formed as a result of wearing ill-fitting and inappropriate footwear. Corns are made of hard dead skin and they emerge as a protection against friction or pressure. They are easily recognized by the raised central core and red cuticles.

Corns are generally small and are formed on the toes, while calluses are bigger and generally develop on the soles of the feet and sometimes on the palms. These may or may not be painful at first, but there is always a danger that they may become painful at a later stage. Instead of using those over-the-counter corn-plasters which might result in blisters and ulcers and harm your skin, why not consider some of these simple and effective home remedies.

* No amount of clipping and hacking is going to make the corn go away if the pressure is still there. The reason for the hard skin must be found and the cause removed. Only then will it go away. This can be done by changing your shoes, if they are the culprits, or by using replaceable pads to wear inside the shoes which will help to keep pressure away.

* If you have a callus or a ridge of hard skin around your heels, you can soften the skin with warm water after a bath and use a pumice stone or a foot scrubber to gently rub it away. Remember to cream the area afterwards with Vaseline (petroleum jelly) or lanolin to make the skin supple. You can also try a gentle exfoliation with almond scrubs.

* You can also consider a gentle application of castor oil, coconut oil or olive oil on these spots regularly 3 to 4 times a day to soften them.

* Papaya fruit pulp or its juice can also be applied on the corns.

* Alternatively, dip a cotton bud into pure, undiluted lemon juice and keep on the corn. Saturate and rub gently a couple of times.

* Turmeric (haldi) powder which is known for its antiseptic properties should be mixed with honey or neem oil and applied on these corns.

* If they are probably bothering you too much then you might consider removing it professionally.

* Walking barefoot on sand sloughs off the dead cells and hardened masses of skin from your foot naturally. A regular walk at the beach might as well prevent the formation of corns or calluses. To conclude, let foot care be an integral part of your beauty routine to keep your feet looking good and healthy.