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All there is to know about calluses
A callus is a callosity that appears under the foot, on the heel or on the toes. To treat and remove painful calluses on or under the foot, many treatments exist.
What’s a callus?
The callus is a thickening of the skin; a callosity. It is commonly forming on the feet or hands, at the base of the fingers or toes. They may also appear on the arch of the foot. These thick and hard pads are made of yellowish keratin, sometimes friable but painless.
How do foot calluses form?
The foot is composed of fat pad, which plays a role of natural pressure distributor. It is made up of fat globules and changes with age under high uses. So, it doesn’t correctly carry out its function anymore. This progressive modification leads to pain on the metatarsal heads. Then, the chronic rubbing and pressures cause the formation of calluses aiming to protect the sensitive areas.
Some calluses appear on the hands with the repetition of movements often associated with a sport or a professional activity. Other smaller calluses may be related to the wearing of a wedding ring or to repeated use of a tool (hammer, screwdriver, etc.). Over time, the repeated movements against the hand pad cause the thickening of the skin.
Who is concerned by calluses?
People most commonly presenting calluses are women, but men can also be affected. Indeed, wearing high heels or shoes pinching the foot favours their appearance. Fat pad is a structure intended to homogeneously distribute pressures under the forefoot. By wearing high heels, the limit in the distribution function of the pad is reached. Same thing happens with flat shoes or without shoes at all because the foot has a specific structure (for example, a round forefoot will cause calluses under its central part). The presence of a callus implies hyper-pressure on the affected area. In order to better distribute pressures, the body defends itself with hyperkeratosis.
What symptoms?
Calluses are mild but may cause pain resulting from the modification of supports distribution they imply. These excrescences make the wearing of shoes complicated. Finally, the main reason that pushes people who have a callus to consult a specialist is the unsightly appearance.
How to prevent foot calluses?
To prevent the development of calluses, the best thing to do consist in wearing comfortable, relatively flat or low-heeled shoes. The toe cap of the shoe should be large, ideally round-shaped to enable toes to move properly.
In addition, regular care of feet with massages as well as an appropriate moisturising and physical activity will prevent from many conditions.
Finally, wearing plantar protections in dress shoes will prevent the formation of unsightly calluses. In this way, EPITACT® offers cushions designed to improve the comfort and to reduce the development of calluses.
How to reduce foot calluses?
If calluses have developed on your feet or hands, here is some advice to reduce or make them disappear. Firstly, sand these callosities with a pumice stone or a file dedicated to this use.
Take the time to moisturise your feet thanks to tepid baths and creams adapted to dry feet and hands.
Finally, you can wear the EPITACT® plantar cushions* if you’re suffering from chronic or constant pain.
Do not hesitate to consult a chiropodist for personalised advice on the progression of your calluses. With adapted care, your practitioner will help you stop their development and make them disappear. The creation of made-to-measure orthopaedic insoles will support and/or correct the functioning of the foot as well as it will allow homogeneous distribution of pressures. Finally, only a change in shoes and movements habits as well as appropriate protections will prevent the recurrence of calluses.
*This product is a class I medical device that bears the CE marking under this regulation. Carefully read the instructions before use. Manufacturer: Millet Innovation. 09/2021