Callus: why it forms and what to do about it

Almost everyone has callus, and that is not a problem in itself. Callus is how your skin protects itself against pressure and friction. It only becomes unpleasant when the layer grows so thick that it starts to press, sting or tear.

1. How callus forms

Wherever the skin is repeatedly loaded in the same place, the body produces extra horn cells. They pile up into a hard, yellowish layer. On the heel, under the ball of the foot and on the side of the big toe this happens fastest.

As long as that layer stays thin it is pure gain: it absorbs the impact. Once it gets too thick, the skin loses its suppleness and the callus itself starts acting as a pressure point.

2. The cause is almost always pressure

Shoes that are too narrow, a sole that is too hard, a foot that rolls inward, standing work on a concrete floor: all of these spread the pressure unevenly.

That is why removing callus without looking at the cause is mopping with the tap running. During every treatment Patty looks at your footwear and at exactly where the callus sits; the location usually reveals where the pressure comes from.

• File callus after showering, a little at a time
• Moisturise daily with a urea cream
• Stay away from sharp blades and acids
• Look at your shoes: that is often the cause

3. What you can do yourself

Use a foot file or pumice stone on the thickest spots after showering, when the skin is soft. Do it gently, a little at a time; removing everything at once is never the idea.

Moisturise afterwards with a cream containing urea. Urea binds moisture in the skin and keeps the callus layer soft, so it is less likely to tear. Five to ten per cent urea is enough for most feet.

4. What to stay away from

Sharp blades and callus shavers do not belong in the bathroom cabinet. It is surprisingly easy to go too deep, and a wound on the foot heals slowly because there is pressure on it all day.

Strong callus removers are also inadvisable. The acid does not distinguish between the callus and the healthy skin around it. With diabetes or reduced circulation neither is sensible.

5. What the pedicurist does

Patty removes the callus with a blade and or finishes it mechanically, right up to the boundary where the dead tissue ends. You do not feel it, because callus has no nerves.

The short massage with a foot cream suited to your skin type follows, and you get advice to keep it up at home. Callus removal is included as standard in the €45 treatment.

In practice this subject belongs with treatment at your home and short treatment. There you can read how Patty works, or you can request an appointment straight away.

Further reading: medical pedicure in Hoorn, standard treatment in Zwaag, medical pedicure in Zwaag.

Frequently asked questions