How do you recognise a corn?

A corn gives a sharp, stabbing pain on one small point, worst when you stand on it. There is a hard core in the middle.

The explanation

With callus you feel a thicker, dull patch without a clear centre. With a corn there is such a point: a cone shaped core that grows inwards and presses on the tissue underneath. That is where the pain is.

The location usually reveals the cause. On top of a toe: too little height in the shoe. Between two toes: too little width, pushing the toes together. Under the ball of the foot: uneven pressure distribution when rolling through the step.

Unsure between a corn and a wart? A wart usually hurts when you squeeze it sideways, a corn when you press on it. Warts also appear in clusters more often and have small dark dots.

Patty's advice

Leave corn plasters with salicylic acid alone. The acid also affects the healthy skin around it, which gives a wound sooner than a solution.

Read more about callus removal? See the treatment page or request an appointment straight away.