Children of the Corn

There are so many references and puns I could make, but none of them seem to be appropriate for the pain that these little guys can cause. Having said that, please know that Children of the Corn was a horrible R-Rated horror movie and you should by no means be afraid of corn fields, unless of you happen to see odd geometrical designs.

Corn (Heloma molle OR Soft corn)

What is it? A corn is simply a callus that is located between the toes.

What is a callus? A callus is an accumulation of epidermal skin. They occur over areas of boney prominences where friction and pressure may be increased.

Why in between the toes? Your might wonder what could possibly cause a callus in between your toes. Well, even though the bones in your toes are tiny, each bone has prominences that can cause pressure. You have 3 small bones in each little toe called phalanges: proximal, middle, and distal. A callus is formed when the head of the proximal phalanx of the 4^th toe rubs against the base of the middle phalanx of the 5^th toe. The friction produced, which you wont feel, produces a callus OR corn over a period of time. Pain may occur as the corn grows.

How do you treat?

• Keeping the corn trimmed on a regular basis can help alleviate any discomfort.
• Specific pads can be placed in between the offending toes to help reduce pressure and friction and potentially keep a corn from forming as quickly.
• The best and more definitive treatment is to shave both prominent areas of the bone down. Unfortunately, this is a surgical procedure. Im not saying you have to have surgery to solve your corn problem though. It is an option if you are tired of shaving and padding.

If you have ankle or foot problems and need relief, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Bowman at 713-467-8886 or visit www.houstonfootspecialists.com.

Category: Skin Problems

Tags: Corns, Toes