What are corns and calluses?

What are corns and calluses?

Corns and calluses are a buildup of hard, thick areas of skin. Although these hardened areas of skin can form anywhere on your body, you’ll usually see them on your feet, hands or fingers.

Corns

Corns tend to be small and round. You are most likely to see corns on the tops or sides of your toes. There are several types of corns:

• Hard corns: These are small, hard dense areas of skin usually within a larger area of thickened skin. Hard corns usually form on the top of toes – areas where there is bone pressure against the skin.
• Soft corns: These corns are whitish/gray and have a softer, rubbery texture. Soft corns appear between the toes.
• Seed corns: These corns are small and usually form on the bottom of feet.

Calluses

Calluses are hard and thick patches of skin. Compared with corns, calluses are larger and have a more irregular (more spread out) shape. You are most likely to see calluses on the bottom of your foot on the bony areas that carry your weight – your heel, big toe, the ball of your foot and along the side of your foot. Some degree of callus formation on the bottom of your foot is normal.

Calluses are also often seen on hands. For instance, calluses form where there is repeated friction or rubbing– like on the tips of fingers of guitar players or the hands of gymnasts, weightlifters, or craftsmen.