Have you ever had a corn or callus? If you have, you would know that these are not specimens of beauty. They are ugly, hard and sometimes painful. However, corns and calluses are very common conditions. Usually known as thickened skin on the foot, corns are usually found on the tops of toes and calluses are found on the bottom of feet. They can also be found on the fingers due to excessive writing with a pen or playing instruments such as the guitar. Corns and calluses develop because of friction and pressure against the skin which can result in pain. If skin is rubbed too frequently, this will cause blisters instead of calluses to form. When rubbed on a frequent basis, this is where corns and calluses are formed. Corns and calluses are most frequently found on the feet. When one walks frequently, this can be a culprit for calluses. Walking isn’t something we can really avoid so it’s not uncommon to build calluses on the bottom of the feet. At some point the calluses can become so thick it becomes painful. So how do you get rid of calluses and corns on the feet? The first line of defense is to have good supporting shoes that are wide at the toes with a low heel. By having wide toed shoes, the feet are not squished and by having a low heel, there is less pressure on the balls of feet. Using over-the-counter pads, lotions, pumice stones, callus removers, foot baths and scrub brushes may help with reducing the thickened skin. Depending on how severe the callus or corn is, more aggressive action may need to be taken by a professional. Diabetics are especially prone to calluses because of the changes in skin tissue and lack of sensation caused by nerve damage. To get rid of very thick calluses, use callus remover tools to shave or grind down the thickened skin. Don’t worry, the skin is so thick you won’t even feel the tool. But as you shave off more and more skin and get closer to fresh skin, this is when you know it may be time to stop. Depending on how thick the callus is, you may need to grind down quite a bit. To minimize the amount of grinding you have to do, be sure to shave down your calluses before they become too thick. To get rid of corns, there are medicated pads available that help soften hardened corns so they can more easily be removed. Since corns are small it may be difficult to use any kind of pumice stone or file to remove them, especially if they are in a hard-to-reach place. So a treated pad often medicated with salicylic acid can be quite effective at removing small spots of hardened skin. But the best news comes in the form of prevention because like anything, prevention is easier and less costly to carry out than treatment. By getting properly fitted footwear, wearing protective pads and frequently using a callus reducer, you can keep calluses and corns down to a minimum. Using these preventative measures will slow down the growth of the calluses and it will take longer for them to form. Other ways to prevent calluses and corns are to use gloves when doing manual labor, soak your hands or feet in warm water and exfoliate a few times a week, and/or condition the affected skin with a rich moisturizing lotion or oil. There are numerous ways to prevent these unsightly skin conditions. It’s just a matter of taking these actions on a regular basis. The good news is that you have many options and they are treatable. Product, Callus Tools

When the sun is out and you’re ready to have some fun, so are your feet. Whether it’s putting your toes in the sand or walking in flip flops, your feet are going to take a little beating. After all those months of being covered in socks and shoes, the warmth brings freedom for your feet. But with feet and toes being exposed, are they in good shape to be seen in public? Because you can be well dressed, have great hair and even a nice manicure, but if your feet don’t match the bill, it’s a bit embarrassing. So how can we get our feet looking their best? Follow these simple DIY steps to having great looking feet without spending an arm and a leg. Remove the Calluses Dried, hard calluses are unsightly and can even be painful. File down hardened skin with a callus remover and smooth out the skin with a callus reducer. By removing dried, cracked skin, you make room for fresh new skin to make an appearance. Filing calluses is quite simple. But the thicker the skin, the more you will need to work at it. Once you file down the callus and smooth it out, the skin underneath will be soft and supple. Some callus removers are pretty harsh so be careful not to scrub too hard once you get closer to fresh skin.   Trim Toenails Keeping nails trimmed and tidy is key to nice looking toes. If you have overgrown toenails, it can look quite unattractive. Use a good toenail clipper to trim your nails. If the nails are thick, make sure the nail clipper is strong enough to cut through them. For very thick toenails you may need a nail nipper which have jaws that can cut through the toughest of nails. Cut your toenails straight across to prevent ingrown toenails and then file down any rough edges with a nail file. You want to cut your nails so that a little white part is still present. If you cut it all off, you’ve likely cut off too much.   Get Rid of Any Fungus or Other Growth Sometimes nails can get fungus (yeast or mold). It’s nasty and can be difficult to get rid of. If you have any cracks in the nail or skin surrounding the nail, fungus can get in and cause an infection. If you’re not sure what toenail fungus is, it’s generally characterized by a discolored look and the nail can get thick. It can also be distorted in shape, brittle, crumbly or ragged. It can even smell! Toenail fungus is much more common than fingernail fungus so be sure to keep an eye on your feet for these signs. Unfortunately, nail fungus is not that easy to get rid of. Treatments include oral anti-fungal drugs, medicated nail polish and medicated nail cream. In more extreme measures, surgery might be necessary. If the fungus infects the areas between the toes and skin, this is athlete’s foot. This is caused by allowing your feet to get sweaty while wearing tight-fitting shoes. Athlete’s foot can lead to an itchy, scaly rash. To treat Athlete’s foot, be sure to keep feet clean and dry. Change your socks regularly and wear ventilated shoes. There are some home remedies that may help but if the fungus doesn’t respond to them, it can can be treated with topical anti-fungal medications or even prescription drugs.   Give Your Feet Some TLC Your feet get a beating every day. It’s important to take care of them so they last you a long time. Keeping your feet clean and hydrated will keep the skin in great shape. Give your feet a massage once in a while and stretch out those arches. Give your feet some TLC and they will thank you for it. If you’re ok with people touching your feet, opt for reflexology from a professional who can rub out any knots. You’d be surprised by how much stress sits in your feet. Keeping feet moisturized will help keep the cracks away, help prevent calluses and keep your skin hydrated. The more hydrated they are, the softer the skin will be.   Add a Little Color If you’re into nail polish, get some color on those toenails. They can often look plain and naked without it. Have fun with it! Nail polish on the toenails can last a long time so it’s not high maintenance. If you’ve taken care of all these, your feet must be ready for summer. So slip on some sandals and show off those beautiful feet of yours!   Health and Wellness