How to Get Rid of Corns on Feet, Toes, Pinky Toe, Naturally, Pictures Before & After

How can you get rid of corns? What are the signs and symptoms of corns and how are they diagnosed? Read on to discover how you can get rid of corns on your feet and toes or on your hands and fingers fast. Furthermore, explore numerous best ways of preventing corns from developing, or coming back after removal. Additionally, find out what causes an infected corn and how to treat it. We have included excellent pictures at various appropriate sections of this post for clear illustration.

Table of Contents

What are Corns? Signs, Symptoms, Causes and Diagnosis

Corns are localized hard and thickened areas of your skin. There are various types of corns including soft corns, hard corns, seed corns, fibrous corns and vascular corns. However, it is vital to distinguish corns from calluses, warts and or cysts, which may physically look alike and cause confusion.

The signs and symptoms of corns include thickened circular areas of skin and dry, waxy or translucent skin. Depending on the type of corn and how deeply they are rooted, they may be inflamed, painful and uncomfortable, especially when they are infected.

Corns are generally caused by excessive pressure and constant friction on the parts of your skin that are affected. You can get a detailed account on what causes corns.

Your doctor may diagnose corns by physical examination or by use of an X-ray on the affected skin. Diagnosis is necessary to rule out other similar skin problems such as calluses, cysts and warts. Establishing the actual skin problem you have is a vital step in getting rid of it, because you will be dealing with the problem using the right procedures.

How to Get Rid of Corns Naturally at Home (Without Surgery)

There are several home remedies for getting rid of corns naturally without any surgery. Some of the effective methods you can use to get rid of corns at home include:

Pumice Stone

Use of pumice stone is an effective way of getting rid of corns. Scrubbing the corn and the surrounding area with a pumice stone removes the hardened skin and dead skin tissues from the affected area. This soothes the corn, making it less painful. It also speeds up the healing process of the corn.

How to get rid of corns with pumice stone

Procedure:

Before bedtime, soak your feet or hands in bearable hot water for about 15 minutes to soften the corns.
Now carefully and gently scrub the corn and the area around it with pumice stone for about 5 minutes.
Clean your feet or hands and lightly pat them dry with your towel.
Apply a suitable moisturizer on the corn and cover it with some cotton wool.
Wrap the cotton wool with a bandage and secure it in place with a tape.
Leave it to stay overnight as you sleep.
In the next morning, remove the bandage and wash the area.

Use of Epsom Salts

Epsom salt is chemically referred to as magnesium sulfate. It is a very effective remedy for corns. It relieves pain on the corn and help speed the peeling off of the skin remains on the corn. Furthermore, Epsom salt eliminates toxins that may infect your corns. For best results, follow the following procedure:

How to get rid of corns on feet and toes with epsom salt soak

Procedure:

Get enough warm water that can cover your feet entirely into a basin
Add about 4 teaspoons of the Epsom salt.
Mix the contents thoroughly
Insert your feet into the solution
Wait for about 15 minutes for the corns to soften
Remove the feet from the solution
Using a pumice stone, scrub off the corns
Repeat this procedure for 2 to 3 days to completely remove the corns.

Baking Soda

Baking soda helps exfoliate the dead skin on the corns, making them heal faster. Also, baking soda has natural medicinal properties to fight fungi and bacteria and hence protect the corn area from being infected.

Procedure:

Place enough warm water into a bath basin
Add about 4 spoons of baking soda into the warm water.
Place your feet into the warm water such that they are completely covered
Let your feet stay in the solution for about half an hour
Now, remove your feet from the solution
Use a pumice stone to carefully scrub off the now softened skin on the corn
Rinse your feet and pat them dry with a towel
Apply any suitable moisturizing cream, for example, castor oil
Repeat this procedure for 2 to 3 days to completely get rid of the corns

Lemon Juice

The most important content in lemon juice is citrus acid. When applied on the corn, citrus acid helps in softening the hard skin on corn. Furthermore, citrus acid eliminates any harmful bacteria that may be present on the corn. Such harmful bacteria may result in and infected corn, which is usually very painful.

Procedure:

Before going to bed, squeeze just enough lemon juice onto a piece of bandage. It should not be dripping.
Place the bandage soaked in lemon juice over the corn
Secure it on the corn with some plaster or tape
Wear your socks and let it stay overnight
Remove the bandage from your feet in the next morning
Scrub the corn gently with pumice stone to remove dead skin from the corn.
Repeat this procedure for two to three days to eliminate the corns from your feet.

Note: Instead of using a soaked bandage, you may choose to cut a slice of lemon and place the cut surface over the corn. You then need to secure it in place with a piece of bandage or tape and follow the rest of the procedure as outlined above.

Garlic

Garlic is yet another very effective home remedy for corns. It has several medicinal properties and is widely used as a remedy for many different infections. Standing out are the antifungal and antibacterial properties. Besides, it prevents the formation of harmful substances over the area it is used.

Use garlic to get rid of corns on feet and toes

Procedure:

Before bedtime, clean your feet and dry them with a towel
Cut a slice from a garlic clove
Massage the cut surface into the corn for 2 to 3 minutes
Leave the garlic juice squeezed off the slice to dry on the corn
Wrap the area with bandage
Leave it overnight
Take off the bandage in the next morning and wash your feet
Repeat this procedure daily for about a week for the corns to clear.

Pineapple

A pineapple is a renowned effective home remedy for the treatment of corns. Pineapple juice has useful enzymes in it that help soften the hard skin on the corns fast. The pineapple peels rather than the flesh itself give best results. This procedure of getting rid of corns is most convenient when done overnight

Procedure:

Before bedtime, cut a round shaped peel from a fresh pineapple
Place it over the corn with the fresh side over the corn
Wrap a bandage around it to keep the pineapple peel in place
Put on your socks and go to bed, leave it stay overnight
In the morning, take off the peel and wash your feet
Repeat this procedure for about one week until the corns heal completely

Onion with white vinegar (apple cider vinegar)

An onion is an excellent home remedy for corns. When applied on the corn, the onion softens the hardened skin. In addition, an onion has medicinal properties that help get rid of harmful bacteria on the corn. Furthermore, onions help soothe away the pain and discomfort on the corn.

Procedure:

At the beginning of the day, cut a round piece of onion
Dip it in white vinegar in a cup
Let the piece of onion stay in the vinegar until evening
Now, before you go to bed, take the slice of onion from vinegar
Gently squeeze it into the corn
Wrap a piece of bandage around the corn to secure the slice of onion on the corn
Put on your socks to minimize disturbance as you sleep
Let it stay overnight
The next morning, take off the bandage and clean the area
Repeat this procedure every night until the corns disappear.

Castor Oil

Castor oil has the ability to hydrate dry skin and relieve swellings. Therefore, when applied on the corn, it softens and moisturizes it. As a result, the softened and moisturized corn peels off and eventually disappears.

Use castor oil to get rid of corns on foot and toes

Procedure:

Before bedtime, wash your feet thoroughly and pat them dry with a towel
Carefully apply a film of castor oil on the corn to cover it completely
Also, apply some of the castor oil in a non-medicated corn pad
Now, wear the corn pad and bandage it into place
Leave it overnight
Do this every day till the corn disappears

Use of Turmeric

Turmeric has a wide range of uses as a home remedy for skin conditions. A mixture of turmeric and mastered oil is a very successful remedy for corns. Use the procedure outlined below to get the best results.

Procedure:

Place some mustard oil into a small pot and heat it
Add turmeric powder into the warm mustard oil in a pot as you stir it while heating it.
Continue stirring the mixture as you add more turmeric powder until a paste is formed
Now stop heating it and let it cool to a bearable temperature
Apply the paste onto the corn and secure it in place with a piece of bandage
Leave it to stay overnight
Take off the bandage the next morning and wash the area
Repeat his procedure daily until the corn heals

You should be cautious not to stain your garments with this paste.

Willow Bark

Willow bark has salicin, which can be used as a natural substitute to salicylic acid in commercial corn removal pads. Arguably, natural products are always preferred to industrial ones in that they often have minimal or no side effects. Beside its ability to soften and dissolve the hard corn skin, willow bark is both a pain reliever and an anti-inflammatory agent. Therefore it is a very reliable remedy for corns.

Procedure:

Before bedtime, place a little water in a cup
To the water, add some lemon juice
Now add some willow bark powder to the water
Mix them well as you continue adding more willow bark powder to form a paste
Apply the paste on the corn and secure it in place with a bandage
Leave it on your foot overnight
Repeat this steps every day for about one week or until the corns vanish.

Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea is well known for its vital medicinal properties, especially for skin problems. It may be used to relieve pain on corns and dry the sweat between your toes or fingers. It also lowers the pH of your skin thereby eliminating harmful bacteria and facilitating fast healing.

Chamomile tea bags can be used to get rid of corns on feet and toes

Procedure:

Deep a chamomile teabag in warm water
Remove it immediately and massage it into the corn
Secure it on the corn with a bandage
Leave it for 1 to 3 hours
Gently scrub off the corn with pumice stone

Note: Instead of using a tea bag, you may deep your feet or hands into a diluted warm solution of chamomile tea in a wash basin for 1 to 3 hours. Be careful not to harm yourself with a too hot tea bag.

Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil facilitates softening of the hard skin of corns, making it loose for easy removal with a pumice stone.

Procedure:

Massage a few drops of tea tree oil into the corn twice every day to soften it.
Once the corn is soft, carefully scrub it off with a pumice stone.
Apply more of the tea tree oil on the corn area, wrap a bandage over it and let it stay overnight

Other Home Remedies for Getting Rid of Corns

Vitamin E: Massage vitamin E oil onto the corns to moisturize, soften and make the loose for easy removal. Leave the oil on the corn overnight. Wash away the corn in the next morning with a pumice stone. Repeat this for a number of days or until the corn clears.
Papaya: A papaya has useful enzymes that help soften and loosen the hardened skin of a corn. Soak a cotton wool in raw papaya juice. Apply the cotton wool on the corns and secure it with a tape. Let it stay overnight. Remove it next morning and wash your feet or fingers. Repeat this until the corns heal.
Castor or Clove Oil: Apply castor oil or clove oil on the corn daily for 3 or more days. Any of these oils help soften and loosen the corn for easy removal by scrubbing with a pumice stone.
Cornstarch: Apply cornstarch on corns between toes or fingers to keep the area free of moisture caused by sweaty feet. If moisture stays on corns for too long, it may encourage the development of fungal infections on the corn. Furthermore, cornstarch protects the skin on the corn area from being damaged.

How to Treat Corns with Commercial Creams and Other Medications and by Trimming

Special creams: There are special creams which can be used to hydrate the thickened and hard skin of corns, making them disappear and heal completely.
Moisturizing cream: You may need to use moisturizing creams to soften and soothe the corns before you scrub it off with ease.
Antibiotic ointments: Your doctor or foot specialist may prescribe antibiotic ointments, especially if your corn is infected or is susceptible to infection by bacteria.
Salicylic acid: You may use a dilute salicylic acid to treat your hickey. However, if the corn is very thick, you may need to have it trimmed first to speed up its removal. You will then apply the salicylic acid at equal intervals, preferably every day before bedtime.
Trimming: This is a method of corn treatment is relatively more effective and fast. Your foot doctor will trim the hard thickened skin with a scalpel or any other appropriate tool. Usually, other methods such as use of creams and antibiotics are thereafter used to clear the corn completely.by
How to get rid of corns on ball of foot by excision
Over the Counter Medication: you can also use over the counter medications to treat your corns. Usually, over-the-counter medications contain salycic acid which helps in softening and loosening of the corn.
Turpentine Oil: Due to its high penetration power and antiseptic properties, turpentine oil can be used to get rid of corns faster. It quickly penetrates and softens the corns, and prevents infections. As a result, the corns heal within a short period of time.

How to Get Rid of Corns Surgically

Surgery is used to treat corns that develop as a result of deformities. Surgery is carried out to give corrective alignment to foot deformations such as bone spurs, bunions and hammer toes, when they are found to be the underlying causes of the corns. After the corrective surgery, the corns will clear with time and never come back again.

How to Get Rid of Corns Fast, Overnight, in a Day or Week.

If you want to get rid of corns fast, then use the trimming method. It is the fastest and most effective method. With trimming, you can get rid of the corn in a day. In contrast, natural home remedies cannot be used to remove corns overnight. In fact, most home remedies will take you a week or so to get rid of corns. However, they are natural, meaning that they have less side effects and cause less hurt during the removal of corns.

How to Get Rid of Corns on feet

There several home remedies and clinical means that can be used to get rid of corns on feet. Nevertheless, the method that you can use to remove corns largely depends on the exact location of the corn on your feet and their nature. Also, availability of the reagents to be used and convenience of using a particular method may influence your choice.

For example, corns on bottom of feet are usually very thick and hard while those between toes are thinner and softer. Consequently, most home remedies can be used to remove corns on toes or between toes while those on bottom of feet are best removed by surgical means.

How to Get Rid of Corns on Bottom of Feet Fast

Although rarely, corns may also develop on bottom of foot. Such corns are usually very thick and hard. Hence, getting rid of corns on bottom of foot may prove challenging. Natural home remedies may be used to get rid of corns on bottomed of foot but such procedures may take quite long to remove the corns. However, you can use trimming or surgery to get rid of corns on bottom of feet fast.

How to Get Rid of Corns on Toes, Top of Toes or on Tip of Toe

Before you embark in getting rid of corns on toes or top toes, it is important to find out the cause of the corns. Often, corns on top of toes or tip of toes are caused by pressure and friction from your footwear.

Probably, your shoes are too tight or you have long toenails. So, first get properly fitting shoes or trim your toenails, whichever the cause. It would be unreasonable, or even futile, for you to try to get rid of the corns on toes without first addressing the underlying causes.

Thereafter, apply any appropriate and convenient method among the ones discussed above to get rid of the corns on your toes.

How to Get Rid of Corns between Toes

Usually, the corns that develop between toes are soft corns. The most important practice is to keep in between toes dry, as soft corns are encouraged by moist conditions caused by sweaty feet. Application of cornstarch may help relieve corns between toes. However, most of the home remedies already discussed above are effective in getting rid of corns between toes fast. Simply select a convenient one for you and apply it.

How to Get Rid of Corns on Pinky Toe

Due to its positioning as the last toe to the side, the pinky or small toe is vulnerable to corns. To get rid of corns on the pinky toe, use any convenient method among the ones already discussed. However, you need to take measures to prevent the corns from coming back. So, always wear properly fitting shoes with thick socks to minimize pressure and friction on the toe.

Corns may also develop on tip of toe due to ill-fitting shoes or

How to Get Rid of Soft Corns, Hard Corns or Seed Corns

The best and fastest way to get rid of hard corns and seed corn is by trimming them. You may also trim fibrous corns in the same way if you want to get rid of them quickly. Since they are not very hardened and thick, you do not have to trim soft corns. In spite of that, you can still choose to trim or use any of the other methods discussed to get rid of soft corns, so long as it works best for you.

However, we recommend that you use other methods that do not involve trimming to treat vascular corns. If cut, vascular corns may be very painful. Besides, trimming them may lead to a lot of bleeding due to the many blood vessels in these corns.

How to Get Rid of Corns Permanently

You definitely do not want to remove corns and let them come back. There are simple measures you can take to get rid of corns permanently. In short, treat then prevent.

First, cure the corns with the methods already discussed above and ensure they are completely gone. Now, take measures to prevent the corns from recurring using the procedures discussed in a later section in this post.

Infected Corns, Signs, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Occasionally, corns become infected due to the presence of bacteria in the affected area. The symptoms and signs of an infected corn include pain, inflammation and pus. If your corns become painful and sore, they probably might have been infected.

Corn infections are usually accompanied by the formation of pus in them. If there is pus in the corn, it means that harmful bacteria has led to the formation of an abscess in the corn. The bacteria that finds its way into the corns secrete toxins which lead to the formation of the abscess.

In case you suspect that your corns are infected, let your doctor examine them. If the doctor determines that the corns have been infected, he/she is likely to prescribe antibiotics to clear the infection.

Generally, antibiotics effectively treat infected corns. However, you may need to squeeze out the pus in the infected corns to speed up the healing process. This can be done by making a small incision into the corn and squeezing out all the pus in the corn with your fingers. Let your doctor do this for you in case you are unable to it yourself.

How to Prevent Corns on Feet, hands, Toes or fingers from Growing Back

After getting rid of corns on your feet, toes, between toes, big toe or the pinky toe, you now need to endeavor to prevent them from coming back. If proper measures are not taken, corns may develop on your feet or toes again. To prevent corns from returning, you need to pay attention to what causes corns and take action to manage the causes and deter the corns from growing back.

Basically, take measures that will significantly protect areas on your feet or hand that are under constant pressure or friction. Some of the effective means of preventing formation of corns, or recurring of treated corns include:

Stop walking barefoot: Avoid walking barefoot to ensure that your feet are not subjected to uneven pressure, especially on the ball, heel and bottom of the feet.
Avoid ill-fitting shoes: Always wear properly fitting shoes to avoid pressure and friction on feet and toes. Your feet and toes should have enough space within the shoes. If you find that jiggling your toes freely within the shoes is difficult, then those shoes are tight-fitting for you. In such a case, go for slightly bigger ones.
Start gradually with new shoes: In case you just bought new shoes, they may strain your feet for the first couple of days you are going to use them. To avoid hurting your feet, first use them around home and on short distances away from home.

You may also consider wearing them for short hours per day. Do this for several days, or until they become reasonably comfortable, before using them on long walks. This way, there are no chances of the shoes exerting undue pressure and friction on your feet before they take the shape of your feet.

Shop for shoes later in the day: Buy your shoes later in the day in order to be sure that they are properly fitting. Your feet expand when the atmospheric temperature is high and contract when the temperature is low. If you were to buy your shoes early in the day when your legs are contracted, there are chances that you may get fitting shoes that may turn out to be smaller when your feet expand later in the day.

Purchasing shoes when in the morning when the temperature is low hence ensures that you do not buy shoes that might be properly fitting when your legs are contracted in low temperatures, but tight-fitting when temperatures rise.

Repair pinching shoes: In case your shoes pinch you, especially at the toe, sole or heel of the shoe, have they fixed by a cobbler. This will set the areas of your feet that are strained by the shoes free. As a result, you will relieve yourself from the pinching pain and reduce chances of developing corns.
Use custom-made shoes: In case you have foot deformities or shape that encourages irregular pressure distribution or rubbing against your footwear, get custom-made footwear which are specially fitted with paddings that are tailored for your case.
Replace worn out shoes: Worn out shoes, especially at the heels or on the sole, may cause uneven pressure on your feet and this may result in the formation of corns. So, learn to replace your shoes as soon as they wear out to prevent formation of corns.
Replace worn out shoes to get rid of corns on feet
Wear thick socks: Always wear socks to cushion your feet from undue pressure from the shoes. Even better, ensure your socks are thick enough to completely protect your feet and toes against uneven pressure.
Use Foot moistening cream: Another effective way to avoid formation of corns on your feet is to always apply a good moistening cream after you have washed your feet. Foot moistening cream will keep your feet soft and alleviate chances of formation of corns.
Avoid high heel shoes: High heeled shoes are likely to exert undue pressure on some parts of your feet. Probably, you may not avoid high-heeled shoes because they are fashionable, especially among girls and women. However, you may want to try your best to significantly reduce the frequency of using high-heeled shoes.

Furthermore, you may need to look for a specific type of high heeled shoes that do not strain your feet too much. There are so many high heeled shoe styles and shapes and not all of them may affect your feet so much. So, choice of the high heeled shoes is equally important.

Avoid too much walk: Consider using other means of transport and avoid walking too much. Trekking often for long distances will almost always cause pressure and rubbing on some parts of your feet. As a result, corns may develop.
Avoid Slope walk: Do you live in an area with rugged terrain? If so, you are likely to develop corns on your feet if you walk down and up sloppy ways. So, minimize treks on slope ways.

However, you can still minimize the chances of formation of corns by wearing right shoes while walking on slopes. In this case, the ideal shoes are ones that are well lined with soft materials on the inner parts, such as sports shoes.

Use Foot pads: The use of foot pads is also an effective way not only to treat but also prevent formation of corns on your feet. Footpads are used to cushion areas on your feet that rub against your footwear, protecting them from experiencing uneven pressure.
Use gel toe wedges or foam wedges (separator gels)
Wear separator gel on toes to prevent them fro rubbing against each other
: Wear gel toe wedges or form wedges on your on toes to prevent them from rubbing or pressing one another. Clearly, this will decrease pressure and friction between your toes and in turn prevent the formation of corns, especially between them.
Regular foot and hand checkup: Visit foot specialist regularly so that your feet and hands are checked for any problems, including corns.
Toenail trimming: Always keep your toenails short. Long toenails may cause your toes to bend upwards along the joints and hence be subjected to undue pressure and friction by your footwear resulting in the formation of corns, especially on top of toes along toe-joints.
Use tapes and bandages: Any other appropriate means of padding your feet such as use of padded tapes and bandages on your feet, toes, hands and fingers may be used to prevent formation of corns.
Wear padded Gloves: If you use hand tools often, consider putting on well-padded gloves to protect your hands and fingers from excessive and uneven pressure on your hands as you use the hand tools. This will significantly minimize chances of corns forming on your hands, especially on the palms and between your fingers.
Always wear well padded gloves when using your hands to prevent corns on hands
Heel spur shoes: If your corn lies on the heel and is caused by heel spur, consider using special heel spur shoes.
Treat foot deformities: In case you have foot deformities such as hammer toes, bunions or born spurs, have them treated to prevent formation of corns on the areas affected.

We hope that you found useful information on how to get rid of and prevent corns in this post. However, you may still ask questions or share your feelings or comments in our comment section below.