Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Corns and Calluses
Corns and calluses are caused by pressure or friction on your skin. They often appear on feet where the bony parts of your feet rub against your shoes. Corns usually appear on the tops or sides of toes while calluses form on the soles of feet. Calluses also can appear on hands or other areas that are rubbed or pressed.
Wearing shoes that fit better or using non-medicated pads may help. While bathing, gently rub the corn or callus with a washcloth or pumice stone to help reduce the size. To avoid infection, do not try to shave off the corn or callus. See your doctor, especially if you have diabetes or circulation problems.
It sits within Skin, Hair and Nails.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Corns and Calluses
15 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research already completed
- Guatemala Biofortified Maize StudyUniversity of Colorado, Denver
- Determination of the Glycemic Index of Products Varying in Levels of Refined and Whole Grain CornPepsiCo Global R&D
- A 3 Day In-use Assessment of the Scholl Corn Foam Cushions on Pain Levels Associated With Heloma Durum.Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare (UK) Limited
- A Clinical Investigation to Evaluate The Orkla Corn PlasterOrkla Care AB
- Metabolic Availability of Lysine From White MaizeThe Hospital for Sick Children
- Intervention in Minimizing Aflatoxins and Fumonisins Exposure to Children Through Food and Breastfeeding in TanzaniaTanzania Food and Drugs Authority
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Corns and CallusesAmerican Podiatric Medical Association
Treatments and Therapies
- Foot Surgery: Neuroma or Plantar CallusDepartment of Veterans Affairs
- How to Treat Corns and CallusesAmerican Academy of Dermatology
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Diabetes and Foot ProblemsNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Taking Care of Your FeetAmerican Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society
Related Issues
- 10 Points of Proper Shoe FitAmerican Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society
- BunionsAmerican College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
- HammertoeAmerican College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: CallositiesNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Callosities. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Corns and Calluses, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.