What’s the Difference Between Corns, Calluses, and Bunions?

Corns, calluses, and bunions are three common ailments that affect feet. Despite how common they are, we don’t recommend using information from the internet to diagnose them yourself; that’s risky. You should get a referral from your primary care physician to see a specialist, specifically a podiatrist, to ensure you get an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

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Still, knowing about these conditions can help prepare you for the diagnoses your podiatrist may give you and help you become familiar with the terminology that describes symptoms. Today, our podiatrists (aka the Foot Specialists of Birmingham) are here to guide you through the characteristics of these foot conditions and advise you on what to do if you suspect you’re experiencing one.

Corns, Calluses, and Bunions: Overview

Corns

What They Are: Corns are small, raised, circular, and thick bumps of dead skin that can resemble uncooked corn kernels (hence the name). They typically develop between toes or on the tops of feet and can be very sensitive to pressure. Sometimes, corns can be painful once they form if you touch them, wear too-tight shoes, or walk around when they are inflamed.

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Causes: Corns develop on feet when exposed to repeated friction (e.g., wearing shoes without socks, wearing ill-fitting shoes, and walking outside barefoot). However, applying weight to the feet does not usually contribute to the development of corns in conjunction with friction, like calluses.

Often, corns develop to prevent the formation of painful blisters. However, if you continually expose corns to friction after they develop, they can create blisters.

Calluses

What They Are: Calluses are very similar to corns in that they comprise dead tissue. Unlike corns, the affected area of calluses does not resemble a particular shape. Instead, calluses are areas of padding on the top layers of skin. Calluses usually form on the bottom of the feet.

Causes: Another similarity between calluses and corns is that they’re both caused by friction to protect the affected skin from blistering with further exposure to friction. A significant difference is that calluses form when friction is accompanied by applying weight on the feet.

In essence, calluses form when you add the application of weight to feet (e.g., long periods of standing, standing with poor posture, running, walking, jogging) to the application of friction on them (e.g., wearing shoes without socks, wearing ill-fitting shoes, and walking outside barefoot).

Bunions

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What They Are: Calluses and corns are similar, but bunions differ. Rather than a build-up of dead foot skin on its outer layers, bunions are a structural deformity of the big toes and appear as a bulge on them. Calluses and corns affect more than just toes.

Causes: Bunions form on a patient’s big toe when the foot joints are misaligned. When the big toe leans on the smaller toes for support, the metatarsal bone inside the big toe separates from the others within it, making the joint between the big toe’s bones bulge out.

Our Podiatrists’ Advice

Whether the foot ailment you’re experiencing reflects the characteristics we’re describing of corns, calluses, or bunions, we recommend avoiding self-diagnosis.

It’s better to consult with a podiatrist who can do so accurately and prevent the risks of implementing the wrong treatment instead of what you need. However, in the meantime, before you have your first appointment with a podiatrist, there are a few things you can do to stop the progression of all three of these conditions:

• Wear supportive, properly fitting shoes.
• Avoid wearing high heels.
• Wear shoes when you walk outside.
• Avoid picking at blisters, corns, calluses, and bunions.
• Wear socks that don’t slip and slide around and fall off your feet; you want them to protect your bare feet from rubbing against the inside of your shoes.

Are you suffering from what you think could be a corn, callus, bunion, or other condition causing pain or discomfort to your feet? Don’t hesitate to get the help you need; please contact our staff at Foot Specialists of Birmingham today! We’ll gladly help you set up an appointment with our incredible team of podiatry experts and nursing assistants with certifications from the American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants.

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