You probably don’t spend a ton of time thinking about the skin on your feet. And if you do spend time thinking about it, chances are you have experienced dry skin, corns, calluses, and/or warts. These are all relatively common skin conditions which can be treated or managed with the proper care. Yet many of us do not understand the differences and similarities between these common foot issues.
With this in mind, today we will be defining skin calluses, corns, and warts, and how you can effectively manage each.
What are Skin Calluses?
The skin is the largest organ in the human body. In the simplest possible terms, the primary function of our skin is to protect us from the outside world. One of the ways that skin protects us is by responding to external stimuli and adapting. So when you are beating up your skin from a long hike or from deadlifting in the gym, your skin may respond by forming calluses.
Calluses are essentially hardened, thickened portions of your skin. They are most commonly experienced on feet, hands, knees, and elbows. Calluses generally do not require any kind of acute treatment. Instead, they can be managed by avoiding the behaviors which led to the calluses forming in the first place. Daily moisturization can also help to soothe and reduce calluses in the short and long term.
Are Calluses and Corns the Same Skin Condition?
At a glance, calluses and corns can seem like the same issue. There are, however, a few primary differences between the two, including:
- Corns are caused by pressure where calluses are formed by friction. This is a key distinction as we can better understand what behaviors caused each and it gives us an idea of why these two conditions have different severities.
- Corns can be comprised of live skin which has hardened or become tender. Calluses are generally a hardened layer of dead skin which has formed outside the living skin.
- Calluses carry a very low risk of infection and complications. Corns may become infected or worsen over time without proper treatment.
- Avoiding calluses and corns are very similar endeavors. Avoidance mostly entails changing your behavior to move away from the specific activities that caused the issue. Both corns and calluses stem from repetitive, damaging activities.
Causes and Treatments for Warts
If comparing corns to calluses is apples to apples, comparing calluses and corns to warts is certainly apples to apples. While they may not be as common as everyday calluses, approximately 10 percent of Americans have warts. Warts may be considered common warts, plantar warts (foot warts), genital warts, or flat warts.
Warts are generally caused by a human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. While this is certainly something to be taken seriously, it is important to understand that HPV alludes to a family of over 200 viruses, some of which are higher risk than others. The HPV strain which causes common warts is not considered harmful.
However, the main thing to remember about warts is that they are an active infection. Unlike calluses and corns, warts most likely require acute treatment, particularly for adults. It is better to see your doctor as soon as possible than it is to wait it out!
Why Daily Moisturization is Vital for Healthy Skin
The good news about corns and calluses is that simple behavioral changes can make a huge impact on your comfort level. These skin conditions are caused by activities, and modifying or pausing those activities to give your skin a chance to recover is likely the best move. However, let’s consider a case where you are getting calluses or corns from your job or from an activity which you cannot (or refuse to) stop. What then?
Using a powerful skin moisturizer is a great way to fight back against skin impacted by calluses and/or corns. That hardened, thick, and uncomfortable skin needs relief. Consider a product which is fueled by amino acids and has been specifically formulated to handle extremely dry and damaged skin.
Potent moisturizers do more than just deliver hydration, they repair, restore, and renew skin from deep within the skin’s surface. Unlike traditional products like Vaseline, modern moisturizers have been developed to use emollients, humectants, and occlusives to deliver unparalleled skin protecting power.
HEFF for Men Helps to Protect Hands, Feet, and Elbows from Dry and Damaged Skin
HEFF moisturizing cream for men was scientifically formulated by a team of doctors, chemists, and researchers with a singular goal in mind: create a product that can repair, restore, and renew very dry and/or damaged skin. The final result is a daily use moisturizing cream for hands, elbows, and feet. HEFF utilizes all three of the moisturizing pillars to offer deep relief for those dealing with corns and/or calluses.
Every purchase of HEFF supports military and first responder personnel through Operation Gratitude. We are proud to donate a tube of HEFF for every tube purchased. To give HEFF a try today, find us at any one of the following national retailers, shop on Amazon, or feel free to contact us directly.