Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesCausesSymptomsRemediesProceduresSurgeryPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Causes
Symptoms
Remedies
Procedures
Surgery
Prevention
Acallusis a change in your skin that forms to protect an area subject to constant strain, friction, or pressure. It’s very common to develop calluses on hands or feet, but they can appear on other areas such as knees.
A callus appears as a dense, flat area of skin that hardens in an uneven shape. You can usually remove or soften the callus with at-home soaks and over-the-counter remedies.
This article describes why calluses form, different types of calluses, and reasons you may be more likely to develop them. It also discusses how to get rid of the hardened skin build-up.
Carlos Ruben Hernandez Blasco / Getty Images
Callus Types
There are two basic types of calluses:
Is it a Callus or a Corn?
How to Completely Remove a Plantar Callus
What Causes a Callus to Form?
A callus occurs as a result ofhyperkeratinization. This process involves thickening thestratum corneum, the outer layer of your skin. It is made of a protein called keratin. Keratin helps protect your body against water and other substances.
Calluses on the Hands
You have a higher risk of developing acallus on your handsif you participate in activities that involve repeated friction on the same areas. A callus is more likely to form as a result of the following tasks and activities:
Calluses on the Feet
You can also get calluses on your feet. Some of the activities and conditions that can cause foot calluses include:
Associated Conditions
Having certain conditions can make you more susceptible to developing calluses. This includes:
Foot Anatomy and Causes of Pain
What Are the Symptoms of a Callus?
A callus usually appears rough and dull. It can be raised, though it is usually flat in an irregular shape. A callus can develop the following symptoms in the affected area:
A callus can form anywhere on your body where repeated friction, rubbing, and/or pressure occurs. It is most likely to appear in the following areas:
When to Seek Medical Attention
At-Home Remedies
Calluses are managed differently depending on their symptoms, where they are located, and how large/thick they are. The goal is to relieve pain and alleviate the issue that caused the callus.
Most calluses respond to conservative therapies.Some of the things you can try include the following:
Over-the-Counter Callus RemediesIf you have diabetes, avoid over-the-counter callus therapies that contain salicylic acid. These medications can cause a burn or foot ulcer.
Over-the-Counter Callus Remedies
If you have diabetes, avoid over-the-counter callus therapies that contain salicylic acid. These medications can cause a burn or foot ulcer.
Non-Invasive Procedures
Your healthcare provider can identify a callus with a visual inspection and determine whether you need a medical procedure to remove or reduce it. Some of the non-invasive procedures you may be offered include:
How Many Cortisone Shots Can I Have?
Callus Surgery
Calluses rarely require surgery. Surgery is usually reserved for calluses that don’t improve with conservative therapies, such as when an abnormal bone structure, like a bunion or hammer toe, must be modified or removed to prevent a recurring callus. In this case, the surgery corrects the underlying condition causing the pain.
How Corns and Calluses Are Treated
Preventing Calluses on Hands and Feet
In many cases, calluses can be prevented with simple precautions.
How to Protect Hands
How to Protect Feet
Preventing a callus involves removing or cushioning your foot from the cause of friction or pressure. If you want to continue participating in an activity that increases your risk of developing a callus:
How to Find Shoes That Fit Your Toes
Protecting Other Areas of the Body
Calluses can also form on other parts of the body, such as the knees and elbows. To prevent this, you can take steps such as:
Why It’s Important to Wear the Right Shoe Size
Summary
A callus is a dense, flat area of skin that hardens to protect an area subject to constant pressure or friction.
A callus can appear on any part of your body. It most often forms on the sides and soles of your feet and the palms of your hands. A callus can occur due to certain activities, such as gardening, weightlifting, or tennis, in which your hands or feet repeat an action that causes friction against a spot on your skin.
Conservative home therapies can often repair a callus. A podiatrist can shave down the callus if these options don’t work. The need for surgery, which is only necessary to shave or remove a bone structure that causes a callus to form, is rare.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Pharmacist.Corns and calluses: overview of common keratotic lesions.Cedars-Sinai.Calluses and corns.Harvard Health Publishing.Calluses and corns.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Pachyonychia congenita.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes foot complications.Mount Sinai.Corns and calluses.Kaiser Permanente.Calluses and corns.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat corns and calluses.American Podiatric Medical Association.Corns and calluses.American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society.10 points of proper shoe fit.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Pharmacist.Corns and calluses: overview of common keratotic lesions.Cedars-Sinai.Calluses and corns.Harvard Health Publishing.Calluses and corns.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Pachyonychia congenita.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes foot complications.Mount Sinai.Corns and calluses.Kaiser Permanente.Calluses and corns.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat corns and calluses.American Podiatric Medical Association.Corns and calluses.American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society.10 points of proper shoe fit.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S. Pharmacist.Corns and calluses: overview of common keratotic lesions.Cedars-Sinai.Calluses and corns.Harvard Health Publishing.Calluses and corns.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Pachyonychia congenita.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes foot complications.Mount Sinai.Corns and calluses.Kaiser Permanente.Calluses and corns.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat corns and calluses.American Podiatric Medical Association.Corns and calluses.American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society.10 points of proper shoe fit.
U.S. Pharmacist.Corns and calluses: overview of common keratotic lesions.
Cedars-Sinai.Calluses and corns.
Harvard Health Publishing.Calluses and corns.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Pachyonychia congenita.
American Diabetes Association.Diabetes foot complications.
Mount Sinai.Corns and calluses.
Kaiser Permanente.Calluses and corns.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat corns and calluses.
American Podiatric Medical Association.Corns and calluses.
American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society.10 points of proper shoe fit.
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