A corn and a callus are both thickened, dead skin that forms due to pressure on the foot. Despite the fact that they are made of the same stuff, they are two completely different things.
On the bottom of the foot, there is a callus. It’s usually superficial and doesn’t cause any pain. The twisting, shear forces of the foot on the ground cause it. To protect against these pressures, the skin thickens with callus. You can have numbness in the callus region. A callus can be unpleasant at times, as if it had pebbles imbedded in it. This occurs when callus tissue clogs pores and sweat glands on the sole of the foot.
A more direct source of pressure causes a corn. Corns are narrower in width but can grow deeper, making them very painful. Corns are frequently found on the tops of toes. Soft corns, which form between the toes, are another type of corn. A corn can also develop beneath the foot, generally when the natural fat pad has worn away. This is quite painful and should be treated by a Houston podiatrist.
