Remove corn

Sophie Matzik is a freelance writer for the medical team.

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There are a few things to consider if you want to remove a corn. In general, you should leave the corn treatment to a specialist. Only with flat or early-stage specimens are there some methods you can use to treat corns yourself. Read here which methods these are and what you should consider when removing corns.

ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. L84

Remove corn yourself: recommendations

Many patients prefer to treat their corn themselves. However, doing so is risky as it can result in serious injury and complications. Depending on the type, depth and extent of the corn, the following recommendations apply:

• You can try removing small, flat corns yourself. If this does not work or if the corn keeps coming back (relapse), you should consult a doctor.
• You should always go to a specialist if you want to remove large corns or corns that extend deep into the skin.
• Diabetics, rheumatism patients and people with extremely sensitive or porous skin should generally consult a doctor if they have any foot problems.

Often times, patients want to remove their corn with knives or other objects. This is very dangerous as it can easily damage the surrounding skin. In addition, a cracked, incised corn is a potential entry point for germs, which can lead to serious infections: The pathogen can spread under the skin or get into the blood and cause blood poisoning (sepsis). People with very dry and rough skin such as rheumatism and diabetes patients are particularly at risk here. They should therefore consult a doctor in any case to have a corn removed.

Remove corns with corn plasters

First, take a warm foot bath to soften the skin around the corn area. Then put on a corn patch for two to three days before taking another emollient foot bath. Then you can try carefully lifting the corn out.

Corn plasters are available over-the-counter in pharmacies. They are soaked in so-called keratolytics - acids such as salicylic acid or lactic acid, which soften the cornea of ​​the corn. This is how the upper keratinized layers on the corn can be removed. However, the keratin core is often so deep that the chemicals cannot reach it. Then a professional needs to remove the corn.

The acids in the corn plasters are very aggressive. If a corn plaster slips and the acids no longer get on the corn, but on the surrounding healthy and, above all, much thinner skin, injuries and infections often occur.

Remove corns with liquid corn remedies

Instead of a corn plaster, you can sometimes remove a corn with a liquid corn remedy from the pharmacy. First, cream the healthy skin around the corn with petroleum jelly to cover it and protect it from the harsh agent. Then apply the product directly to the corn and then cover it with an adhesive or pressure protection plaster.

The whole thing is repeated daily. As with the corn plaster, you should take an emollient footbath after two to three days and then carefully lift the corn out. In some cases it may be necessary to repeat the application.

Home remedies for corns

Often people with a corn look for home remedies that can help them get rid of the foot problem in a simple and gentle way. Some examples:

• You can enrich the foot bath, for example, with curd soap or tea tree oil; this helps soften the skin.
• You can apply propolis tincture to the corn and leave it on for a few hours. After that, the keratinized skin is soft and easy to peel off.
• Another home recipe is to crush five aspirin tablets in a mortar, mix with half a teaspoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of water and rub on the corn. Then wrap your foot in a warm towel and let it work for a quarter of an hour. Even after that, the skin over the corn is swollen, making it easier to remove the corn.

What is important with all home remedies is that they can only work effectively on small corns. Also, when removing a corn yourself, be careful not to leave an open wound. It can easily catch fire!

Remove corns at a specialist

If you want to permanently remove a corn, you have to go to a specialist. Doctors, orthopedists and medical podiatrists (podiatrists) can remove a corn quickly and almost painlessly.

The following applies: the earlier professional treatment is tackled, the more straightforward and quicker it will be. Therefore, immediately consult a doctor as soon as you discover the corn! If you delay going to the specialist and continue to subject the corn to pressure and friction, the core will dig deeper and deeper into the skin.

How the medical treatment works

During the exam, the doctor will decide how to remove it based on the depth and shape of the corn. Sometimes a single appointment is enough for the removal, in other cases the corn treatment extends over several appointments.

The first step is a ten to twenty minute foot bath in hot water to soften the cornea. The doctor then carefully removes the superfluous corneal layers using a suitable instrument (such as a burr or scalpel). To remove the keratin thorn, he sprays on some hydrogen peroxide. It can also penetrate deeper layers of the skin and soften them. Then the doctor can remove the corneal core with a scalpel, gouge or forceps. This treatment is usually painless.

Removing a corn: surgery

In some cases, surgery is needed to remove a corn. This is the case, for example, when the corneal cone is particularly deep or the corn is very wide.

Surgical intervention can also be useful if the feet or toes are misaligned. Otherwise, the corn keeps coming back.

After the corn treatment

After the corns have been removed, the affected area should be protected from pressure and friction. For this purpose, foam rings (corn rings) can be placed over the affected area. Foam inserts for shoes and soft socks also relieve pressure.

In order to avoid a recurring corn (relapse), the most important thing to do is to remove the cause of your corn. If your shoes are too tight or uncomfortable, you should change your footwear. In the case of foot misalignments such as hallux valgus or hammer toe, orthopedic insoles, orthopedic shoes or other orthopedic aids (orthotics) can help to protect the affected areas. Let the orthopedist advise you on this.

Patients with very rough and chapped skin should always take care of their feet. Regular washing and lotion can prevent excessive stress and avoid corns!

Corn Removal Risks

If specialists remove the corn and patients follow their instructions (for example during follow-up care), there are usually no complications.

Risks arise especially when you want to remove a corn yourself. If the skin is injured in the process, infections and even blood poisoning (sepsis) can result. You can also slip with a knife or scalpel and inflict a deep wound.

There are also risks associated with using corn plasters and liquid corn remedies, as mentioned above.

In rare cases, the supposed corn is actually a wart or the symptom of another skin condition. Therefore, to be on the safe side, always see a doctor before removing a corn yourself!

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