Dry calluses on the legs: removal, photo

The appearance of various corns or calluses on the legs is called hyperkeratosis by physicians. Everyone who has ever encountered this problem knows how much it causes inconvenience. That is why the question of possible methods of treatment is of interest to many.

How does hyperkeratosis manifest?

As a result of the constant mechanical impact on the feet, which occurs when walking or running, the skin begins to grow, thicken and harden. This is a kind of protective reaction of the body to excessive friction.

Dry calluses on the feet can appear on the soles of the feet, on the heels, on the toes, or even between them. Regardless of the location, they deliver tangible discomfort. It becomes difficult for a person to walk, he suffers from constant pain. But worst of all, if an infection gets into the injured corn. This can lead to the development of an inflammatory process.

Causes of hyperkeratosis

Having noticed dry calluses on your feet, it is advisable to figure out what led to their appearance. The most common cause is uncomfortable and tight shoes. Women tend to suffer after acquiring new tight shoes or high-heeled sandals. The combination of an uncomfortable position of the foot and the rough material of the shoe leads to the fact that friction begins in the places of the tightest fit of the shoes, as a result of which the body turns on a protective reaction, and the skin begins to coarsen.

There are a number of reasons that contribute to the appearance of corns. These include overweight: in overweight people, the load on the legs is more intense. Also contributing factors are:

Various orthopedic disorders that lead to improper foot placement, including flat feet;

Fungal diseases of the legs and nail plates;

Lack of vitamin A in the body;

Diabetes.

The combination of at least one provoking factor with poorly chosen shoes and in most cases becomes the reason that dry calluses appear on the feet.

Prevention of hyperkeratosis

Knowing the causes that lead to problems with the skin of the feet, you can prevent their occurrence. The main method of prevention is the selection of high-quality and comfortable shoes. It should not have internal seams, it should not be tight and squeeze the leg. Even when buying tight leather shoes, don't think that you will break them in quickly. Perhaps this will happen, but first you remember what dry calluses on your feet look like.

Also, preventive measures include monitoring your weight, aimed at preventing obesity, taking complex vitamin preparations, paying attention to foot health and preventing or timely competent treatment of fungal diseases.

Problem types

Before you try to overcome the manifestations of hyperkeratosis that have appeared, you need to determine exactly what exactly happened to your feet. So, as a result of friction, water or dry callus may occur. But no less rare are corns.

Water calluses result from friction of the skin. Initially, the area of ​​​​the foot turns red, soreness appears. If the cause of the problems is not immediately eliminated, then a dense tight blister filled with liquid will appear at the indicated place. It can be clear or bloody.

A rough layer of yellow skin is always covered with dry calluses on the legs. Photographs of similar skin lesions on other people will help you determine what problem you have. After all, dry corns can be both thin and thick. Their surface can be smooth, but most often it is covered with microcracks.

Calluses are called one of the types of corns, which, as a rule, are located on the heels or at the base of the big toes. They can appear both from tight and uncomfortable shoes, and from walking barefoot on hard surfaces. A distinctive feature of corns is that they may not go away for years.

Symptoms of dry corns

To determine exactly what is on your foot, you need to know how the problems manifest themselves. So, a corn is a keratinized area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe skin that is not sensitive to sharp objects. It can cause discomfort at the slightest load on the legs - walking or running. Also, the corn may have a core - this is a special root that strengthens it on the skin. Most often, it appears in cases where there was a splinter at the site of the formation of hyperkeratosis.

The main difference between corns and corns is the absence of pain. They can be on their feet for many months, and sometimes years, without causing much discomfort to their owners.

If you notice that the corn has turned red, and when pressed on it, an ichor or even blood is released, then you cannot do without a visit to the doctor. This indicates that an infection has entered the layers of the skin.

Possible Complications

Generally, people tend to underestimate the seriousness of the problems that hyperkeratosis causes. That is why they resort to treatment only when dry callus on the sole of the foot causes tangible discomfort. Of course, you should not panic when seals appear on the skin, but it is worth taking certain measures to normalize your condition.

So, corns that cause pain when walking can change a person's gait and eventually lead to flat feet or clubfoot. It is impossible to ignore any seals on the skin of the legs for those people who suffer from vascular disorders. Diabetes mellitus, pregnancy and even problems with the nervous system are those conditions in which the treatment of corns is mandatory. This is due to the fact that in such people, any violation of the integrity of the skin is treated longer than in others, and this, in turn, increases the risk of complications.

Callus treatment

In most cases, if you feel discomfort and notice thickening of the skin, then you should immediately start making salt baths for your feet, in which it is advisable to add oak bark. And at night it will be useful to lubricate the legs with castor oil.

If with the help of home remedies it is not possible to get rid of painful roughness of the skin on the legs, then it is better to go to a cosmetology clinic or salon, where, using special hardware procedures, they will help you remove dry calluses on your legs.

Folk methods

Treatment of manifestations of hyperkeratosis with the help of alternative medicine methods is the most popular. So, many recommend using an ordinary lemon to get rid of coarsened areas. To do this, it must be peeled and applied at night to the problem area, securing with a plaster. After such procedures, the corn should become soft, and you can remove it yourself.

Also, a recipe is considered no less popular, according to which you can get rid of corns using Kalanchoe or Aloe. To do this, you need to take one leaf of the plant, cut it in half and attach the pulp to the problem area. From above, it is desirable to apply polyethylene and secure such a compress with a bandage. After one procedure, the roughened area will become so soft that you can remove it with a pumice stone. Dry callus between the toes, which is usually located in such a way that it is inconvenient to reach, can be removed with this method.

Hardware treatment

Of course, the recommended folk methods look very attractive. But in practice, with their help, getting rid of corns is not as easy as we would like. At times, it is necessary to remove the keratinized layers gradually over a long period of time. And if you have a corn with a rod, then getting rid of it at home is almost impossible.

In cosmetology centers, as a rule, they offer two options: freezing or laser burning. Both methods give good results, provided that the foot is not damaged by the fungus. Otherwise, tactics change. If fungal skin lesions are detected, it is first necessary to remove the upper coarsened layer and make a compress from preparations based on clotrimazole.

If you have an ordinary dry callus on the little toe, then you can safely go to a beauty salon, where you will be offered to remove it with liquid nitrogen or a laser, depending on the capabilities of the center.

But in some cases, only surgery is necessary. It is better to determine the method of getting rid of calluses on the legs only in the office of a dermatologist or surgeon. Only after examining the problem area, the specialist chooses the most appropriate tactics of action.