Painful calluses

There are different kinds of calluses that can form on the bottom of your foot. there is the typical kind that you can have on the bottom of your feet that are the same kind as the ones you get on your hands after using a shovel in the garden. they are due to shear forces. There are another type of calluses that can form on the bottom of your feet that are due to shear forces and pressure. These calluses actually have a central white core to them and are a result of a bony prominence beneath them that is communicating with t he surface of the skin. They are very painful, and people describe them like they are walking on a pebble.

These calluses with a core are often confused for being a wart and are regularly misdiagnosed. The hazard of misdiagnosing them is that they are treated differently. Warts are often frozen off or burned off, but a callus with a core to it is debrided off just like a callus. To permanently get rid of this type of callus, you will have to shave off the bony prominence. Conservatively though, you can pad the area to reduce the pressure on the bottom of the foot. These pads are temporary though, and they won't last. Unfortunately, these are a temporary fix, and you will still form a certain amount of callus even with the pad.

If you notice your calluses are painful  you should seek care from your podiatrist. There could be a core to your callus that is causing you so much pain, so it’s always important to get it checked out. If you live in the Chatham or Tewksbury, Massachusetts area, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you and help treat your feet. We are also happy to announce our Methuen and North Andover offices located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845 and 87 Jackson St, Methuen, MA 01835.