13 Effective & Simple Home Remedies for Corns & Calluses

A corn is a small area of the skin that thickens when the skin experiences regular and excessive pressure. It is usually round and very painful. It is soft to touch when exposed to moisture. Calluses are larger than corns and are usually formed in the soles since this part is under the pressure of the body weight when you walk.

What Causes Corns & Calluses?

• Walking and running in ill-fitting shoes is one of the most common causes of corns on the feet.
• Standing for a really long time wearing high heels or tight shoes can cause corns.
• Walking without shoes, or wearing shoes without socks, or manual labour that puts pressure on the feet are other possible causes.
• People with hammertoes or bunions, scars, or warts on the feet or damaged sweat glands are more likely to get corns.
• People with diabetes and other conditions that result in poor blood flow are also at a higher risk of getting corns.

Natural Remedies for Corns & Calluses at Home

Check out these natural home remedies to get rid of the conditions.

1. Castor Oil

Castor oil softens the corns, and eventually, they disappear. You will see the results of using castor oil within a week.

What You Will Need

• Castor oil

What to Do

• Apply the oil on the corn.
• Do this thrice a day.
• Repeat the process every day until the corn completely disappears. However, do not apply the oil if the skin is broken.

2. Pumice Stone

Corn skin is dead skin. Therefore, it is best to try and remove the corn by rubbing the affected areas on the hand or foot with a pumice stone.

What You Will Need

• Pumice stone
• Warm water

What to Do

• Soak the hand or feet that have calluses or corn in warm water for about 5-7 minutes.
• Gently rub the areas with the pumice stone for about 2-3 minutes.
• Do this every day so that the affected areas heal faster.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar softens the corns and calluses as it exfoliates the dead skin cells. It is also anti-bacterial in nature; therefore, using it on your feet will kill any bacteria that are lurking around the affected areas on the feet. This is one of the best natural remedies for corns.

What You Will Need

• Warm water
• Apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp)
• Tea tree oil (1-2 drops)
• Cotton ball

What to Do

• Soak your feet in a warm water bath for a few minutes.
• Apply apple cider vinegar on the corn using some cotton balls.
• For about 5 minutes, keep the cotton balls firmly pressed against the affected area.
• Keep it pressed until the vinegar dries.
• Then, apply tea tree oil on the corn. Do not wash your feet.
• Do this every day until the corn comes off in 2-3 days.

4. Garlic

Garlic is a home remedy for many conditions including corn removal at home. This is best used at nights.

What You Will Need

• A garlic clove
• Crepe bandage

What to Do

• Cut the garlic clove in half.
• For 1 minute, rub one half of the clove on the corn.
• Place the other half on the corn and cover it using the crepe bandage. The next morning, wash the area.
• Do this every night for a very few days.

5. Bread

The vinegar present in the bread softens the corns and calluses. This is one of the most effective home remedies for calluses.

What You Will Need

• White vinegar
• Gauze
• A piece of bread

What to Do

• Soak the bread in some vinegar.
• Place it on the affected area.
• Secure the area with the gauze. You could also try covering it with a plastic wrap.
• Leave it overnight.
• You will notice a difference the next morning.
• Repeat the process for 1-2 nights to remove the corn completely.

6. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is an amazing skin moisturiser. It will be easy to remove the corn with a pumice stone once the skin turns soft and supple.

What You Will Need

• Coconut oil

What to Do

• Apply the oil on the affected area.
• Make sure you massage it properly on the skin.
• Re-apply this thrice a day.

7. Papaya

Papaya is really popular for its healing properties. It can also slough the skin off – this is due to the enzyme papain that is present in papaya. This is a nice corn treatment at home.

What You Will Need

• Papaya

What to Do

• Apply a small piece of papaya on the corn.
• Leave the papaya overnight.
• If applying the piece of papaya is difficult, then dab fresh papaya juice on the corn.
• Repeat the process every night until the corn falls off.

8. Turmeric

This is a very nice remedy to heal corns. The turmeric has healing and anti-microbial properties that will heal the corn in just a few days. This is a very effective natural remedy for corns.

What You Will Need

• Turmeric powder (1 tbsp)
• Honey (1-1 ½ tbsp)

What to Do

• Make a thick paste of honey and turmeric paste.
• Apply the paste on the corn.
• Let the paste air dry.
• Rinse the paste off.
• Apply this twice a day. You will notice the corn reducing in size in about 2-3 days.

9. Lemon

Lemon’s acidic quality makes it an amazing home remedy to get rid of corns. It helps to alleviate discomfort, and you will notice it reducing in a few days.

What You Will Need

• Lemon slices
• Bandage

What to Do

• Apply some lemon on the corn.
• Secure this slice with a bandage.
• Leave the bandage on overnight.
• Continue using this remedy until you see no trace of the corn.

10. Pineapple

This fruit is a great way to treat corns at home. It will help to alleviate the pain and hasten healing. The pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain which helps dissolve the callus or corn.

What You Will Need

• Pineapple
• Bandage

What to Do

• Take a piece of pineapple and place it on the corn.
• Secure it with a bandage and leave it on overnight.
• Doing this every night will help in reducing the corn, and it will disappear in a week or so.

11. Onion

Onion has many antioxidants that will enhance the healing process of the corns and calluses. It is also good at reducing scars on the skin. Onions will make sure that there are no marks left behind.

What You Will Need

• Gauze
• Onion slice

What to Do

• Place the onion slice on the affected area.
• Secure it with the help of the gauze.
• Leave it on overnight and discard it the next morning.
• When you do this every day, you will notice changes within a week.

12. Oatmeal Soak

Oatmeal is good at soothing the skin because of the excellent exfoliating agent that is present in them.

What You Will Need

• Oatmeal (1/2 cup)
• Water

What to Do

• Boil the oatmeal in plain water for about 5 minutes.
• Strain the water and apply the oatmeal on the corn.
• Leave it on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing the oatmeal off.
• Repeat the process twice a day. However, make sure that the oatmeal is not very hot or you might end up scalding the skin.

13. Salicylic Acid

The salicylic acid is good at breaking the bond between the skin cells that accumulate on the site of the corn and callus. By increasing the amount of moisture in the area, it slowly starts to dissolve the corn.

What You Will Need

• Pumice stone
• Salicylic acid gel/liquid
• Warm water

What to Do

• Soak the corn in warm water for 5 minutes.
• Pat the area dry and rub a pumice stone to remove the dead layers of skin.
• Apply a thin layer of the salicylic acid liquid and leave it on for 5 minutes.
• Rinse it off with clean water.
• Repeat this once or twice a day for about two weeks.

How to Prevent Corn and Calluses?

• Get Proper Fitting Shoes: get shoes that are neither too tight nor too loose.
• Trim Your Toenails: long toenails can force your toes to push up. This might cause corns since the pressure is created.
• Use Corn Pads: corn pads will help you protect yourself against excess friction and pressure around the corn.
• Keep Your Feet Clean: wash your feet properly with soap, water, and a scrub brush.
• Keep the Feet Moisturised: to prevent dryness and friction, use foot cream regularly.
• Wear Socks: try wearing socks that are thick with cushioned soles. This will prevent the calluses from getting worse.

FAQs

1. What are the Symptoms of Corns?

The symptoms of corn are:

• Thick and rough skin
• Dry and waxy skin
• Hard raised bumps
• Pain
• Discomfort while walking or standing

2. What is the Difference Between a Corn and a Callus?

Calluses are larger when compared to corns and are present on the areas on the feet that bear the body’s weight. Corns have a hardened centre which is usually seen in calluses.

3. How Long Does it Take to Get Rid of a Corn?

Corns and calluses usually go away in 1-4 weeks after you stop wearing the shoes that are causing the problem and stop the activity that caused the callus.

4. When Should I See a Doctor?

If you are experiencing a lot of discomfort and pain because of the callus and corn, it is recommended to visit a doctor so that they can surgically remove it.

You can try these home remedies for foot corn and calluses if you or your loved one is suffering from these problems. These can be managed at home, and removal usually does not require surgery. However, it is best to consult a doctor first if you have diabetes or if your corns are very painful.

Also Read:

Simple Home Remedies for Cracked Heels
How to Get Relief from Heel Pain Naturally
Home Remedies for Shoe Bites