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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffPressure and friction from repetitive actions cause corns and calluses to develop and grow. Some causes include:
- Ill-fitting shoes. When shoes are too tight or have very high heels, they compress areas of your foot. When they're too loose, your foot may repeatedly slide and rub against the shoe. Your foot may also rub against a poorly placed seam or stitch inside the shoe.
- Skipping socks. Wearing shoes and sandals without socks can lead to friction on your feet. Socks that don't fit properly also can be a problem.
- Using hand tools. Calluses on your hands may result from the repeated pressure of using tools on the job, around the house or in the garden.
References
- DeLauro TM, et al. Corns and calluses. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Professional; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2960401. Accessed Feb. 22, 2009.
- Goldstein BG, et al. Benign neoplasms of the skin. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
- Corns. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00153. Accessed Feb. 22, 2009.
- Calluses and corns. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec10/ch113/ch113b.html. Accessed Feb. 22, 2009.
- Weller GG (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 24, 2009.
