Corn is nothing but the hardening of the skin when it tries to protect the body from the pressure and friction that is exerted onto body part from outside. Medically the term that is used to describe the thickened skin which forms the corn is hyperkeratosis.
Keratin is a hard protein that is present in nails, hairs, and skin and when there is external pressure being put on the skin the body starts producing more keratin to protect the surface, this causes inflammation of the skin.
Corn mainly develops in our feet and legs or on our hands and fingers. Corn is also known as helomas and clavi. The extensive thickening of the skin may result in pain, or worst- it can be responsible for the formation of ulcers on the affected part.
One of the most significant disadvantages of corn, especially if it is on foot is that it affects the mobility of the person.
Why Home Remedies and How Effective Is a Home Remedy?
The home remedy can be used as an alternative to medication. Home remedies always have an advantage over medicines as it is cheap, quickly done and the most important thing that home remedy does not have any danger of side effect which is a big problem in medical treatment.
Home remedies are generally beneficial in the case of corn. According to different studies, 90 percent of cases of general corn be treated by home remedies. It is advised to first use home remedies for corn, and if it does not work, then you should visit a doctor.
Various Home Remedies for Corn
Corn is curable. There are few types of treatment we can be used to cure corn with most extreme be surgery, which has to be if the corn is too severe. Following are some method that can be used to cure corn
1. Using Epsom Salt
Magnesium sulfate or commonly known as Epsom salt is beneficial in the treatment of corn. Epsom salt when it comes into contact with water separates into magnesium ion and sulfate ion. Magnesium ion passes through the skin quickly, and it causes the skin to shed the layers of dead skin cells, thus treating the corn. This is a treatment that can be done in the home quickly.
The most significant advantage of this cure is that it is entirely homemade. You don’t need to go to any hospital or to see any doctor for this treatment. So it’s cheap and without any painful experience. Also, this treatment is medicine free. Therefore, there is no chance of any side effect.
Using Epsom salt for the treatment of corn is extremely easy. You have just to put some Epsom salt in the warm water and then put your corn-affected part of the body in that water for about 15-20 minutes. On contact with water Epsom salt will separate into magnesium and sulfate ion and magnesium will pass through the skin and will remove the dead cells of the skin from corn affected area.
For treating the corn half cup of Epsom salt should be put in a foot basin Do this for around 15 days regularly and you will see the corn disappearing.
Precaution
Do not use a large amount of Epsom salt as more Epsom salt can result in more exfoliation of the skin, which can cause wounds.
2. Pumice Stone
Pumice stone(1) is readily available in the market. It is also one of the fastest ways to cure corn by home remedies as you can see the result in about seven days.
Put your feet in the warm water for 15 to 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, put your feet out of the water and then dry it with a towel and then put hydrating lotion or some cocoa butter. Do this process regularly until your feet have not become soft. After your feet have become soft enough, you should start rubbing your corn with a pumice stone. Pumice stone is used for rubbing hard skin.
You have to rub your corn for 1 to 2 weeks, and you will see that your corn has disappeared.
Precautions that should be taken while doing this treatment: –
1. Do not rub your feet very hard with pumice stone
You should not rub your feet by the pumice stone very hard so that your feet do not swell, or it does not start bleeding. Also, you should be careful because putting more pressure on the feet will worsen the situation rather than making it better.
2. Do not rub your feet with the pumice stone until the feet have been soft
Applying hydrating lotion or cocoa butter soften ups the skin which is very important before rubbing the skin by pumice stone as the corn can get worst if the stone has rubbed it as it will put pressure on the corn and the skin will get hard.
3. Papaya
It is one of those fruits which has an excellent medicinal property and can be used in the treatment of corn. It is the most natural way of curing corn as can be said as one of the easiest ways of healing the corn. Papaya contains an enzyme known as papain, which is very useful and beneficial for removing corn tissues and peeling of the skin, thus getting rid of corn.
It is readily available in the market, and it is cheap also, therefore, it becomes easy to exercise the treatment. Papaya treatment is a natural treatment of corn; consequently, it does not have chances of side effect of any kind. Papaya massage removes the dead skin cells causing the corn
Papaya for treatment of corn
- Peel and cut fresh papaya and remove its seed.
- Now mash the papaya into a pulp and then add few drops of olive oil in the pulp and prepare a smooth paste.
- Now you put the past all over the feet and corn with gentle massaging. Make sure you massage the area with soft hands that it does not apply much pressure on the corn affected area and let the papaya remain on the feet until the feet have softened.
- Wash the feet or hand with gentle warm water.
Do this treatment two times a day, and you will see that the corn is slowly getting disappeared.
Precaution
Use a fresh and ripen papaya as ripen papaya contains more amount of papain than papaya, which is not maturing and more papain means your corn will get treated more quickly.
4. Green Tea
Green tea is one of the best home remedies for corn on feet and toes. It extracts are a highly beneficial herb that can treat your herbs quickly without any difficulty. Green tea contains antioxidants that can cure and heal your repair skin and treat corn. Green tea is readily available in the market and is cheap too.
Therefore, it is an easy and very affordable way to cure corns. Green tea contains antioxidants, which helps your body to repair and heal the dead skin, which ultimately leads to a cure for corn. It also makes your skin glow and fresh.
- First, prepare a cup of fresh green tea and then add a few drops of olive oil to the tea when it cools down.
- Rub the resultant mixture to the areas affected by corn. Make sure that you use soft hands while rubbing the area with the mix as you don’t want to put much pressure on areas affected by the corn.
- After 30-40 minutes wash the affected area with water. Water can be warm or cold, depending on your choice.
Do this treatment regularly for two to three weeks to watch the result as your corn will start getting disappearing.
You should be very careful in purchasing the green tea for the treatment. If you use the expired green tea, then it can give an adverse effect on the skin, which can be very dangerous.
5. Coconut Oil and Tea Tree Oil Mix
It can be used very effectively in curing the corn. These oils have antimicrobial nature, which improves the hardened skin if used regularly. Both coconut oil and tea tree oil(2) contains oil soothing and antimicrobial contents which benefit in skin hardening and thus benefit in corns.
Tea tree oil is a dermatological panacea that can cure any skin disease effectively and very efficiently. It also makes the skin softer, therefore, reducing the chances of corn in the future
- Add two spoons of tea tree oil with two spoons of coconut oil and mix them well.
- Apply the resultant mixture on the affected area and make sure you massage the affected area with soft hands.
- After massaging the skin for 20-25 minutes leave the affected area for 2 to 3 hours and let the mixture seep through the hard surface.
Do this twice a day for two to three weeks for getting the results.
Precaution:
Use the tea tree oil in the diluted form and check that your skin is not allergic to the tea tree oil so that it does not affect your skin adversely.
Corn is not an incurable disease. However, it is always advisable to use preventative measures by using good quality and soft shoes, which prevents your feet from an excess amount of pressure. You also take care of your feet by hydrating and nourishing them regularly.
Walking also puts pressure on the feet; therefore, walking for more than 30-40 minutes at one go can put a severe amount of pressure on the feet than can result in the hardening of the skin. Therefore one should take rest after 30-40 minutes of walking to release the pressure applied on the feet. You should keep your skin soft by keeping it hydrated and nourished by various products or home remedies for corn and calluses so that the skin does not harden enough to become corn.
FAQs
1. When I Should Visit a Doctor?
Ans- Corn is not something which cannot be treated in home by home remedies. We have mentioned some of the above. Therefore it is advisable first to try to cure your corn in your home because it is always better to treat any skin issues in natural ways. However, if your corn does not disappear by home remedies, then it is advisable that you should visit the doctor as soon as possible.
2 How Much Time Will the Treatment Take for Curing Corn?
Ans- There is no set time in which corn disappears, however, if you follow the home remedies regularly and adequately, then on average it takes two to three weeks for the corn to be gone. It can even take a more extended period as it depends on the hardness of your skin.
3. Will Surgery Be Required in the Treatment of Corn?
Ans- Yes surgery can also be an option if your corn is not being able to be fixed by home remedies or by medicine. However, there is very little chance of surgery being required in case of corn as most to them get a fix by home remedy or by medication.
When corn is removed by surgery is very important to remove the cause to pressure on the affected area; otherwise, the corn will be able to come back. Therefore surgery includes correcting any bone or anything which causing friction and putting pressure on the affected areas.
4. Will Corn Spread by Touching a Person Having Corn?
Ans- NO corn is not a disease that can spread by touching the infected person; therefore, you can freely move and be with people who have corn. The only way of corn occurs when a pressure is exerted on our feet and hand, and our body starts protecting itself from that pressure by hardening the skin.
