Corn (medicine)
Corn (medicine)
A corn (or heloma) is a distinctively shaped callus of dead skin that usually occurs on thin or glabrous (hairless and smooth) skin surfaces, especially on the dorsal surface of toes or fingers. They can sometimes occur on the thicker skin of the palms or bottom of the feet.
Pronunciation
- /kɔːrn/
Etymology
The term "corn" comes from the Old English corn, originally meaning "small hard particle, a grain, as of sand or salt". Its medical usage, denoting "hardened skin on a toe" is attested to since the early 15th century.
Symptoms and Causes
Corns form when the pressure point against the skin traces an elliptical or semi-elliptical path during the rubbing motion, the center of which is at the point of pressure, gradually creating a protective layer that is a corn. They are caused by repeated friction and pressure from skin rubbing against bony areas or against an irregularity in a shoe.
Treatment
Treatment of corns includes paring of the hard, dead skin, usually by a podiatrist, followed by the application of salicylic acid to the callus, to soften the dead skin and allow it to be rubbed away easily.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Corn (medicine)
- Wikipedia's article - Corn (medicine)
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