A small hard spot under the foot can make every step uncomfortable. Corns, calluses and plantar warts may look alike, but treating the wrong problem can irritate healthy skin without addressing the cause.
Pressure-related skin and viral growths
Corns and calluses are thickened skin associated with friction or pressure. A plantar wart is caused by a virus. Warts may have tiny dark dots and interrupt normal skin lines, but these clues are not a reliable home diagnosis. A clinician may need to examine the area closely.
Our separate guides explain corns, calluses and plantar warts.
Why treatment differs
Care for a corn often includes addressing the pressure that makes it return, as well as the thickened skin. Wart care considers pain, duration, location and the risks and benefits of treatment. Some warts clear without a procedure; others persist. Neither an online photo nor the word “wart” on a product package confirms that the product is right for your foot.
Before trying an acid or blade
Do not cut the lesion yourself. Ask for professional advice before using a corn or wart treatment if you have diabetes, poor circulation or reduced sensation. Arrange an assessment for a lesion that bleeds, changes appearance, grows quickly or has an uncertain diagnosis.
What to tell your chiropodist
- How long the spot has been present and whether it is changing.
- Which shoes or activities make it uncomfortable.
- Which treatments you have used and how your skin reacted.
- Whether there are similar spots elsewhere.
At Locke, an assessment in Hamilton or Stoney Creek can help establish the next step. You do not need to select a specific procedure before the lesion has been assessed.
Sources
NHS: Corns and calluses · NHS: Warts and verrucas
General information, not an individual diagnosis or treatment plan.