When corns and calluses form, the real underlying problem is one of mechanics—the foot inside the shoe is not functioning properly. But poor-fitting shoes may precipitate the problem,” says Joseph C. D’Amico, D.P.M.

Here are some guidelines to getting a better fit:

• Have the salesclerk measure each foot twice before you buy any pair of shoes. Don’t ask for a certain size just because it’s the one you have always worn; the size of your feet changes as you grow older.
• Be sure to try on both the left and the right shoe. Stand during the fitting process, and check to see that there is adequate space ( three-eighths to one- half inch) for your longest toe at the end of each shoe. Remember, your longest toe may not be your big toe; in some people, the second toe extends the farthest. Likewise, your feet may not be the exact same size. If one foot is slightly larger than the other, buy the shoes for the larger foot and use padding, if necessary, for a better fit on the smaller foot.

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Salicylic acid is the only over-the- counter drug that is safe and effective for treating calluses and hard corns, according to the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA). For medicated disks, pads, or plasters, the
recommended concentration of salicylic acid is 12 percent to 40 percent. A concentration of 12 percent to 17.6 percent is recommended for liquid forms.

Many podiatrists, however, advise against the use of these products as home remedies, mainly because the active ingredient is an acid that can burn healthy skin as well as the dead skin of a callus or corn. If you do decide to try one of these products, follow the package directions carefully and be sure to apply the product only to the area of the corn or callus, avoiding the surrounding healthy tissue ( one way to do this is to spread petrolatum in a ring shape around the corn or callus). If your corn or callus does not improve within two weeks, stop using the product and see a podiatrist. If you are diabetic or have any medical condition that hinders circulation, do not try one of these products at all; see a podiatrist at the first sign of any foot problem.

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You may refer to your feet as tootsies or dogs, 1 but the fact remains that feet are highly sophisticated structures. The human foot is a miracle of engineering designed to stand up under a lot of wear and tear. It’s a good thing, too: Your feet are the most used and abused parts of your body. According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, the average American walks 115,000 miles in a lifetime—a distance that would take you all the way around the earth four times. Your feet support the weight of your body, plus clothing and whatever extras you might be carrying. And in an average day of walking, your feet are subjected to a force equal to several hundred tons.

Despite how well designed your feet are, however, things can go wrong. In fact, an estimated 87 percent of all American adults have some type of foot problem. Among the most common of these problems are corns and calluses.

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