Corn Pads and Toe Separators Prevent Soft Corns

Soft corns are painful thick skin between the toes can be treated with felt or foam corn pads or foam toe separators. A soft corn is a common condition on the feet that can, if not treated, cause infection, ulcer or amputation.

What is a Soft Corn?
A typical soft corn is also called a Heloma Molle. It is the result of two bony prominences rubbing together. When the two bones, which are usually in the two adjacent toes rub against one another the skin is caught in between. Since the skin does not like having pressure on it, the skin grows faster to protect itself. This growth occurs only in the area of bony rubbing. The skin thickening is now called a soft corn. This usually occurs between two adjacent toes on the knuckle joints. The most common place for a soft corn is between the 4 th and 5 th toes. When a person wears an ill-fitting shoe the toes are pressed further together and can increase the likely hood of the corn from developing. If your feet are moist, the sweat is absorbed into the corn and it becomes macerated (wet) and has a white coloration.

How to Treat a Soft Corn?
There are several conservative ways to treat a soft corn. These are commonly a corn pad or a toe separator. The last option is surgery which is routinely performed by a podiatrist. The easiest way is to wear shoes that are not narrow in the toes. This goes especially for high heels. The next way is to prevent the bony knuckles from rubbing in the first place. This is where a corn pad or toe separator comes in. The typical corn pad is an adhesive foot pad made of either gel, felt or foam. There is an opening in the toe pad which the bony knuckle is placed. Then the pad offloads the bony knuckle to prevent corn build up. The other option is a foam toe spacer that cushions the boney knuckle.

Thank you,

Teri Green
Atlas Biomechanics