callus

callus, in dermatology, small area of thickened skin, the formation of which is caused by continued friction, pressure, or other physical or chemical irritation. Calluses form when mild but repeated injury causes the cells of the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin) to become increasingly active, giving rise to a localized increase in tissue. The resulting hardened, thickened pad of dead skin cells at the surface layer of the skin serves to protect underlying tissues. The thickening process is known as hyperkeratosis.

Although they can form over any bony prominence, calluses are most frequently seen on the hands and feet. The ball of the foot, the heel, and the underside of the big toe are commonly affected. Calluses are usually flat and painless. When a callus is conical in shape, penetrating into the deeper layer of the skin and causing pain when pressed, it is called a corn.

Causes

A wide variety of extrinsic and intrinsic factors may lead to the development of a callus. Extrinsic factors include poorly fitting footwear (such as shoes that are too tight or have a small toe box), walking barefoot, thin-soled shoes, high heels, thick socks or socks with seams by the toes, prolonged standing, and repetitive activity (i.e., athletics and manual labour). Athletes develop calluses from repetitive motion and recurrent pressure on the same spot. For instance, cyclists develop calluses on their palms from holding the handlebar grips, and rowers develop calluses on their hands as a result of friction with the oars. Runners develop foot calluses from repetitive pounding on hard road surfaces. Dancers and gymnasts develop calluses on their feet from certain weight-bearing positions. Wrestlers can have knee calluses from pressure exerted on the mat, and surfers can develop calcified knee calluses (“surf knots”) as a result of paddling while on their knees.

Intrinsic factors that may lead to the formation of calluses include poor foot mechanics or abnormal gait, obesity, and a variety of foot deformities (e.g., high-arched feet, claw toe, hammertoe, mallet toe, short first metatarsal, bunions, malalignment of the metatarsal bones, flat feet, loss of the fat pad on the underside of the foot, or malunion of fracture).

Presentation

A callus presents as a broad-based diffuse area of hard growth with relatively even thickness, usually at the ball of the foot. It lacks a distinct border. The affected skin is rough and discoloured, varying in colour from white to gray-yellow or brown. Calluses are more common in women than in men.

Calluses are often painless and can actually be advantageous to some athletes. Boxers and martial artists, for example, build up calluses on their hands to become more resistant to pain from impact. Dancers find that calluses can facilitate their performance of turns. Although calluses are typically benign, pressure or friction can precipitate pain. For foot calluses specifically, discomfort is amplified by thin-soled and high-heeled shoes. Relief comes with rest.

Diagnosis

Most calluses are harmless and do not require diagnosis or treatment, but some prompt affected individuals to seek medical attention. Calluses are diagnosed based on findings from a clinical exam. The location and characteristics of the lesion are noted, and the affected area is palpated to feel for a prominent bone underneath the skin surface. X-rays may be used to examine the underlying bone structure in order to determine whether it is the cause of a callus.

Are you a student?

Get a special academic rate on Britannica Premium.

Subscribe

Clinicians assess the area for any contributing factors, such as footwear, repetitive activities, medical history, and previous surgery. Foot mechanics may be evaluated by observing a patient’s gait. Identification of an underlying source of increased mechanical stress on the affected body part can influence the course of care and treatment for a callus.

Calluses that develop on the weight-bearing portion of the forefoot and that become extremely painful may be diagnosed as intractable plantar keratosis. In some patients, pain is focused at the central core of a single callus, whereas in others the pain is more diffuse across the weight-bearing portion of the forefoot. Other conditions that can resemble calluses include warts, tumours of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, and a reaction to a foreign object embedded in the skin (e.g., a wood sliver or a piece of glass). Genetic and metabolic disorders of the skin can also cause skin thickening, which can be mistaken for a callus.

Treatment

Calluses usually can be effectively treated by relieving symptoms, determining the underlying cause of mechanical stress, and constructing a conservative management plan, which may include counseling on proper footwear. In more severe cases or when no improvement is seen with conservative measures, surgery may be needed.

Preventive care for calluses includes careful selection of proper footwear. Shoes that provide effective arch support and have a shock-absorbing rubber sole reduce the risk of developing a callus. An insole that absorbs shear forces inside the shoe can also reduce the risk of developing a callus and the discomfort that occurs after callus formation.

Protective and palliative care includes moisturizing and padding callused skin. Regular moisturizer use helps keep callused skin moist and supple. Warm-water soaks are also effective for softening the skin. Epsom salts and essential oils are sometimes added to the water for additional benefits. Once the skin is softened, a pumice stone or foot file can be used to gently file away at the callus, lifting the dead skin and stimulating fresh growth underneath. Nonmedicated or moleskin pads that are applied around a callus or around areas that tend to callus can prevent friction and pressure.

Topical medications, orthotics, debridement, and surgical correction of a deformity or bony prominence are other treatment methods for calluses. Orthotics change foot mechanics by correcting functional problems or redistributing body weight. The goal of orthotics, similar to certain other therapies for calluses, is to reduce pressure and friction and allow the skin to rest. Debridement (shaving down) of the callus helps to even out the skin surface and reduce thickening and abnormal pressure distribution. A small amount of callus is left to provide the bony area with some padding. Keratinolytic medications, such as alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, or urea, cause the skin to swell, soften, crumble, and then flake away; they may be used topically on calluses to facilitate debridement. Examples of surgical correction include surgical realignment of the metatarsal bones and removal of bony prominences.