Why You Shouldn’t Cut Your Own Corns and Calluses

That thick patch of hardened skin on your foot can be incredibly annoying. It’s tempting to grab a razor blade, a pair of scissors, or even a sharp knife from the kitchen drawer, thinking that a quick trim will bring instant relief. After all, it’s just dead skin, right? But as podiatrists at New Jersey Podiatric Physicians & Surgeons Group, we can tell you this seemingly harmless solution is best done by the hands of professionals. In this article, we’ll highlight why.

The Dangers of Cutting Corns and Calluses

Cutting your own corns and calluses comes with a surprisingly high risk of complications. For starters, you’re dealing with a part of your body that’s difficult to see clearly and reach comfortably. Even with good eyesight and steady hands, it’s incredibly easy to misjudge the depth of the thickened skin.

This can lead to pain and bleeding from accidentally cutting into healthy tissue. And once you break the skin, you’ve opened a gateway for infection.

Also, home tools are rarely sterilized to medical standards, meaning you can easily introduce bacteria directly into an open wound. This can lead to painful infections like cellulitis, which is a serious bacterial skin infection that can spread rapidly.

Getting to the Root of Corns and Calluses

We also must realize that cutting a corn or callus only addresses the symptom, not the root cause. Corns and calluses form as your body’s protective response to excessive friction or pressure, so simply removing the hardened skin won’t stop it from coming back if the underlying issue – whether it be ill-fitting shoes, a deformity like a bunion, or an abnormal gait – isn’t corrected.

Risk Factors for Cutting Corns and Calluses

For some people, the dangers of self-treating corns and calluses are amplified. If you have diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, or poor circulation, cutting your own feet is extremely risky.

You might not feel if you’ve cut too deep, and even a minor cut can quickly escalate into a severe infection that heals slowly and potentially leads to ulcers, bone infections, or even amputation. These are very real consequences that can be triggered by a seemingly small act of self-care.

Safe Care for Corns and Calluses

Instead of risking serious complications, a podiatrist uses specialized, sterile instruments to safely reduce corns and calluses- often without any pain. More importantly, they can diagnose the underlying cause of their formation.

This might involve recommending proper footwear, prescribing custom orthotics to redistribute pressure, or addressing foot deformities. But by tackling the root problem, they can prevent corns and calluses from recurring and keep your feet healthy without the dangers of a DIY mishap.

If you’re worried about your foot pain, come see the expert team at New Jersey Podiatric Physicians & Surgeons Group. With more than 30 locations, from Newark, NJ, to Cape May, NJ, we value convenience and excellent service for our patients. To schedule an appointment, first find a podiatrist in your area.