Introduction
Calluses is a thick hard skin which develops due to the recurrence of local insults, such as continuous compression or friction, usually at the level of the feet or hands. If you try to avoid treating callus, they can become harder and harder, causing severe pain, and in severe cases cracking and inflammation can also occur.
Moreover, to prevent yourself from infection, you need to take care of your calluses properly. Before that Let’s understand What are Calluses and How you can take care of your feet and gym hand calluses.
What are Calluses?
Feet and hand calluses appear on thick and dry skin areas that are stiff in texture, rounded in shape, and yellowish in colour.
Calluses typically develop in areas subject to repeated squeezing or rubbing. It is found on the top of the toes and the sole of the foot.
However, it is a localized thickening that appears as a hard, protruding area of skin that is smaller than calluses. And, In case of intense pressure, a callus can become irritated, causing a burning type of discomfort.
Calluses are subjected to the perpetuation of local insults, such as pressure, rubbing, or friction (such as the sole of the foot or the palm of the hands and often arise in correspondence with a bony prominence (e.g. heel, metatarsal heads, etc. For example, calluses on feet can arise as a reaction to excessive constriction of footwear, a defect in posture, or an incorrect way of walking, running, etc.
Calluses can also be located elsewhere, especially in the case of activities that involve repeated trauma in a particular district (eg jawbone and clavicle of a violinist).
People usually question why calluses appear. Calluses are the proud symbol of hard work for the athletes, appear due to
- Excessive pressures;
- Continuous and repeated rubbing;
- Repeated friction.
How do they appear?
A callus appears as a small lump of thickened, rough skin. On pressure, severe pain may be evoked.
Usually, calluses are yellowish in colour. Their surface appears furrowed with flaky, dry, or waxy-looking skin; the consistency is rigid and comparable to that of plastic.
Unlike corns, calluses tend to cover a larger area of the skin and do not penetrate deeply; moreover, the latter tends to cause a widespread burning sensation, rather than sharp pain.
Natural Remedies and Useful Behaviors
To avoid thickening in the areas of greatest friction of the foot and prevent the formation of calluses, it is possible to resort to natural remedies and behaviors, such as:
- Avoid wearing the shoes that caused the disturbance or, in any case, tight footwear;
- Use creams or moisturizers such as callus performance healing salve to soften your skin as well as to heal the callus wound.
- Make foot baths with white wine vinegar (or, alternatively, apple ) and bicarbonate or hot water, and coarse salt. In the case of chapped skin, some essential oil such as almond or tea tree oil can be added to the preparation;
- You can also apply a slice of lemon to the area for a few minutes.
In addition, to avoid further irritation and healing you can use products that help in healing fastly such as callus performance healing salve.
ADVICE
In general, it is important to take care of foot hygiene on a daily basis. The main measures to be taken are to avoid tight shoes, use the right technique while doing workouts or weight lifting and shave your calluses with a callus performance remover tool. After that don’t forget to apply healing salve.