9 Effective Home Remedies To Treat Corns

Corns are hard bumps that develop on the skin, usually on the feet, in response to pressure and friction. Simple bathing and scraping may help soften corns and remove the excess layers of skin. In many cases, trying simple tips to prevent corns may be the best remedy.

Friction from shoes causes the skin in the area to harden over time. The skin hardens to protect the delicate tissues underneath. People who wear poorly fitting shoes may develop corns more frequently.

Corns are similar to calluses, but calluses generally do not cause pain or tenderness. Corns do not pose any risk, though they may be very uncomfortable and cause irritation.

Luckily, there are many simple, natural ways to treat corns. Medicated moisturizers may also help soften the skin to reduce the corn. If the corn is especially bothersome or painful, a person may wish to see a podiatrist for removal.

Castor Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar

Fill a basin with hot, soapy water, then add a cup of apple cider vinegar before soaking your feet in the water for at least 15 minutes. Calluses should be softened enough to be filed with a pumice stone. Here’s how to get rid of corns using the same method: Dab some castor oil on after soaking your feet. Corns should peel away after about ten days of the treatment.

Vitamin E or A

Before bed, use a needle to prick a vitamin E or A capsule, then rub the oil into your corn. After letting the oil sit for a few minutes, put on a white cotton sock and head to bed. Repeat nightly until the corn is gone.

Lemon

Before going to sleep, cut a slice of lemon peel about an inch long and the width of your toe. Place the pith over the corn, securing with a bandage and covering with a white cotton sock overnight. Continue each night until the corn disappears.

Onion

In a glass container, pour white vinegar over a slice of white onion. Leave the container in a warm place during the day, then cover the corn with the onion before you go to bed. Use a bandage or bandage tape to hold it in place while you sleep. If the corn is not soft enough to be removed in the morning, repeat the treatment nightly until it softens more.

Bread

Soak a half a slice of stale bread in apple cider vinegar and secure it to the affected part of your foot with adhesive tape. Wrap with plastic wrap and slip on a cotton sock. Your corn or callus should disappear by morning.

Castor oil

Here’s how to get rid of corns specifically on toes: Place a non-medicated, O-shaped corn pad around the corn. Use a cotton swab to dab a few drops of castor oil onto the corn, then cover with adhesive tape to keep it from moving. Wear old socks in case the castor oil leaks through.

Aspirin

Here’s how to get rid of corns with the medicine you use to relieve pain all over. Crush five or six uncoated aspirin tablets and mix with equal parts apple cider vinegar and water. Once you’ve added enough to form a paste, rub it onto a corn or callus, using a bandage to hold it in place. After at least ten minutes, the bump should be loose enough to gently rub off with a pumice stone.

Epsom salts

For calluses, toss a handful of Epsom salts into a basin of warm water, then soak feet for about ten minutes. Once the dead skin has softened, use a callus file or pumice stone to rub off the top layers. Continue to grind the callus down a bit each day after a bath or shower. It might take a few weeks, but trying to remove the whole thing at once will make the callus worse if you grind too deep.

Baking Soda

Here’s how to get rid of corns and calluses with baking soda: Mix together water, baking soda, and lime juice to form a paste. Apply the paste to the corn or callus and let it sit overnight. It will exfoliate the dead skin cells and keep the area infection free. Repeat every night for five to seven days until the corn or callus becomes dry and flakes away.