Professional Callus Removal by Trusted Podiatrists at Balance Foot and Ankle

How will a podiatrist diagnose a foot callus?

Your podiatrist will do a complete physical examination of your feet, and diagnosis is made clinically. They will exclude other causes of hard, thickened skin like warts and cysts by examination. Your podiatrist will also inspect your shoes and observe your walk to come to a complete diagnosis. Sometimes an X-Ray will be ordered to diagnose any physical deformities that can be the reason behind your callus.

How do Podiatrists treat calluses?

Treatment of a callus should aim at avoiding repetitive actions and pressure that caused it to develop.

A callus that is bigger than a dime that causes pain or is ulcerated must be removed by a podiatrist. Your podiatrist will pare down thickened skin or use a scalpel to trim the callus. This will not hurt you because there are no nerve cells in thickened dead skin layers that form a callus. Therefore, careful peeling away of the dead skin will feel like cutting your hair or nails because it is just cutting through dead protein. So, you need not worry about callus removal. However, it would be best not to try this yourself because it can injure your foot and lead to infection. A podiatrist will do an expert job, there will be no bleeding, and the risk of infection will be minimal. Adequate pain relief will be given if the procedure involves pain and discomfort.

There are several ways a podiatrist will attempt to remove your callus. This depends on your health condition, the size and severity of the callus, and whether it is infected or ulcerated.

How does a podiatrist remove calluses?

1. Trim away excess skin of the callus or total removal:

A podiatrist will use a sterile surgical blade to remove a callus. This blade is attached to a handle that can be held in hand. While moving the blade across the callused area, the excess skin is trimmed slowly and methodically. With each passing of the surgical blade, 1 layer of dead skin is removed. This will be done until all dead skin layers are removed, and live skin is exposed. The edges of the callus are then smoothed with a pumice stone so that your comfort is enhanced.

Some podiatrists may use electrical tools that look like an electric razor. This tool has multiple flexible and thin blades which glide across your thickened skin. This tool works best for calluses on the sides of your toes or at the back of your heels.

Callus removal can also be done with a scalpel. This is done when a callus has started to ulcerate or is cracked open. Here the podiatrist will remove the infection underneath your dead skin. A local anesthetic will be given to numb the callus area so that you will not feel pain during this procedure. This procedure may be required for diabetic patients who had not noticed that their callus was ulcerated. Callus removal with a scalpel is also necessary for removing a callus situated between your toes. Following the procedure, a cortisone injection might be given to reduce the pain and inflammation in that region.

Surgical callus removal – A callus with deep-seated infection or a large and deep callus requires surgery. Surgical callus removal is also attempted in patients with uncontrollable advanced diabetes or those with poor blood flow to their feet. Callus surgery is also done as an outpatient procedure. Regular follow-up and frequent checkups are advised with the podiatrist to ensure proper healing and prevent further calluses and infection.

An oral antibiotic will be prescribed for infected calluses and following callus removal surgery to prevent infection, especially in high-risk patients.

2. Callus removal medication:

Patches contain 40% salicylic acid; ex: MediPlast, Clear away.

Your podiatrist will apply a medicated patch on your callus. It would help if you replaced this patch from time to time while at home. They will advise you on how often to do this. Before applying the new patch, you will be taught to smooth away the dead skin by using a nail file, emery board, or a pumice stone. Soak your feet in warm soapy water as it softens your callus. Then you can remove thickened skin easily.

If your callus is large, a prescription will be given for Salicylic acid gel to apply on the area frequently.

3. Corrective callus removal surgery:

Surgery will be offered if there is a foot deformity. This will correct the bone alignment that causes friction so that further calluses will be prevented. However, offering surgical correction to foot deformities just for calluses is rare.

4. Prescription of orthotics (Custom made padded shoe inserts):

If there is an underlying foot deformity, using foot orthotics will prevent the recurrence of calluses.

After complete treatment of your callus and foot care, your podiatrist will advise you on how to prevent calluses from occurring on choosing well-fitting shoes and how to use protective coverings such as felt pads and bandages to prevent rubbing your sole against the shoe. Always wear comfortable socks and shoes which are well-fitting and cushioned to give you support until your callus disappears.

If you have diabetes or a condition with poor blood circulation to your feet, do not attempt callus treatment on your own because it can be harmful. If it is not done correctly, the infection can lead to the death of tissue. Always seek treatment early from a podiatrist.

Although there are over-the-counter medicated pads to treat calluses, these can irritate your healthy skin and cause infection, especially if they are not applied to the exact place of the callus.

Never use sharp objects to trim your skin. Patients with diabetes must avoid pumice stones as even a small injury can lead to complications.