Hard corns are firm, small, dome-shaped papules with translucent central cores that occur on the plantar region of toes and foot due to repeated trauma.
They result from repeated trauma and pressure. In particular, corns are very painful because they are sharp and deep. In general, medical management such as keratolytics is sufficient for the treatment of calluses, but not corns. There is a hard, translucent whitish-yellow core at the center of corns that must be removed mechanically to provide prompt relief.
Procedure
When medical management fails, surgical excision is performed.
Punch excision is a technique performed using a circular blade or trephine 2-6 mm in diameter and 1 cm in length, attached to a pencil-like handle.
Advantages
- This is a simple and safe office procedure.
- The incidence of recurrence is reduced as the whole corn with the central core is excised in toto.
- There is immediate pain relief, no requirement of rest and the patient can return to the workplace immediately.
- This is a minimally invasive procedure.