Do I have a corn or a wart?
Many people come into the clinic complaining of painful spots of hard skin on their feet but are unsure whether they are corns or warts.
How to tell the difference?
Corns and warts may appear similar to the untrained eye however there are some subtle differences to look for. Corns tend to have a hard build up of callous over the top and can be hard like a little stone in the foot. Warts tend to be slightly flatter in appearance and their form will often have disruptions in the skin striations (that is the tiny little lines that make up your hand/foot prints). Warts will sometimes have tiny little black dots or can have a “cauliflower” appearance.
An easy diagnostic tool used to differentiate the two, is what we call the ‘squeeze test’. Warts are commonly painful if squeezed from the side whereas corns tend to be painful if pressed with direct pressure.
What causes them?
Corns occur as a direct response to pressure. This is usually from ill-fitting or non supportive shoes with contributing factors of foot shape, structure and function. Corns are rarely found in children
Warts are caused by a strain of the Human Papilloma Virus that enters your body through a tiny break in the skin and makes itself at home. The most common places to contract the wart virus is on the non-slip rough, abrasive surfaces at swimming pools, communal change rooms and gyms. That’s why we always say to take your thongs when you are using public changing facilities and bathrooms. Warts can be picked up by any person at any age, but are most commonly found in children.
How are they treated?
Corns are treated by experienced podiatrists, painlessly, using a scalpel blade by scraping away all the hard skin and removing the painful core. If the pressure from footwear is not addressed the corns will continue to return. Your podiatrist will discuss footwear solutions with you at the time of treatment. In some cases the use of orthotics, silicone wedges or other offloading devices may be prescribe to aid in the prevention of corns.
Warts can be treated in a number of different ways depending on their size and presentation. Each wart also reacts in a different way so sometimes a combination of treatments may be used by your podiatrist in order to get rid of the wart. Some of the treatment options that we use at Highett Podiatry for warts include:
Freezing with liquid nitrogen
Salicylic Acid
Cantherone
Vitamin A
Silver Nitrate
Duct tape therapy
Treatment lengths and review appointments will differ depending on the individual case but on average they might be reviewed each month until they have resolved. This can be anywhere between 1 month and 12 months depending on the severity of the case.
Other treatments not offered at Highett Podiatry are laser, “Swift” microwave and surgical curretage. If, on the rare occasion, the treatments on offer here at Highett Podiatry are unsuccessful, we will refer you to a reputable clinic to access one of these treatments.
