To learn more about Plantar Calluses click on the links below. To find out what the best products are for treating a plantar callus scroll down.
[author-details=Emma Wilson]
[expand title=”What is a Plantar Callus?” trigclass=”omatic find-me”]
A plantar callus is a hard, rough area of the skin that forms on the bottom of the foot between your heel and your toes. They occur as a result of too much pressure being placed on one area of the foot leading to an abnormal weight distribution. This can make activities such as walking difficult or painful. The skin forming on the callus can be yellowish or grayish in appearance and be hard, dry and flaky.
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[expand title=”What Causes a Plantar Callus?” trigclass=”omatic find-me”]
A plantar callus can be caused by a wide range of factors with the most common being ill-fitting shoes and prolonged walking or running. Anything that causes abnormal foot function over a sustained period of time. The skin then acts as a defense mechanism to prevent the skin from breaking down.
A complete list of factors causing a foot callus include:
• Excessive walking or running
• Not wearing shoes
• Poorly fitting shoes
• Socks with seams by the toes
• Athletic activities that result in frictional stress on the feet
• Bone deformities or prominence’s
• Flat feet
• Bunions
• Open heel shoes and footwear such as sandals or flip flops
• High-heeled shoes putting too much pressure on one area of the foot
• Oversupination or overpronation putting too much stress on the bottom of the foot.
• Previous fracture of the foot leading to an abnormal weight distribution
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[expand title=”How are Plantar Calluses Diagnosed?” trigclass=”omatic find-me”]
Diagnosis of a plantar callus is made by a health expert or podiatrist who will take a biopsy or in most cases just diagnose on sight. If necessary an x-ray will be taken to determine the cause of the corn or callus. Sometimes the underlying bony structure within the foot is responsible for the corn or callus.
The podiatrist may also examine the way you walk and whether your footwear is responsible for the problem. A lot of foot problems including plantar calluses are caused by unnatural positioning of the feet, due to shoes such as high heels, sandals or flipflops.
A biopsy is necessary if it is not clear whether it is a skin infection caused by a virus, such as a wart as this can have a similar appearance to a foot callus.
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[expand title=”What is the difference between Plantar Warts, Corns and a Plantar Callus?” trigclass=”omatic find-me”]
The main difference between plantar warts, plantar calluses and corns are in appearance and number.
Location
• Corns usually appear on top of the toes although sometimes also on the heel and the ball of the foot.
• Plantar calluses appear on the plantar region of the foot
• Plantar warts usually (but not always) occur on the heel or ball of the foot
Appearance
• Warts have a dry, crusty surface and contain small black dots, they often develop in clusters
• Corns are thick, hardened skin only and do not occur in clusters
• Plantar Calluses are thick, hardened flaky skin and do not occur in clusters
Infectious
• Warts are infectious and are often passed on when walking barefoot on moist surfaces
• Corns are not infectious
• Plantar Calluses are not infectious
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[expand title=”When to Seek Medical Advice for a Plantar Callus?” trigclass=”omatic find-me”]
In most cases you can remove a plantar callus yourself using commercially available products. However if they continue to be painful or reoccur you should consult your doctor.
If you also suffer with poor circulation, loss of sensation or diabetes you should not try to get rid of the plantar callus yourself but seek medical attention due to a higher risk of infection.
A dermatologist or podiatrist can trim the callus without the need for any anesthesia. If the plantar callus is caused by foot deformities or prominence, the podiatrist can prescribe orthotics or perform surgeries to alleviate the cause of the problem.
Rarely do calluses lead to medical complications and medical attention. However you should visit the hospital or doctor if the following symptoms are present:
• There is redness that spreads to other areas of the foot
• Drainage or puss from the sore indicating infection or ulceration
• Significant pain and swelling around the callus
• Finger and toes change colour
• In the process of cutting or shaving the callus you cause it to bleed resulting in a possible infection
• Decaying tissue which could result in gangrene
• High Fever
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[expand title=”How to Prevent a Plantar Callus?” trigclass=”omatic find-me”]
You can prevent most plantar calluses by simply wearing properly fitted shoes that are not too tight and do not produce too much pressure on the plantar region of the foot.
Shoes that are most likely to cause a plantar callus include high heels, sandals and flip flops. If your occupation requires that you wear high heeled shoes you can always walk to work in well fitted shoes and change them later.
Having both feet measured professionally and wearing properly fitted shoes will prevent most plantar calluses. You should not wear shoes that are too tight and should leave about half an inch between the front of the shoe and your longest toe.
Consider wearing shoes that contain a soft inner lining to reduce friction to the soul of the foot and try to avoid sharp movements that result in pressure being applied unevenly.
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[expand title=”How to choose an Electric Callus Remover” trigclass=”omatic find-me”]
Electric Callus Removers work better than pumice stones, scrubs or grater-like foot files as they’re less painful to apply and require less effort. The downside is that they’re more expensive.
Here’s some things to look out for before purchasing an electric callus remover, based on feedback, reviews and my own experience with clients. I provide my own recommendation at the end that fulfills all of these criteria.
Rechargeable – If you’re camping and doing a lot of walking it isn’t uncommon to develop a callus. Electric callus removers can run out of charge quickly. If you’re on holiday and don’t have access to a plug socket you should consider a rechargeable electric callus remover with a good battery life. Don’t run out of battery after developing a painful callus!
Quartz crystals – For best results you should use the electric callus remover over multiple days spending a few seconds on the same area. With rollers made of quartz micro crystals less time is needed on the affected area which means less pain! Plus they’re designed for long term use and durability.
Money back Guarantee – Some companies offer a no questions asked money back guarantee. This way you wont be wasting your money! Be sure to find out what there returns policy is.
Refill Rollers – Buying from a better known brand means its easier to find rollers that fit your product.
Water resistant – While it isn’t recommended to submerge the product fully under water it should be resistant to water splashing. You don’t want the device to fail soon after purchasing it.
Positive Reviews – Be sure to check out the reviews. Amazon is a great place to start as they provide reviews, ratings and feedback on the product
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Best Electric Callus Remover
Here’s a list of the top 3 callus removers we’ve tried and tested which fulfill the needs of those who have a plantar callus. The main criteria is to prevent infection that can result if a plantar callus is not removed correctly.
Electric callus removers need to be powerful enough to remove stubborn and hard to remove plantar calluses, but gentle enough not to cause pain or infection.
A plantar callus can often result when travelling on foot so it’s wise to consider whether a battery powered or electric powered callus remover is preferably depending on whether you have access to a power-source.
Electric Callus Remover and Shaver by Naturalico. Click “Read Review” to Expand.
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Electric Callus Remover and Shaver by NaturalicoOur Rating: 9.2 out of 10
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Recommended Plantar Callus RemoverWhat I really like the Electric Callus Remover by Naturalico as it has a two speed option whereby you can choose a higher or slower speed depending on the severity of the callus and the sensitivity of your skin. It spins at 360 Degrees and at speeds of 40 turns per second, making it faster than other electric callus removers and at a very affordable price. You can pay for a one off pedicure which will cost more in many cases than the one-off cost of this electric callus remover so it’s great value for money!
The battery is rechargeable so you’ll save money over the long run and it won’t cost the environment when it comes to disposing of toxic batteries. The battery can be charged over a 1,000 times during its lifetime before you’ll need to buy another 1200 Mah battery. The light indicators are useful for both when you’re charging the device or when you are using it. There is a red light indicator that will change color to green when the battery is fully charged. When you’re using the device you can see what you’re doing due to an LED light that illuminates the skin making it easier to see the callus and the rough patches of the skin. The device is also easy to clean, water resistant and provides a cleaning brush and 2 grinding roller heads. Although the device is water resistant I would not recommend dropping the device in water. You could pay for a manual file, razor or pumice stone which can leave your foot raw, sore and red. The Naturalico callus remover on the other hand will leave your feet smooth and provide a more gentle and effective way of removing dead skin and exfoliating calluses.
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Battery Powered
Pedicure Tools & Electric Callus Remover by Own Harmony. Click “Read Review” to Expand.
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Pedicure Tools & Electric Callus Remover by Own HarmonyOur Rating: 9.4 out of 10
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Recommended Plantar Callus RemoverIf you have a stubborn callus that’s difficult to remove I recommend the more powerful Pedicure Electric Callus remover by Own Harmony. It spins at 50 times per second making it more powerful than the Shaver by Naturalico and the roller is lined with Quartz cyrstals, making even the hardest calluses possible to remove.
The rechargeable battery means you don’t need to keep spending on batteries. After charge you get 45 minutes of use. This gives it an extra 5 minutes more time than the Shaver by Naturalico. You also get a charger, clearning brush and protective cover with the device, plus an extra roller. They provide a money back guarantee and can return the time within 90 days and receive your money back. It boasts at being 3 times more powerful than other rechargeable brands and should not be used in the same area for more than 3-4 seconds. If you have a large callus I recommend using over multiple days to gradually remove the plantar callus.
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PureNails 7-piece Professional Manicure & Pedicure System for Hands & Feet. Click “Read Review” to Expand.
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PureNails 7-piece Professional Manicure & Pedicure System for Salon-quality Grooming of Hands & Feet At Home.Our Rating: 9.3 out of 10
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Recommended Plantar Callus RemoverThis tool although more expensive does more than just remove plantar calluses. It can be used on other areas of your body such as to buff and smooth your nails on your feet and your hands. This is an electric powered callus remover and foot/hand groomer. An advantage of electric powered callus removers is that they offer more power and consistency. A disadvantage is that they can’t easily be used when travelling and when you don’t have access to a power source.
It is built to salon standards and includes 7 different attachments for everything you need for grooming your hands or feet. The 7 Interchangeable attachments include:
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