There is a white hard lump on the sole of my foot

A white hard lump on the sole of the foot may be a callus or a corn. They both appear as a hard lump, but the specific manifestations and shapes are different. Calluses generally do not require treatment and can be handled with appropriate methods, but you should pay attention to regular care to prevent recurrence. If the hard bumps on the soles of your feet are corns, they need to be treated with medication or surgery. Friends who have hard bumps should first identify what type they are before dealing with or treating them.

Corns and calluses behave differently

1. Corns

Corns are generally the size of a bean or larger, with a smooth surface that is level with the skin or slightly raised, with clear boundaries and a light yellow or dark yellow color. There is an inverted cone-shaped keratin plug in the center that is embedded in the dermis. Because its tip presses on nerve endings, it causes pain when walking.

Corns are often found in the front middle part of the plantar, the outer side of the little toe or the inner edge of the big toe, and also on the dorsum of the toes. Corns occur between the 4th and 5th toes and are soaked in sweat, with a grayish-white, softened stratum corneum. It's called a soft corn.

2. Callus

Callus is a waxy yellow, flat or slightly raised localized hyperkeratotic plaque that is hard and slightly transparent, with unclear boundaries, thicker in the center and thinner at the edges. It often occurs on the palms and soles and often occurs symmetrically. Occupation-related cases may be seen in pressure areas. Generally no symptoms. In severe cases, there may be tenderness.

Differentiation between corns and calluses

1. Corns are inverted cone-shaped keratin hyperplasia, which causes obvious pain when walking.

2. Calluses are flat, flaky thickenings of the keratin that cover a wide area and are generally painless.

Treatment of corns

1. Correct deformity, wear suitable shoes and use soft insoles. 2. Topical medication treatment, such as corn ointment. 3. Surgical treatment. 4. Liquid nitrogen freezing and laser treatment.

Treatment for calluses

When you discover a callus on your foot, the first thing you care about is how to remove it. Generally speaking, it is easier to deal with thin calluses when they have just grown. You can soak your feet in warm water to allow the stratum corneum to absorb moisture and become soft and white, and then gently rub them off with a light and porous pumice stone. If the calluses are thick, you should seek help from a dermatologist or a regular pedicurist, who will use a sterilized scalpel or safety blade to remove the calluses layer by layer. After a period of time, the calluses will usually grow again, and the process needs to be repeated many times. But it must be noted that pedicure should not be done too frequently, otherwise it will stimulate skin keratinization and calluses will form faster. In addition, avoid tearing off the calluses yourself or using scissors or nail clippers to remove calluses, because this will not only make the skin uneven at the trimmed area, but the calluses will also tend to become thicker and harder.