Infected Corn on Foot: Signs and Symptoms of an Infection and How to Treat It

Updated on: February 11, 2023

Corns are hardened areas of skin that can form anywhere on the body, but they usually develop on your feet, especially around the bony parts. While they are easily treated with a little bit of care and attention, if it’s not done on time, there is a possibility of developing an infected corn on the foot. Here’s everything you need to know about the symptoms and treatments of a foot corn infection.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of an Infected Corn on the Foot?

An untreated foot corn can gradually grow larger in size and potentially get infected. The most common signs that there is an infection include pain, redness, swelling, or pus coming from the foot corn. This can be very painful and might make walking or standing difficult. So, if you are seeing signs or experiencing symptoms of an infected corn on your foot, it’s best to get it medically treated or even get a corn removal surgery.

What Are the Main Causes of Infection?

The main reason why foot corn develops in the first place is the friction caused by ill-fitted, uncomfortable footwear or a deformed foot structure that makes the pressure on your foot disperse unevenly.

When it comes to an infection developing, here are some of the most common causes:

The condition is left untreated for a long period of time – if you leave your foot corn problem untreated, you are increasing the risk of it getting an infection,
A person tries to get rid of the problem on their own – if you’re not very careful while trying to remove the dead tissue, you can potentially damage the healthy part of your foot, which can lead to bleeding or infection,
A person with an underlying health or skin condition tries to treat it on their own – if you have delicate skin or an underlying condition such as diabetes or poor circulation, the chances of something going wrong while treating it yourself increase dramatically,
Frequent friction between soft foot corns – this type of foot corn develops between the toes, and with additional friction and moisture, it can get infected.

Is There a Way to Prevent Infection?

As you can probably gather by now, the best way to prevent an infection from developing on your foot corn is to simply treat it on time and the right way with a proper medical procedure. There are also precautions you can take to avoid foot corn developing in the first place. Here are some of the most important things you can do:

Wear comfortable shoes that are just the right size,
Avoid wearing shoes without socks and go for thick, moisture-wicking socks,
Use soft insoles or pads in your shoes, especially if you have an existing foot deformation,
Avoid wearing narrow-pointed shoes, high heels, or going completely barefoot.

How Can You Treat an Infected Corn on Your Foot?

The thick, hardened skin of a foot corn can be easily treated by removing the excess tissue with a pumice stone, emery board, or medicated patches. Soaking your feet in warm water and regularly using a pumice stone and moisturizing will usually do the trick. However, if the problem just doesn’t go away, or even worse – if you start experiencing symptoms of an infection, it’s time to seek medical attention and potentially undergo a corn removal surgery.

When Should You Seek Medical Help?

So, consulting with a specialist is absolutely necessary if you’re seeing signs that an infection is starting to develop. If there’s redness around the foot corn, pus oozing out of it, or it’s becoming larger and more painful, it’s time to seek medical attention. This should be done especially if you have any underlying conditions such as hammertoe deformity, arthritis, bone spurs, or bunions on your big toe because this can easily make the matter worse fairly quickly.

Consult With Your Surgeon in Miami About the Infected Corn on the Foot

Whatever worries you may have about the foot corn infection, the specialists at Luxe Foot Surgery clinic in Miami can help you with the problem and ease your mind. So, contact us and schedule a free consultation – all of the necessary information is available on our website.

FAQ

What Happens if Your Corn Gets Infected?

If the foot corn becomes infected, it can spread further and cause infection in other joints. You might experience intense pain, swelling, and redness in the infected joint and have difficulty removing it.