Know how to prevent corns and calluses!

Many of us suffer from these, hard small patches of built-up skin. Corns and calluses are thick, toughened layers of skin that develop when the skin tries to protect itself against friction or pressure. These often develop on the feet, toes, hands, and fingers and can be unpleasant.

Here's what you can do to prevent corns and calluses:

• To prevent corns and calluses on the feet, you should have your feet properly measured and buy well-fitted shoes.
• Condition your hands and feet with a rich moisturizing lotion. Saturate hands and feet with olive oil once a week and put on a pair of light cloth gloves and go to bed.
• Use a pumice stone or an exfoliating sponge to remove dead skin. For fine results, do this after a hot water bath.
• Replace old footwear, as worn out soles give little protection from the shock of walking on hard surfaces, and worn linings can irritate your skin as well as harbour bacteria.
• Soak hands and feet in hot water, maybe with a couple of drops of essential oil, like lavender or eucalyptus. Do this two to three times a week.

If a corn or callus becomes very painful or inflamed, contact your doctor. Also, if you have diabetes or poor blood flow, see your doctor before self-treating a corn or callus because even a minor injury can lead to an infected open sore!