How to Get Rid of Corns on Toes

Having a corn on feet, makes you uncomfortable while walking. Corns on feet are just like the calluses – thick and hardened skin area. The causes of corns on feet are also similar to those of calluses- too much pressure and friction that your feet goes through due to various reasons a ill fitted shoes, walking barefoot or wearing high heels etc. The only difference between a corn and a callus is the shape in which they occur on your feet, and sometimes on hands too. Corn has a definite shape while callus can develop in any shape and without a defining edge. In fact, corn is a type of callus, a cone-shaped callus that develops mostly between the toes. Calluses are usually not painful but corns may be painful as there is an inward pointed formation within the corn that gives you a pricking type of feeling when you walk or put pressure on the site of corn.

How to Get Rid of Corns on Toes

Getting rid of corns is not that difficult. There are many over-the-counter products available to get rid of corns. These include the popular corn plasters, also known as corn caps. Most of these corn caps contain some chemical or medicine such as salicylic acid. When you stick these corn plasters to your corn, the gel like substance in it penetrates your skin and is said to remove corns on toes or anywhere else on your feet. There is generally a ring around the paste which is made with some felt like product. It intends to relieve pressure on the site of corn when you walk.

Using corn caps to remove corns on toes seem to be the easiest way of getting rid of corns. However, if you are a diabetic or have some problems related to blood circulation or even if you have fragile skin, the usage of such corn caps might not be a right decision for you. In all such circumstances, you need to take care of your feet in special ways. Corn caps are certainly not safe for your use. Salicylic acid used in the corn caps or pads breaks down the thick tissue and that’s all right but in doing so, it also leads to a burn which may cause an infection.

So, how to safely get rid of corns on feet? The solution lies in the natural remedies for corn on toe as well as anywhere else on your feet.

Home Remedies for Corn on Toe

Removing corns on toes using home remedies seem to be the best way for not only those who suffer from diabetes, circulatory disease and fragile skin but also for everyone else because natural ingredients are the safest things to use on your skin. They generally do not lead to any side effects. Here are some such natural remedies for removing corns on toes.

Foot Soak and Scrubbing for Removing Corns on Toes

This is the easiest and the most effective way to get rid of corns on feet. You need to soak your feet in warm water for some time so that the rough dead skin of your feet gets softer. Then you need to slough off these dead skin cells with the help of scrubbing. For this, you can use a pumice stone and finally, you need to moisturize and safeguard your toes in a way that minimizes the pressure over the corn. Here are the exact steps that you need to follow.
Get this:

Warm water- 8-10 cups or enough to soak your feet
Salt (optional)- 1-2 tsp
Foot basin
Pumice stone
Towel
Oil or Moisturizer
Socks

Do this:

Fill the basin with warm water.
If using salt, add this to the water. Salt speeds up the process of making your feet skin softer.
Soak your feet in this water for about 20-30 minutes. If your corn is on the top of your toes, make sure that the water level is such that sinks in whole of your feet so that the corn gets merged into it.
After the set time, take out your feet from the basin and gently rub it with pumice stone focussing more on where you have a corn. Do not be too harsh when rubbing, it may lead to complications.
After that rinse your feet once again and pat dry.
Apply moisturizer to your feet and more so on the area where you have a corn. You may also use some oil in place of moisturizer.
Now wear the sock and go to sleep. This remedy is most effective when you apply it at night before bedtime. This ensures that no further pressure is put on your feet or corns and also the moisture works better when it is left there for a long time.
If however, you do this during the day, remember to place a bandage, preferably a toe bandage. If the corn is not on a toe and is on the ball or heel of your feet, you may use a donut bandage over your corn before wearing socks. This will ensure that no pressure is put on the corns on your feet. The hole in the bandage prevents any pressure on your corn when you walk.
Repeat the whole process daily until you get rid of corn on toes or feet.

Castor Oil for Corns on Feet

Castor oil drastically reduces swelling and also hydrates dry skin. For this reason perhaps, this oil is one of the very effective remedies for not only corns but also for other skin growths like warts. Castor oil has certain component which is said to remove warts by dissolving them completely. When it comes to corn remedy, Castor oil moisturizes the dry, thick and rough skin and thus makes the corns soft. You can always apply Castor oil to your feet after soaking and scrubbing them with pumice stone as explained in the previous remedy. For castor oil to be more effective in removing corns on feet, you can also use the way explained below.
Get this:

Castor oil
Non- medicated corn pad
Adhesive tape

Do this:

Non medicated corn pads are safer to use as they do not contain any chemical or other ingredient. They are just to give a secure padding around the corn so that no pressure is applied on corns on toes or feet. These pads have a hole inside them that have to be placed over the corn on toe.
Before you go to bed, wash and clean your feet properly. It’s better if you soak feet for some time and pat dry with a towel.
Now place the non-medicated corn pad over your corn.
Apply a thin layer of Castor oil to coat the corn.
You may use a cotton swab or ball to apply the oil on the corn inside the hole of the corn pad.
Now cover your corn with a piece of adhesive tape and leave overnight. You may even do so during the day but such remedies usually work wonders at night when the corn is not disturbed at all.
Repeat this daily till you get rid of your corn on toe or feet.

Vitamin E Oil for Corns on Toe

Vitamin E oil is one of the best thing to give to your skin in order to moisturize it effectively. Not only does it moisturize and thus softens the hard, rough and dry skin, it also helps intense healing due to the presence of antioxidants. When you combine vitamin E oil with such an oil as olive oil, it becomes one of the best remedies for corns on feet! The oleic acid present in olive oil makes your skin more permeable. This helps in holding the moisture there right into your skin to keep the skin soft. Here is how to use these oils for removing corns on toe.
Get this:

Vitamin E oil
Olive oil
Socks

Do this:

Take few drops of vitamin E oil. You may also puncture a vitamin E capsule and use the oil inside it.
Mix few drops of olive oil to the oil of Vitamin E.
Now wash your feet properly, better soak feet in warm water for some time.
Now rub the oil mixture onto your corn gently for a couple of minutes.
After massaging, wait for another couple of minutes and then wear the socks.
Now go to sleep.
Do this every night before going to sleep and keep on doing till you get rid of corns.

Vinegar-Onion Remedy for Corns on Toe

This is one of the fastest remedies to get rid of corns. The acidic nature of vinegar softens the dry hard skin of corn effectively. Vinegar and also onions have good antibacterial properties too and thus eliminate the risk of any infection. This remedy is perfect for you if you suffer from too much soreness on and around your corn on toe.
Get this:

Vinegar
White onion- 1
Glass jar or bowl with lid
Bandage
Pumice stone

Do this:

Place the onion in the jar or bowl
Pour vinegar over the onion and let it soak for the whole day.
At night before you go to sleep, take out the onion and cut it into two halves or thick slices.
Now take one slice of onion and place it over your corn.
Use the bandage and wrap the corn with onion slice over it.
Now go to sleep.
In the morning, remove the bandage and the onion to see a softened corn.
Now take the pumice stone and gently rub the corn to remove it.
If it doesn’t go, repeat the process again. Repeat this every day till you get rid of corns on toes. You will need to do it only for 4-5 days at the most.

Baking Soda to Remove Corns on Toes

Baking soda is an excellent natural exfoliating agent which brings your skin’s pH level to where it should be. This prevents bacteria, fungus and other microbes from thriving on your skin. Because the skin on corn is a hard and thick layer of dead skin cells, it is essential to remove them by exfoliating.
Get this:

Baking soda- 2-3 tbsp
Warm water
Foot basin
Pumice stone
Castor oil or moisturizer

Do this:

Fill the basin with warm water.
Add baking soda to this.
Soak feet in this for about 20-30 minutes.
Take out your feet and rub gently with pumice stone focussing more on the corn.
Rinse again, pat dry and moisturize your feet with castor oil or moisturizer.
Repeat this daily to get rid of corns on toe.

Turpentine Oil to Remove Soft Corns on Toe

Sometimes your corn on toe does not have a hard centre. If so, it is a soft corn. Soft corns usually develop between the toes. These soft corns are very painful. It is believed that soft corns occur due to the trapped moisture in between the toes. Therefore, it is advisable to keep such areas dry to not only prevent corns on toe but also to prevent other infections like athlete’s feet and other fungal infections of feet. You may sprinkle alum powder in between your toes to keep moisture away. However, if you develop a soft corn on toe, you can use turpentine oil for its removal. Turpentine oil has strong antiseptic and antibacterial properties. As soft corns between toes have higher risk of becoming infectious, turpentine oil is one of the best remedies for these corns on toe.

Get this:

Turpentine oil
Cotton swab or ball
Toe bandage or an adhesive tape

Do this

Soak the cotton ball in turpentine oil
Place this cotton ball in between your toes where there is a corn
Now wear the toe bandage or wrap the adhesive tape all around your toe so that the cotton ball doesn’t move from there.
Leave it overnight.
Repeat daily till you get rid of the corn on toe.

Turmeric for Corns on Toe

Turmeric is one of the best known ingredients that reduce inflammation and soreness to a great extent. Ayurveda uses turmeric for various medical conditions. There is an Ayurvedic remedy for corns in form of turmeric and mustard oil paste. Here is how to use turmeric to get rid of corns on toes.
Get this:

Turmeric powder- 1-2 tsp
Mustard oil- enough to make paste
Bandage

Do this:

Heat the mustard oil.
When it get warm, add the turmeric powder to this and keep on stirring for some time. In a couple of minutes, you will get a paste made from oil and turmeric powder.
Now let the paste cool down a little.
When it is tolerably hot, apply this oil-turmeric powder paste to your corn on toe.
Wrap a bandage around the toe to keep the paste in place.
Leave it overnight.
In the morning, wash it off with warm water and a mild soap.
Repeat every night till you get rid of corns.

Precaution: Turmeric and oil both have the tendency to stain whatever comes in their contact. So, be prepared for this. Use an old bedsheet and even take care of your clothes while you apply turmeric on your skin. The stains that turmeric will leave on your skin will go away in few days and you need not worry about that.

Willow Bark to Get Rid of Corns on Toes

As you know from the discussion in the beginning, the commercial corn caps have salicylic acid inside them which dissolves the corn with regular use. However, it is not natural and thus may be harmful for some of you. The component salicin present in willow bark is the natural substitute for salicylic acid. It has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. You can thus use willow bark to remove corns on toes.
Get this:

Powdered willow bark- 1-2 tsp
Water- enough to make paste
Lemon juice (optional)- few drops
Bandage

Do this:

Combine willow bark powder with water to make a paste.
If using lemon juice, add this too. The acidic property of lemon juice further helps soften the skin faster.
Apply this paste on your corn and cover it with a bandage in a way that it remains in place.
Leave it overnight.
Repeat daily till you get rid of corns on feet.

Precaution- Take care that the willow bark paste does not come in contact with healthy skin.

Celandine Herb to Remove Corns on Feet
Celandine herb with its botanical name, Chelidonium majus, can be defined as herbaceous perennial plant native to Europe and western Asia. It can now also be found in North America. The orange juice of this herb has the components sanguinarine and chelerythrine that can dissolve corns on your toes and feet. Here is how you can use it to remove corns on toe. Make this corn removal solution at home with this herb.
Get this:

Celandine herb (chopped)- ½ cup (about 8 tbsp)
Water- 6 cups
Glycerine- 1 cup

Do this:

Place the water in a pan and bring it to a boil.
Put off the flame and add celandine herb to this.
Leave it for about 2 hours.
Now, place the mixture once again on the stove and bring it to a boil.
Then simmer it for about 20-25 minutes.
Remove from heat and strain the mixture. Discard all the solid remains of the herb.
Now simmer this solution once again till it is reduced to about 1- ½ cups.
Now add the glycerine and keep on simmering for some more time. You will be left with about 2 cups of the solution.
Strain it once again and store it in a glass bottle.
To use it, apply this homemade solution on your corns twice a day. You can apply once just after your shower and once before you go to bed at night.

This solution is also a good remedy for warts.

Pineapple, Papaya and Fig to Remove Corns on Toes

Apart from being delicious and healthy fruits, papaya, pineapple and figs have one more thing in common. They all can treat corns on feet naturally. This is perhaps due to their enzymes that dissolve protein. This quality greatly helps in softening the corn and removing it from your feet.

How to Use Pineapple for Corns on Toe

Cut a small piece of pineapple peel.
Place it on your corn in a way that its inside touches your corn.
Wrap a bandage to hold it there.
Leave it overnight.
In the morning, soak your feet in warm water for about 20-30 minutes.
If your corn is small one, you will see it gets eliminated only after doing it once.
If, however, your corn is bigger, repeat the process daily till the time you get rid of the corn on toe.

How to Use Papaya for Corns on Toe

Take a small piece of papaya peel and place it over the corn inside down.
Secure it with a bandage and leave it overnight.
In the morning, soak feet in warn water for 20-30 minutes.
Repeat daily till you get rid of corns.
In both the cases of pineapple and papaya, do not let the healthy surrounding skin come in contact with the peel. This may lead to inflammation.

How to Use Fig for Corns on Toe

Take a fig leaf or a branch
Break the branch or cut the leaf so that the milky latex in it starts oozing out.
Let this latex drip over your corn and forget.
If needed, repeat the process.

These were some of the best home remedies to get rid of corns on toe or feet. However, if you do not see any improvement in the condition of your corn after using one or more of these remedies, visit your doctor or a podiatrist. If you are a diabetic or have problem in feeling the sensations in your feet due to poor circulation, you should anyway see your doctor to get the corns of your toe treated.

How to Get Rid of Corns on Toes