Callouses are areas of hard skin. They form as a result of pressure and friction. The skin hardens to protect itself. Most people have a little callous on their feet which is harmless. It is only a problem if it gets too thick or cracks and starts to hurt.
Corns are small areas of concentrated callous. They form under or over pressure points, between the toes, on the toes, under the sole of the foot and even in the grooves of the toe nails.
The hard skin is pushed in by the pressure and often feels like a splinter embedded in the foot.
If untreated they can breakdown underneath and ulcerate becoming very painful.
Cracked heels occur when heavy callous on the heels gets too thick and dry. Cracking is often associated with open backed sandals which put a lot of stress on the edge of the heels. They can split deeply causing bleeding and severe pain.
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Most corns and callouses are symptoms of an underlying problem like a boney deformity, or a particular style of walking or footwear. Some people have a natural tendency to form callous because of their skin type. Elderly people have less fatty tissue in their skin which can lead to callous formation.
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