Corns and calluses are the most common reason patients present to a podiatry clinic in Australia. They're caused by concentrated pressure and friction on the skin — usually from ill-fitting shoes, bony deformities like bunions or hammer toes, or abnormal foot biomechanics. While they're not dangerous, they can be painful enough to affect how you walk and stand.
The good news: effective treatment is available over the counter, and with the right approach you can manage them at home between podiatry visits. Here's what works, what doesn't, and when to see a professional.
What's the difference between a corn and a callus?
Both are areas of thickened, hardened skin caused by pressure — but they form differently. Calluses are broad, flat areas of hard skin, usually on the ball of the foot, heel, or sides of the big toe. They're the skin's natural response to diffuse pressure. Corns are smaller, deeper and more painful — they have a hard central core that presses into the skin and can feel like standing on a pebble. Corns typically form on or between the toes where bones create focal pressure points.
Over-the-counter corn and callus treatments
1. Protective corn pads
Felt and gel corn pads work by redistributing pressure away from the corn. They don't remove the corn — they reduce the friction and pressure that caused it, which allows the corn to gradually soften and shrink. This is the safest first-line treatment and can be used long-term.
Our pick: Hapla Felt Oval Corn Pads 3mm (Pkt 36) — professional-grade adhesive felt pads used in podiatry clinics. The 3mm thickness provides effective offloading without adding too much bulk inside the shoe.
2. Urea creams for calluses
Urea is a keratolytic — it breaks down the protein bonds in hard, thickened skin, gradually softening calluses so they can be filed away. Concentrations of 25% are effective for callused heels and ball-of-foot calluses. Apply nightly to clean, dry feet and cover with socks for best results.
Our picks:
- Walker's ULTRA 25% Urea Heel Conditioner 500ml — 25% urea with ceramides, designed specifically for callused heels. Our best seller for hard skin.
- Walker's ULTRA 25% Urea 1L — the clinic-size bottle for ongoing use.
3. Toe separators for corns between toes
Soft corns (heloma molle) form between the toes where adjacent toe bones rub together. A silicone toe separator physically prevents the toes from touching, removing the friction that creates the corn.
Our picks:
- Flamingo Feet Toe Spreaders — spreads all five toes for general separation and realignment
- Silipos Gel Toe Spacers — targeted spacer between two toes for focused corn prevention
4. Moisturising gel booties
For severe, widespread calluses across the feet, gel-lined booties soften the entire foot surface in one treatment. The mineral oil gel moisturises and conditions hardened skin over a 20–30 minute session.
Our pick: Silipos GeLuscious Moisturising Gel Booties — reusable gel-lined booties that soften calluses and rough skin across the entire foot.
What NOT to use on corns
Avoid medicated corn plasters containing salicylic acid. While widely available at chemists, these acid-based plasters don't distinguish between corn tissue and healthy skin. They can burn surrounding tissue, cause ulceration, and are particularly dangerous for anyone with diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, or poor circulation. Podiatrists widely advise against them.
Avoid bathroom surgery. Don't try to cut corns out yourself with razor blades, scissors, or sharp instruments. This carries a high risk of infection and deeper tissue damage. Professional corn removal by a podiatrist is quick, painless, and significantly safer.
When to see a podiatrist
If a corn is painful, bleeding, recurring despite home treatment, or you have diabetes or poor circulation — see a podiatrist. Professional treatment involves painless debridement (removal of the hard skin) with a sterile scalpel, followed by assessment of why the corn formed and how to prevent it. Many patients need offloading pads, orthotic adjustments, or footwear changes to stop corns from recurring.
Corns that keep coming back in the same spot are a sign that the underlying pressure hasn't been addressed. A podiatrist can identify whether the cause is a bony prominence, a biomechanical issue, or simply the wrong shoes.