Why do corns and calluses form?
They are areas of thickened skin that develop in response to repeated pressure or friction.
Common causes include tight footwear, prominent joints, altered toe position and high local load during walking.
How can gel protection help?
Gel creates a soft interface between the skin and the source of pressure or rubbing.
Depending on the product, it can cushion a toe, separate two rubbing surfaces or spread pressure over a larger area.
Which products protect an individual toe?
Gel toe caps and gel-lined tubing can cover a corn, nail edge or friction-prone section of a toe.
What if two toes rub together?
A toe separator or spreader can create a soft barrier between the toes and reduce skin-on-skin contact.
What if pressure is beneath the forefoot?
A metatarsal pad or forefoot sleeve may redistribute pressure around the ball of the foot.
The position must be correct so the pad does not create a new focal pressure point.
Will gel make a corn disappear?
Not necessarily. A corn often returns if the same pressure continues.
Reducing shoe pressure, improving toe space and addressing the mechanical cause may be equally important.
Can gel products be used on broken skin?
Do not simply cover an open, weeping or infected lesion with a reusable gel protector without appropriate clinical advice.
Why is diabetes or reduced sensation different?
A person who cannot feel pressure normally may not notice that a protector has moved or become too tight.
Skin breakdown can therefore occur without the usual warning discomfort.
Important: Do not cut, shave or use caustic corn-removal products on an at-risk foot without professional guidance.
