Most people think that there is just one type of corn. However, there are many different types. The most common being a hard corn, there are also soft corns, seed corns and vascular corns

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Corns are a normal reaction to excessive stresses on the skin, Corns are caused by intermittent pressure on a focussed area usually over a bony prominence i.e. the toe.

Ill fitting footwear is a common cause of the pressure that leads to corns.

When areas of skin are experiencing recurring friction or pressure, thick layers of dead skin cells accumulate and develop the hardened areas we call corns. The hardened dead skin forms a nucleus, usually conical with the apex pointing inwards.  The deeper the corn grows, the more likely its pointed end will irritate a nerve if any external pressure is applied to it.  

 

Callus then forms over and around the nucleus in an attempt to isolate the nucleus and protect the site from constant irritation, rubbing and pressure.  If this thickening did not form, the epidermis would be eroded away at these frictional/pressure points, exposing the softer more vulnerable under tissues to all the foreign substances and organisms that exist outside the body.

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Hard corn (Heloma Durum), commonly seen on bony prominences.
Soft corn (Heloma Molle) in between the toes, commonly seen between the 4th and 5th toes

Although the etiology of all true corns is the same, each corn requires some difference of technique in its treatment and removal.

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Over the counter corn removers and medicated corn pads contain caustic preparations (salicylic acid) and must be used with care as they can cause severe burns and infection in the normal skin surrounding the corn, However, these must not be used on patients with diabetes.  A corn must not be left untreated as there is a risk of ulceration and infection.