Managing Calluses with Callex® Ointment

CALLEX^® CALLUS OINTMENT

Managing Calluses

Foot calluses are best managed by correcting the problem producing them. Abnormal weight or pressure can be redistributed by ordering custom-made orthotics from a podiatrist. These insoles are shaped from a mold of your foot and inserted in footwear. Gel callus cushions or pads made of moleskin are also sometimes effective and less expensive.

Other ways of avoiding or minimizing calluses

Wear correctly fitting, low-heel shoes (not more than an inch high) and have them repaired regularly as the soles wear.
Buy shoes with padded innersoles and outer soles, such as walking shoes.
Avoid walking barefoot (use padded bedroom slippers).
Do not cut your calluses; use only a pumice stone or rough wash cloth to remove dead, cracked or dry skin.
See a podiatrist or other physician if they are painful, especially if you are diabetic or have poor circulation.
Avoid medicated callus-removing pads or "corn plasters" containing acids which can burn normal skin.
Do not mistake a wart for a callus. Warts bleed when exfoliated; calluses do not.
Protect hands by wearing gloves when using repetitive-action tools around the house, at work, or in the garden.

Callus: The Tough Side of Being Active - Who Gets Calluses and Why

Callus is formed as the skin's natural response to abnormal stress and friction between skin and bone. Though it functions to provide additional protection, callus may become painful if the underlying cause is not corrected. Individuals who are most likely to develop problems with callus include normal walkers, as well as runners, tennis players, gardeners and wheelchair users, etc. In fact - everyone who participates in any sort of physical, repetitive activity that places stress on pressure points between skin and bone is likely to form a callus (toughened, rough and raised skin areas).

The average person walks an estimated 75,000 miles by age 50, and callus and corns can develop on the feet with normal walking activities. Calluses are also caused by naturally decreasing amounts of padding (actually fatty deposits) within the foot and around joints, making bony prominences more subject to rubbing. The causes for this gradual loss of padding are genetics, aging, nutrition, exercise levels and the wearing of improperly designed or fitted shoes. Some shoes, though properly designed, can be crafted with a seam that can irritate a bony prominence. Thin-soled shoes can also promote the formation of callus because of the lack of sufficient internal insole cushioning. That is why often city dwellers, who walk on hard pavements and office flooring with such shoes are more likely to develop calluses than those who live in rural areas.

Runners and sport walkers place additional stress on feet due to frictional shearing force, increased perspiration and heat, and also improperly fitted shoes.

Tennis players tend to develop calluses on both feet and hands, which can interfere with their game if left unattended. The feet of tennis players take a beating from sudden changes in direction and the composition of tennis courts, making them prone to the development of callus - particularly if wearing the wrong shoes and socks. The most common cause of hand callus in tennis players is using the wrong grip, causing the racquet to be held too tightly or causing the racquet to slip, creating additional friction.

Every spring, gardeners look forward to getting out their tools, most of which require repetitive hand motion that can lead to painful callus formation. Wearing the right gloves and using ergonomically designed gardening tools can go a long way toward preventing calluses. However, most gardeners inevitably have to deal with the problem, particularly in the spring, when the level of activity dramatically increases after a slow winter.

Wheelchair users are susceptible to developing cuts and bruises, as well as calluses, from the force required to propel their weight in a wheelchair - particularly if they engage in wheelchair sports. Again, gloves are the first line of defense against the development of callus.

For anyone involved in repetitive physical activity that creates friction between skin and bones on the feet and hands, wearing protective gear such as gloves and using well chosen equipment is the best way to prevent the development of callus. When calluses do develop, CalleX¨ Callus Ointment offers a natural, acid-free approach to the problem. Because the enzymes in CalleX¨ interact only with callus tissue, breaking down their long-chain peptide bonds - not found in normal skin -, CalleX¨ Ointment is a safe and targeted way to thin and soften calluses, without the risk of acid-burn to normal skin or the need to constantly scrape.

A few tips on callus management: Avoid trying to shave off hand or foot calluses, as this can lead to exposed tissue and possible skin infections. The advantage of using CalleX Ointment is that it permits calluses to thin naturally without the risk of skin rupture or acid burn that other products can cause - particularly those containing salicylic acid. For both foot and hand callus, CalleX¨ can be conveniently applied before going to bed, or during the day with or without a bandage, and works best if the foot or hand is then covered with a light sock or glove during the night.

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