A corn is a raised nodule on the top or sides of the toes usually on the toe joints, with a hard nucleus or core which bores into the tissue pressing on the tissue and nerves. This can cause pain and discomfort if left untreated. Corns are mainly found on the top of toe-joints or on the side of feet and are raised, shiny domes of hard thickened skin with a hard nucleus or centre. Corns like calluses, are caused by pressure and friction on the skin. Corns can cause pain and get inflamed when they press on a nerve in the foot or against a hard shoe, so it is important for your foot health and comfort to remove a corn as soon as it appears.
Corns can usually be avoided by wearing shoes that fit correctly, are neither too loose or too tight, are not pointed and do not rub and cause friction. A useful tip when buying shoes is to consider trying on a pair at the end of the day when your feet could be warm and slightly swollen after being stood on all day. It is also good to remember to wear socks that are the right size and not too small or too large which will also cause the toes to bunch up around the heel or toes which then creates extra pressure on the foot in the shoe. Foot corn removal must be done carefully and may take a little time as the skin needs to be softened.
A callus is an area of thick, hard raised skin on sides of the large toes or underneath the food caused by repeated friction or pressure from shoes or socks which are too tight. If the callus causes discomfort or is unsightly then a “callus remover” product like Kroko Corn and Callus remover can help to treat the problem, and Kroko foot powder can also help to make feet more comfortable. This will act to soften the skin so that the callus can be carefully removed with a pumice stone, foot file or Pedi Egg.
The reason for removing a corn or callus would be to try and treat the root causes of the pressure on the foot and try to relieve any resulting pain or discomfort. Where a callus has become raised, inflamed and thickened and turned into a corn over time due to fiction and pressure against a shoe or another toe, it is advisable to treat it especially if it is causing pain or discomfort. Unfortunately, these symptoms will not go away if left untreated and with time may get worse.
Foot pain is something that can have a large impact on the quality and enjoyment of our life especially when we are up on our feet at work for many hours, or during our leisure time. By engaging with a corn treatment plan quality of life can be improved for the sufferer. Foot corn removal is a relatively easy process however, the treatment may take up to 2 weeks of daily attention. Do not try to cut off corns or calluses yourself. Please follow the process below in the question on “How to remove a corn”. It is also advisable to try and establish the root cause of the corn and then take steps to address this problem carefully. The formation of the corn would have been caused by pressure or friction over the affected tissue due to ill fitting socks or shoes.
Softening your feet each day with Kroko Heel Balm and using Corn protector plasters can not only help to prevent cracked heels but will help relieve pressure and discomfort as well. If possible, always ensure that your shoes fit correctly and try and rotate them so that you are not wearing the same pair each day. This is important so the same shoes do not rub against skin you have just treated; you don’t want this softer skin being exposed to the same pressure or friction that caused the original corn or callus.
To ease the pain and discomfort of a corn, you can use a corn pad to remove the excess pressure. Corn pads are donut shaped cushioned plasters with a hole in the centre for the corn sit in and to protect it from chaffing.
Corns are easily removed using a corn treatment ointment like Kroko Corn and Callus remover which has been a tried and trusted remedy since the 1930s or a medicated Corn Plaster which contains a dose of salicylic acid in a corn protector which protects and cushions the corn while treating it. Kroko CornFix is a liquid application which covers and treats the corn and comes packed with 6 corn protectors which can be used during treatment.
*WARNING: Do not apply to healthy skin or near the face and eyes.
Diabetics: Please consult your doctor before using products containing Salicylic Acid on your feet.
Always read the instructions.
Kroko Corm Remedy products for corn treatment and callus removal are widely available. Kroko corn and callus remover, CornFix, Corn Plasters and Corn Protectors are available instore and online. Stores include all good pharmacies and selected Clicks, Dischem and PnP Hyper stores in South Africa. Online stores include Clicks, DisChem and Takealot. Kroko is also available in Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. Please ask your pharmacist to order in if you can’t find it.
Kroko Corn Protectors are foam cushions or donut shaped pads which help reduce painful pressure from shoes on corns.
Kroko Corn Plasters are one-step application a medicated corn plaster and a corn protector in one. These plasters combine a measured dose of salicylic acid in a padded corn plaster, which helps relieve the pressure on the corn while the corn is being treated.
Common warts are caused by several variations of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and are small benign fleshy growths on the skin usually light grey, pink or brown in colour. The virus accelerates extra cell growth which then causes the outer layer of skin to harden and thicken in that area. It is easier for broken, cut or damaged skin to become infected, so these conditions should always be cleaned as soon as possible. Most people will get warts at some point in their life, and they affect around 10% of the population with the incidence of infection being higher (10% to 20%) in children. Common warts are contagious and can be found on any part of the body (though more often on the knees, elbows, fingers and hands). They can be spread through direct contact (skin to skin) and indirect contact (using someone else’s towel or razor). So, avoiding these types of skin contact is good skin hygiene practice. As they are commonplace - a popular question which naturally arises is how to remove a wart.
Plantar warts are flattened growths which occur under the foot usually on the sole of the foot. These can be painful and may need to be removed by a doctor as they can penetrate deep into the foot.
Most warts are a minor inconvenience and not a serious, life-threatening condition but they may cause some discomfort or embarrassment as they can be unsightly and can linger for up to 2 years at a time, so most people do look for wart treatment or wart removal remedies to treat them rather than waiting for them to fall off which may take a year or two. Severe cases can last longer. Warts can also return and there is no sure way to prevent them, so avoiding contact with someone else’s warts and good skin hygiene are important aspects to consider. Wear flop flops or waterproof sandals in public swimming pools, showers and change rooms to reduce the risk of infection in the feet.
Common Warts can be successfully treated at home or by a doctor. Kroko WartFix is a simple and easy to use wart removal treatment. It is important to follow the instructions for effective wart removal.
Kroko Wart Fix is a flexible liquid application for warts which forms a waterproof covering over the wart.
A doctor can also cut off a wart or use a special instrument to scrape it, but this may be painful and leave scarring. It is also recommended to consult a doctor if you have a plantar wart under the foot which may need to be cut or cauterized with liquid nitrogen. This is called cryotherapy.
PLEASE NOTE: Diabetics who have issues with their feet or people who suffer from nerve damage in the feet, neuropathy, must consult a doctor to for treatment rather than use a home remedy. Anyone suffering from genital warts should consult their doctor. Kroko wart removal and wart treatment products are not suitable for treating genital warts. Kroko WartFix must not be used on the face or sensitive skin.
Kroko WartFix is available instore and online. It is available at all good pharmacies, DisChem and selected Clicks stores in South Africa. Online stores include Clicks, DisChem and Takealot. Kroko is also available in Namibia, Botswana and Zambia.
Please ask your pharmacist to order it if they don’t have stock.
Many people suffer from cracked heels. Cracked heels or heel fissures are caused by standing too long, wearing ill-fitting shoes, having dry skin, going barefoot or wearing open heeled sandals, having flat feet, diabetes, neuropathy or psoriasis. When weight and pressure are applied to the foot when standing, walking and exercising, the plump pad under the heel, pushes outwards and puts pressure on the skin. If the skin is dry and lacking in moisture, it becomes stiff and less elastic so the skin can crack and develop fissures in the heels. Cracked heels can be painful if left untreated.
Selfcare is important and cracked heels can be prevented or at lease minimised. An emollient heel balm containing Urea like Kroko Heel Balm can be used to prevent as well as treat cracked heels. Emollient creams penetrate the skin and reduce water loss filling the gaps in the skin which makes skin feel smooth, soft, and flexible. Alternately, a cracked heel treatment like HeelFix can be painted over the cracks to hygienically seal them and allow healing.
Kroko Heel Balm gently softens and hydrates rough, dry and cracked heels (and elbows) leaving skin smooth and soft.
Kroko HeelFix is a clear liquid plaster which can be painted over skin fissures to help them heal, preventing them drying out further. HeelFix creates a hygienic, flexible, moisture and dustproof barrier which allows natural healing to take place. Do not use on open wounds which are infected or inflamed, or cracks that are bleeding.
In severe cases where heels become inflamed or the cracks become infected, speak to your doctor as severely dry, cracked heels may be a sign of an underlying health condition like neuropathy or diabetes.
Losing weight, moisturising your feet or most importantly wearing properly fitting, closed shoes and socks can help prevent heels cracking.
To combat dry skin, moisturise your feet when you moisturise the rest of your skin. This provides a protective barrier over your skin and prevents water from escaping and the skin from drying out. It is best to moisturise feet at night so the cream can be absorbed into the skin which will prevent them becoming slippery and sweaty during the day. Wearing a pair of socks after moisturising will help prevent them drying out overnight.
Gently rubbing a pumice stone against the thickened skin on the heel, once the skin is moisturized, may help reduce the thickness of the hard skin and calluses. Be particularly gentle if you suffer from neuropathy or diabetes and avoid foot files or using scissors to cut away dry skin.
Kroko products for corn and callus removal, wart treatment, foot odour and cuts and scratches are available instore and online. In South Africa, you can find Kroko in all good pharmacies as well as DisChem stores and selected Clicks. Selected products are available online at Takealot and pharmacies like Mopani as well as through Click-and-Collect at Clicks and DisChem.
In Botswana, Kroko is available at the following pharmacies nationwide - Pulse Pharmacies, Pharma Group and Health Alternative stores.
Kroko is also available nationwide in pharmacies in Namibia and in Link Pharmacies in Zambia.
Please contact us if you can’t find what you are looking for and we will let you know where your nearest Kroko stockist is.
Kroko has 11 simple skincare solutions which are effective for hands and feet which suffer from everyday sores such as corns, calluses; skin cracks or fissures; or sweaty or smelly feet. Our products are principally used for corn, wart and callus treatment and removal.
A liquid plaster provides a hygienic, flexible, moisture and dust proof barrier to cover minor cuts and scratches without the bulkiness of an adhesive plaster. It is a breathable, flexible, waterproof skin shield to cover and protect a cut or scratch and is especially useful on fingers and hands. Kroko SkinFilm is a liquid plaster for minor cuts, scratches and skin fissures which allows natural healing to take place.
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