CALLUSES – Removing Calluses

Calluses develop on the hands after a particularly repetitive activity such as shoveling, raking, or swinging a tennis racket. On the feet, calluses are often found on the soles just behind the base of the toes, the undersurface of the great toe, and around the edge of the heel. If the great toe is shorter than the adjacent toe (sometimes referred to as Morton's foot), a large callus often forms in the middle of the forefoot behind the base of the second toe. Usually, the other foot is similarly affected.

Calluses may be painful on pressure if they become large, and may precede the development of corns, which are more tender and painful. Callus build-up occurs around and over warts, and may cause much discomfort.

If a callus is shaved down, the normal fine ridges of the skin remain intact. No blood vessels or "seeds" are present and the callus does not exhibit a central core, unlike warts and corns, respectively.

Several factors are prominent in the development of calluses. Faulty weight distribution, whether due to foot problems or ill fitting shoes, is a common denominator. Shoes that are too narrow, have high heels, or soft, flexible soles can produce undue stress. Structural and functional deformities of the feet and toes can also be causal.


Removing Calluses

Calluses are usually less bothersome than corns and may not require much attention. Shoes must fit properly. Chiropody felt, moleskin, or foam rubber pads can be applied to minimize friction and pressure. These pads vary in thickness from 1/16 to 3/16 of an inch and often have adhesive backings. Such pads can be cut into strips and placed parallel to the callus, on either side, and held in place with rubber cement or glue. Often they will remain in place for days, even if wet at times. Large sections of padding can be cut to the shape of the callus to fit the shoe or to apply directly to the foot. Either method shifts pressure from the callus onto the surrounding pad and skin.

Insoles made of neoprene can be used under the forefoot. Devices such as metatarsal bars or orthotic inserts can be designed and used to correct imbalances in weight distribution; a podiatrist must fit the feet for orthotics.

CORNS Treatment

There are four different types of corns: hard, soft, seed, and neuro-vascular. Hard corns are very firm and dry, and have a compact central "core" that becomes more noticeable when the corn is shaved down. Hard corns are typically found on the outer edge of the little toe but are frequently seen on the balls of the feet. In the latter area, they are often surrounded by large calluses. Corns are preceded by callus formation, are quite tender, and respond to pressure with sharp pain.

Soft corns are found between the toes, most often in the space between the little toe and its neighbor. Composed of masses of soft, soggy skin, these corns sometimes erode, drain, and become infected. They are formed by pressure from the overriding bones of the adjacent toes.
Seed corns are tiny, compact, usually multiple corns found on the soles.

Neuro-vascular corns contain blood vessels and sometimes bleed within the core. They are usually on the inside surface of the foot, especially near the great toe, and are typically recalcitrant and very painful.

Corns can be identified by their appearance when the surface is pared away. With the exception of the soft corns, they have a waxy, translucent, clear-cut "core" in the center. The fine dots or blood vessels of a wart are not seen, though neuro-vascular corns may bleed when pared. Corns interrupt the normal ridges or lines of the skin, while calluses do not.

Corns and calluses are caused by similar factors. Corns often arise due to pressure from ill-fitting shoes or friction. Bony pro­minences frequently underlie corns.

CORNS Treatment

Shoes should not crowd the toes, and it is sometimes necessary to cut holes in the shoe to give the corn more room. Rings and pads with adhesive backings are avail­able in various shapes and sizes. Horseshoe-shaped or half-moon pads can be cut and taped into place around corns on the toes.

Periodically shaving them with a sharp blade should be done with great care, lest the surrounding or underlying skin is cut and infec­tion introduced. People with diabetes, poor circulation, or other- . wise prone to infections should not attempt this since serious infection and gangrene could result.

A more conservative but nonetheless effective approach is to scrape or abrade away the area with an emery board, pumice stone, or one of the instruments available for this purpose. Corns may be too tender to allow this, but hot soaks will help soften corns and calluses and make this easier. Salicylic acid preparations, available in plaster and liquid forms, are helpful in softening thick stubborn areas.

Liquid salicylic acid preparations should be applied to the corn or callus and covered with adhesive tape. The plaster is applied with the adhesive side down and taped in place. This may be left in place for several days if necessary. When the tape is removed, the area should be soaked in hot water and any soft, dead skin scraped away. The liquid or plaster is then reapplied and another cycle begun.

If used regularly, this procedure will normally control trouble­some corns and calluses. It can be done easily and safely at home, but remember that the acid should only be applied to thickened areas. The surrounding normal skin will be much less resistant to the effects of the acid, and irritation may occur if it is improperly applied. Treatment should be stopped if any irritated or cracked areas develop, either in or around the corn or callus.

It should be noted that paring or abrading corns and calluses is of temporary, symptomatic benefit only. Measures to eliminate the development of the lesion at its source are much more likely to produce permanent benefits though this may take some time.

Soft corns are prevented by keeping the space between the toes clean and especially dry. Alcohol and tincture of iodine help dry the area and kill germs. Soft corns can often be controlled or eliminated by inserting foam rubber, lamb's wool, or some other material between the ends of the toes. Shoes that do not pinch the toes together should be worn.

How to Treat Burns?

Burns are classified according to severity, with first degree burns the most superficial and third degree burns the most severe. First degree burns often result from brief exposure to a flame or a hot liquid. Burns from excessive exposure to the sun or a sunlamp are usually first degree, but can be second degree in severity.

The skin at the site of a first degree burn is dry, bright red, warm, and painful to touch. Second degree burns involve deeper layers of skin which in this instance exhibit blisters or a raw, moist surface. These burns may also result from contact with hot liquids or from flash explosions. Third degree burns involve the subcutan­eous layers and they may be caused by flames or contact with a very hot object. Skin that has suffered a third degree burn appears pearly white or charred. The surface is dry initially, but later begins to ooze. Unlike milder burns, third degree burns are not painful or tender.

Treatment Tips for Burns

The best immediate treatment for a burn is the application of cold. Such applications reduce the pain, swelling, and redness, and may even cut down the extent of the damage. Cold packs, ice, or submerging the burned area in tap water no warmer than 77 degrees (F) are all effective. Except in cases of sunburn, towels soaked in ice water may be used. The burn should then be cleaned gently with soap and water. First degree burns should require little if any treatment beyond this, although creams or ointments such as vaseline may be soothing.

Burn blisters should generally be left alone and protected with gauze dressings. If these blisters are large or painful, they may be opened and drained, by cleansing the skin, sterilizing a needle with alcohol, and puncturing the blister at its edge. Breaks in the skin can then be coated with a thin layer of an antibiotic or iodine ointment. A Band-Aid or gauze dressing may be applied loosely. Small blisters on the feet can be protected with tape and cushioned with foam rubber or moleskin.

Ruptured blisters or areas of raw, oozing skin should be gently cleansed with soap and water or soaks (see Formulary). An anti­biotic ointment may then be applied, but only in a very thin layer, since thick layers will not allow fluid accumulating in the skin to escape. A loose gauze cover can be applied to protect the wound. The layer of ointment on the wound will prevent the gauze from sticking to the wound. An alternate method is to apply a thin layer of the ointment or' sterile petrolatum (petroleum jelly) directly to the gauze before the dressing is laid on the burn.

Medical care should be sought for all third degree burns, and for any second degree" burns that cover more than very small areas. First degree burns over large areas, or that are particularly painful or swollen, will also require the help of a physician. Any signs of secondary infection, including increasing tenderness, swelling, redness, heat, or drainage of pus, should be checked by a physi­cian. Always be sure that tetanus immunizations are current, even for relatively minor wounds.

What Should You Know about Teething Tablets

Given the fact that the administration of drugs to babies is pretty risky, homeopathic teething tablets is one of the solutions used by many parents during the teeth eruption period. The combination of natural extracts increases the baby's comfort by alleviating the restlessness, the pain and the irritability of the child. Teething tablets are very small, they look more like grains than like medication, and they immediately dissolve on the tongue.

The great advantage of homeopathic teething tablets lies not only in the non-toxic quality of the compounds but also in the positive stimulation they trigger at the level of the entire system. The curative reactions of the baby's body are naturally accelerated so that the teething period occurs harmoniously and without further difficulties. Some of the plant extracts calm the whining of the baby, others deal with the redness of the gums and other speed up the eruption process.

It often happens that after using teething tablets the child would fall asleep; such a reaction is perfectly normal since once the pain is gone, the infant may finally rest well. The teething tablets should not be used more than four times a day, or according to the doctor's orders, failure to do so may increase the risk of side effects occurrence. In case the child refuses to accept them on the tongue, the tablets may be dissolved in a very small amount of liquid.

The fact that teething tablets are risk free makes them the most popular remedy used for the alleviation of the teeth eruption symptoms. Unlike other products the results are immediate: once the tablet dissolves in the baby's mouth you can say good buy to gum soreness. Nevertheless, in case the symptoms fail to cease after the treatment, you should contact the doctor right away and have him or her look further into the matter.

The herbal extracts on which teething tablets rely are totally harmless for the baby, they are well tolerated by the digestive system and have no side effects in the recommended dosage. Chamomile is one of the herbs that is often used in the composition of teething tablets; it is a great remedy against irritability and its action is completed by that of belladonna, that reduces the inflammation. Another great herb that soothes a teething baby is clove oil, it can be used to rub the gums directly or it is often included in certain teething tablets.

When Do Babies Start Teething

When do babies start teething? This is a very legitimate question when you have a baby; many parents actually have the surprise of discovering that their child is born with one or two teeth already grown. Though rare the process is considered pretty normal since teeth formation begins in the intrauterine life. When the baby is born he or she has all the teeth buds in their place, and it is from these buds that the milk teeth as well as the adult teeth will later erupt. Having such early teeth extracted is a big mistake as no other will grow in the empty space until seven years of age, and in the worst of cases the premises of crooked teeth may be rooted in the extraction.

Most babies start teething when they are five or six months of age, but those who face teeth eruption earlier or later are equally normal. Thus, it sometimes happens that infants start teething at three months, and in such cases there may be longer intervals of time between the eruption of the various types of teeth. If the first to appear are the lower middle incisors, it could take more than a month afterwards before the upper middle incisors erupt. Presently, information on such cases is plentiful, whether you look in books or on web pages. Hence, the question “When do babies start teething?” becomes a lot easier to answer.

There are lots of magazines that include advice for parents who are facing the problems and challenges of the teething period. Do not feel alarmed if you discovered that the answers in such publications concerning the question “when do babies start teething?” are a bit different from what your child is going through. All specialists and doctors agree that the important thing about baby development is individuality; this means that every child has a personal growth rate that can differ a lot from what is traced and labeled as average. But such peculiarity does not make him or her abnormal.

When do babies start teething? Though the answer is not an enigma, its relativity is completely undeniable. The important thing is that your child will face teeth eruption sooner or later, but that is not an element influenced by diet or the growth rate. You can take the baby to the doctor to set your mind at peace when there is no teeth eruption until the age of one; yet, even so, the child is considered perfectly normal. A lot of premature babies teeth later around seven, eight or even twelve months of age, and they are considered healthy.

Teething Schedule

Though there is an average teething schedule taken as a reference point, there is no absolute rule for the teeth eruption period; it all depends on the baby's personal structure and the specificity of his or her individuality. Thus, there are children who are born with a tooth or two, and there is nothing unnatural about such cases. Moreover, even if most experts claim that the teething schedule begins at five or six months of age, there are babies who start teething when they are three or four months old. A later teeth eruption is also possible and labeled within the boundaries of normality; consequently there is no reason to worry if you notice your child to be a bit peculiar.

According to a regular teething schedule, the first to erupt are the inferior incisors followed by the superior ones. The front teeth are usually an issue around six or seven months of age, and afterwards, they are followed by the eruption of the rest of the teeth: lateral incisors, canines, premolars and molars. When the child is six or seven years old, the first adult teeth erupt with the loss of the baby ones. The change is less painful, particularly since the root of the baby teeth is dissolved and the gums are definitely ready for the transformation.

It is good for the parents to put down the teething schedule of their child so that they may provide accurate information to both the pediatrician and the dentist. Should you notice any problem in the development of the child's teeth do not ignore it just because these teeth are not permanent. It may be very important for the future development of the adult teeth that there be no accidents in the eruption of the first teeth. Hence, a log of the teething schedule will be of a real importance, not to mention that it also has an undeniable sentimental value.

In order to get an idea of what the average parameters are, take a look at one of the many practical books that help parents raise their kids. The teething schedule should be minutely explained so that the parents may be prepared for this very delicate period in the child's life. The more you know about the biological transformations involved in child growth, the more confident and calm you'll feel when the time comes to actually do something to help your teething baby.

Teething Ring and Your Baby

Teething rings are often the best remedies you can offer your child during the difficult time of teeth eruption; made of metal, rubber or plastic such items meet the baby's need to chew something so as to relieve the pressure in the swollen gums. There are certain safety matters to be considered when you have to choose between several types of teething rings.

First of all, the simplest teething rings are also the most reliable; preferably, they should be made of one piece of material alone, so that the risk of part detaching is kept at the minimum. Such precautions are not at all far-fetched since there have been cases when teething rings have been withdrawn from the market by the manufacturer since little design details like hearts or flowers broke and were swallowed by babies.

Between metal, plastic or rubber teething rings, opinions are very often divided; what exactly should one choose? First of all, metal teething rings are usually made of sterling silver; they are considered high class objects with an advanced level of reliability. Silver is a very little reactive metal with virtually no-toxicity, so its structure represents no threat for the health of the child. Moreover, a metal teething ring can be more easily cooled in the fridge for advanced efficiency.

Plastic teething rings have the disadvantage of including all sorts of chemicals in their structure; quality products are perfectly safe, but great care should be taken when buying them. Always check the label of the ring to see exactly what it is made of; there should be some information on the manufacturing process and information on the hypo-allergic nature of the materials used. There should be no sharp edges on which the child may scratch or cut.

Rubber teething rings are the most commonly used: statistics show that rubber rings make top sales when compared to products made of metal or plastic. The great advantage is that rubber is neither too hard nor too soft, which makes it perfect for the chewing tendency of the infant; moreover, since the rings are made of natural rubber, there is no threat risk whatsoever. All you need to be careful about is deterioration since the child will give the ring a pretty harsh treatment.

The price of the teething rings is definitely not an issue since they are basic items that will not cost you too much. Anyway, a good word of advice is to avoid too colorful teething rings, since such an attractive design definitely suggests a large number of chemicals used in the structure. And last but not least, make sure to clean the ring as often as possible, otherwise the baby is exposed to the risk of getting all sorts of infections.