Corns about the toes are certainly painful. These are brought on by an excessive amount of force on that part of the toes and the skin just thickens up to safeguard itself, then will become so thick that it is then painful. The causes of that greater pressure are numerous and may be because of a bony deformity, a hammer toe or a bunion. A competent podiatrist could easily remove a corn, but if the pressure that brought about the corn remains, then it is probably going to come back. To find the best success long term, the reason behind the corn really needs to be determined and that reason taken away. Sometimes that will need surgery to correct the underlying bone or toe deformity. Other times that may require the wearing of cushioning for force relief over the corn. More often than not, a noticeable difference in the fit of footwear is the most effective methods for getting pressure off a corn.
One way to self treat corns is to try to eliminate the force. You can find protecting pads that can be used for example the toe foams. They are a soft foam made of polyurethane having a cloth lining. They are available in longer tubes so you or the podiatrist can cut them to the required size to put on the toe to cushion and protect it. Some of the toe foams include a doubled thicker area on one side for more cushioning. The toe foams tend to be used more in the short to medium terms as they are soft, they aren't that durable. When they are useful and need to be used more in the longer term then they will need to get replaced frequently. Generally discuss your alternatives with the podiatrist to see whatever they recommend as whatever they believe are your best alternatives in the long term.
