Corns on the toes can be extremely painful. These are as a result of an excessive amount of force on that part of the toes and the skin just thickens up to protect itself, then will become so thick that it's then painful. The sources of that greater force are many and may be due to a bony deformity, a claw toe or a bunion. A good podiatrist could easily remove a corn, however, if the pressure which caused the corn is still there, then it is probably going to return. To find the best results long term, the main reason for the corn has to be determined and that reason taken away. At times that will require surgery to improve the underlying bone or toe deformity. Other times that might require the use of padding for pressure off loading from the area. Invariably, a marked improvement in the fit of shoes are the most effective methods for getting pressure off a corn.
One way to self manage these problems should be to take away the pressure. There are protective pads that you can use for example the toe foams. These are a soft foam made from polyurethane using a cloth lining. They are available in longer tubes so you or the podiatrist can trim them to the desired length to place on the toe to cushion and shield it. Some of the toe foams have a doubled thicker area on one side to get more protection. They have a tendency for use more in the short to medium terms since they are soft, they are not that long-lasting. If they are beneficial and need to be used more in the long term then they will need to get replaced frequently. Usually go over your choices with the actual podiatrist to see whatever they suggest as what they believe are your better choices in the longer term.
