Most people have calluses at some point in their lives. These dry and thick patches can be caused by a lot of things. From wearing the wrong size shoes to a hard workout, calluses tend to develop. However, no matter what causes calluses, they are not only uncomfortable as they make your feet look bad. But are calluses all that bad?

Discover everything you need to know about calluses and corns.

The truth is that this is a pertinent question that has been in the minds of many people. Before we answer the question to see whether calluses can actually have something positive in them, it is important that you understand what calluses are in the first place. 

What Are Calluses?

Simply put, calluses are protective layers of dead skin cells or compacted patches of skin that thicken. Calluses tend to appear especially in bone areas like the balls of your feet or the soles of your feet. While it may seem strange, the truth is that calluses appear to protect your skin from injury or damage. 

Please notice that a lot of people tend to confuse calluses with corns. Whenever you are in doubt, just keep in mind that corns have tough centers, are smaller, and usually involve more inflammation. In addition, corns tend to develop on the sides of your toes or feet. 

Discover the best callus remover gels.

Now that you understand what calluses are, it is time to see what their pros and cons.

Calluses Pros

While you tend to associate calluses with a bad thing, the reality is that they have pros as well. If you think about it, calluses tend to develop due to friction and weight. 

One of the things that you may not know is that before calluses are calluses, they are blisters. And blisters are just one of the functions of your body’s immune system. So, simply put, when you don’t stop making so much pressure on the blister and on that particular area of your skin, your body will protect it. And the way it has to protect it is to develop calluses. 

Learn the best tips to remove calluses from feet.

Calluses Cons

As you can imagine, and probably already know or feel, calluses have a lot of negative aspects. 

One of the things that immediately comes to your mind when you think of calluses is discomfort. Besides, this discomfort can be felt in many different ways. From ache to throb, burn or even sting. The reality is that you notice the calluses existence and presence throughout your day. 

Besides, if we are in the middle of the summer, having calluses on your feet may prevent you to show them off. The truth is that there are a lot of people who are embarrassed when they have calluses. So, they hide their feet as much as they can. 

While none of the cons that we already mentioned are pleasant, the reality is that there is a main negative aspect related to calluses – the tissue changes caused by calluses can leave your skin more prone to infection. After all, since you tend to spend most of your day with your shoes on, this means that your feet will be in a moisty and closed environment which is perfect for breeding bacteria. 

Discover more about corns and calluses.

While most people won’t go through this stage, the truth is that if you have diabetes, for example, it’s crucial that you take care of calluses as soon as you notice them. 

In case you start noticing redness, pus or swelling in or around your calluses, this can mean that you have an infection and you need to take care of it right away.