All too often, corns and calluses are the price we pay for neglecting our feet.

Corns and calluses are very much alike--they just differ in where they occur. Corns show up on the bony area on top of the toes, while calluses occur on the ball or heel of the foot or the big toe. Both result from bad walking habits, bone deformities, or repeated rubbing or friction from poorly fitting footwear.

Corns feel hard to the touch, are tender, and have a roundish appearance. A small, clear spot called a hen's eye may form in the center. Never pick at corns or use a knife, razor blade, or any other sharp tool to cut off corns. Also, never use strong medications--you may injure your skin or trigger an infection. Instead:

• Get rid of shoes that fit poorly, especially if they squeeze your toes together.
  
• Soak your feet in warm water to soften the corn.
  
• Cover the corn with a protective, non-medicated pad, usually available in drugstores.
  
• (A piece of foam rubber or moleskin will do in a pinch.)
  
• If the outer layers of a corn have peeled away, apply a nonprescription liquid of 5 to 10 percent salicylic acid and cover the area with a small bandage.

If you have continuing pain, consult a podiatrist or your family doctor, who will scrape away the hardened tissue and peel away the corn with stronger solutions. (Sometimes warts lie underneath corns and need to be treated, too.)

Calluses are flat, painless thickenings of the skin. Never try to get rid of a callus by cutting it with a sharp tool. Instead:

• Soak your feet in warm water to soften the callus, and dry gently.
  
• Rub the callus gently with a pumice stone.
  
• Cover calluses with protective pads, available in drugstores.
  
• Check for poorly fitting shoes or other sources of pressure that may lead to calluses.

Note: Anyone with diabetes or circulatory problems should seek medical attention for foot problems of any kind. Their risk of infection is higher than average.