The 7 Best Essential Oils For Corns

April 26, 2024 by Mani Pandey

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Corns are hard and thickened skin lesions that develop as a result of friction or pressure on a particular area. They usually develop around the toes or on the bottom of the feet.(1)

Corns are similar to callus. They are not harmful but can cause pain, irritation, and uneasiness while walking. If you notice a hard and yellowish patch of lump on skin anywhere around the toes, it may indicate foot corn.

Apart from medications, there are varieties of techniques used to manage corns, among which the use of essential oils is one. Although no studies directly link the use of essential oil for corns, certain properties of different essential oils help combat the issue.

Essential oils are the go-to remedy for people seeking a gentle way to treat corns as they have antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.

Let’s dig a little deeper to know more about the dreadful corns, their types, and the best essential oils to combat them.(2, 3)

Article Contains

What Are The Types Of Corns
How Do Essential Oils Help In Corns
7 Best Essential Oils For Corns
How To Use Essential Oil For Corns

What Are The Types Of Corns?

There are three main types of corns-

Hard Corns- They are small, concentrated areas of hard skin, usually found within a wider area of thickened skin.
Soft Corns- Such corns are whitish or gray and are rubbery in texture.
Seed Corns- Small in size and usually found on the bottom of the foot.

Among these, hard corns are the most common types of corn that become painful as they thicken. The good news is corns are not a skin disorder or disease. It is just the body’s response to continuous friction or pressure on the skin.

How Do Essential Oils Help In Corns?

Due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, certain essential oils help in corns in the following ways-

Relieve pain and discomfort
Reduce thickening of skin tissue
Remove skin discoloration
Moisturize and soothe the skin

7 Best Essential Oils For Corns

Essential oils are the concentrated plant compounds obtained by hydrodistillation, steam distillation, or dry distillation. They are aromatic oily liquids that are volatile and characterized by a strong odor, rarely colored, and generally with a lower density than water.(4)

Some essential oils that treat corns and hasten the skin recuperation process include the following-

1. Tea Tree Essential Oil

The strong antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial effects of tea tree essential oil make it a potent cure for corn. It heals skin abrasions and provides deep nourishment to the bruised skin. For corns, tea tree essential oil is great therapy and can be applied with a carrier oil on the affected areas. (5)

2. Oregano Essential Oil

Being a natural pain reliever, the essential oil of oregano is a great remedy for corn. It is loaded with anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antioxidant effects. Together with a carrier oil like coconut oil, oregano essential oil can heal the skin and make walking more comfortable. (6)

3. Clove Essential Oil

Clove oil is traditionally used to relieve pain, prevent digestive issues, and combat respiratory illness. Enriched with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal qualities, clove oil is known to heal skin issues more efficiently.(7)

It can reduce inflammation due to corns and make walking easy. At the same time, clove essential oil can be used for painful corns as it numbs the skin for a few minutes, giving temporary relief from discomfort.(8)

4. Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil is one of the most common oils used in aromatherapy. Besides aroma, it is known for sedative, analgesic, and anticonvulsive effects that can help to manage corn pain. Besides helping ease the pain, lavender oil also soothes the skin and makes you feel relaxed and stress-free.(9)

5. Lemon Essential Oil

The powerful antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of lemon are well-known. It can fight off the fungus that develops on the skin as a result of corn and manage the symptoms. You can soak your feet in warm water with a few drops of lemon essential oil and get instant relief.(10, 11)

6. Peppermint Essential Oil

It is important to control the fungal infections that develop on corns to prevent their further spread. With its antifungal properties, peppermint oil is a great source to heal corns. It weakens foot corns and aids in their early shedding.

Additionally, the stimulating properties of peppermint oil make it an excellent choice for inflammation and bruising due to corns.(12)

7. Chamomile Essential Oil

Chamomile essential oil treats various skin issues and is one of the most common ingredients in skincare products. It is hypoallergenic, heals wounds, and neutralizes skin irritants. Different bioactive constituents are present in chamomile and effective against corns.

Applying camomile essential oil directly over the corns helps get rid of them quickly.

[ Read: How to Use Honey to Heal Wounds ]

How To Use Essential Oil For Corns?

Essential oils are concentrated compounds extracted from plants. Therefore, you need to combine them with a carrier oil like coconut oil, olive oil, or any other carrier oil of your choice and apply it to the affected areas.

You can also prepare a DIY blend of essential oils for corns. For this blend, you would require a few drops of oregano essential oil, basil essential oil, and lavender essential oil, along with an equal amount of carrier oil and one teaspoon of baking soda.

Mix all the ingredients in one bowl of warm water and stir well. Empty this blend in a glass jar and apply a drop over corns twice or thrice daily. After a few days, you will notice corns getting softer and eventually dissolve.

Another way of using essential oils for corn is combining them with Epsom salt and soaking the foot for a few minutes. Epsom salt consists of magnesium that reduces inflammation and thus helps in corn.

Final Words

One effective, safe, and natural way to manage corns is using essential oils that have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. The combined effect of these two relieves pain and controls inflammation due to uncomfortable corns.

Another benefit of using essential oils is there are no side effects, and the skin gets deeply nourished and moisturized. So, essential oils are your go-to solution if you are looking for an effective home remedy.