Often linked to manual labour or sport, hand callosities are common. However, they can impede movement and become painful. Fortunately, solutions exist to restore smoother hands. How can callosities be reduced? Continue reading to find out.
Optimal techniques for the removal of hand calluses.
Summary
Published on February 11, 2026, updated on February 11, 2026, by Sandrine, Scientific Editor — 5 min of reading
Themes:
How do calluses form on the hands?
The calluses correspond to a localized thickening of the skin, most often observed on areas subject to repeated mechanical stresses such as the feet, the elbows or the hands. They appear when the skin is exposed over prolonged periods to pressure or friction, triggering the body's natural protective response. The stratum corneum then gradually thickens, forming a hard plaque composed of compacted dead cells, intended to limit damage to the underlying tissues. At this stage, the callus is not necessarily painful, but it can become troublesome both functionally and aesthetically.
Over time, this thickened skin may be accompanied by visible changes, such as a yellowish discolouration, redness or itching. When the thickening becomes significant, the callosity may even become sensitive or painful under pressure, which underlines the importance of prompt management.
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Callus or corn: how can one distinguish between them?
Although they share common characteristics, corn and callus should not be confused.
A callosity corresponds to a diffuse thickening of the stratum corneum, generally not painful, which constitutes a progressive protective response of the skin.
The corn is a more localised and circular lesion, with a hard central core surrounded by an inflammatory zone, often painful under pressure.
What are the causes of callosities on the hands?
Callosities never arise at random.
Their formation results from repeated activities exerting pressure or localized friction on specific areas of the hand. However, some individuals are more susceptible, depending on their lifestyle, sporting practices or professional activities. Situations likely to provoke calluses include playing a musical instrument such as the guitar or violin, which places intense strain on the fingers; sports training involving the handling of hard or heavy objects (weightlifting, gymnastics, ball sports); and performing manual labour requiring repeated tool use. In general, all professional or recreational activities involving a sustained grip can induce localized mechanical stress that favours the thickening of the stratum corneum.
Certain clinical observations also illustrate more unexpected causes linked to everyday activities. Calluses can, for example, develop following excessive use of a mobile phone or prolonged reliance on crutches, situations in which repeated friction leads to the formation of a well-localised thickened plaque. A case report thus describes a 48-year-old woman presenting with a rough and slightly tender area on her right thumb, corresponding precisely to the phone-holding position. These examples highlight that calluses on the hands primarily reflect a mechanical adaptation of the skin to the repeated stresses to which it is exposed.
Right thumb exhibiting a callosity compared with the left thumb, which lacks one.
Source: WELSH K. M. & al. Cell thumb replaces writer’s bump: Changing times, changing callouses. Case Reports in Dermatology (2020).
How can calluses on the hands be removed?
In some cases, calluses may spontaneously disappear when the friction that caused them ceases. In practice, however, this situation remains uncommon, as it would often require stopping the activity responsible for the mechanical stress—whether a sport, playing a musical instrument or manual labour—which is not always feasible. A local management then becomes useful to gradually reduce skin thickening without weakening it.
The use of exfoliating products constitutes one of the primary approaches. Mild mechanical scrubs or keratolytic peels help to remove excess dead cells from the stratum corneum and smooth its surface. It should be noted that exfoliation must always be followed by the application of a moisturiser to help the skin restore its hydrolipidic film, which may have been disrupted. Furthermore, moisturising the skin makes it more supple and reduces the risk of callus recurrence.
Advice : If you cannot get rid of your calluses, there are also plasters containing salicylic acid available from pharmacies. This active ingredient is known for its keratolytic effect, which promotes the progressive thinning of the thickened skin area.
Sources
AKDEMIR O. & al. New alternative in treatment of callus. Journal of Dermatology (2011).
HASHMI F. & al. The evaluation of three treatments for plantar callus: A three-armed randomised, comparative trial using biophysical outcome measures. Trials (2016).
LOTTI T. & al. Unilateral palmar callus and irritant hand eczema - Underreported signs of dependency on crutches. Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences (2018).
WELSH K. M. & al. Cell thumb replaces writer’s bump: Changing times, changing callouses. Case Reports in Dermatology (2020).
