Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Cosmetic Keratolytic Treatment of Foot Calluses and Corns

Overview

This prospective, non-randomized, controlled study evaluated the efficacy of a topical cosmetic keratolytic preparation (serum and cream containing urea, salicylic acid, and collagen) in reducing the thickness and associated pain of hyperkeratotic foot lesions (calluses and corns). High-frequency ultrasonography (18 MHz) was used for precise, quantitative measurement of lesion thickness before and after a two-month intervention. Participants were allocated to four parallel groups (treated calluses, untreated callus controls, treated corns, and untreated corn controls).

A total of 124 women aged 35-65 years, each presenting with a single non-infectious hyperkeratotic foot lesion, were allocated by lesion type (callus or corn) and by intervention (treated vs untreated), forming four parallel groups of 31. Treated participants applied 2 mL of serum followed by 2 mL of cream, each massaged into the lesion for two minutes, twice daily for two months. Untreated controls received no topical intervention over the same period. Lesion thickness (cm) was measured with an Esaote MyLab60 system and an 18 MHz linear probe, and pain was self-reported on a 0-10 visual analogue scale, at baseline and after two months. Within-group changes were analysed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and between-group reductions with the Mann-Whitney U test.

Conditions