What is the difference between callous and callus?

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asked May 10, 2024 in Body/Skin by cozycoupe (1,680 points)
What is the difference between callous and callus?
commented Jun 3, 2024 by priyankarajput (420 points)
Callous is an adjective meaning emotionally insensitive, while callus is a noun referring to a thickened area of skin.

1 Answer

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answered May 11, 2024 by gatepeeper (14,000 points)
The difference between callous and callus is callous is an adjective and callus is a noun.

However callous and callus refer to the same condition which is a rough patch of skin and the words callus and callous share a Latin root meaning hardened.

A callus is an area of thick skin that forms in places on the skin where there's a lot of repeated rubbing for a long period of time.

Over time the skin hardens from the pressure and eventually thickens leading to calluses.

Working a lot with your hands can lead to calluses developing.

You can get rid of a callus by soaking the callus in warm, soapy water which helps to soften them.

Soaking the callus in the warm soapy water to soften the callus makes the callus easier to remove.

Once you have softened the callus you can use a pumice stone, emery board, washcloth or nail file to rub the callus to remove it.

Most calluses are not permanent and can be treated at home.

After you've stopped doing the activity that leads to the callus forming, the callus will most likely go away in a couple of months.

However in some cases, workers' calluses and guitar-playing calluses go deep into the layers of your skin and may never fully go away.

Tea Tree oil is also great at removing calluses as tea tree oil is an antibacterial, antifungal, and natural antiseptic that aids callus removal and healing afterward.

Simply add a few drops of tea tree oil to warm water and soak your calluses until the skin begins to soften and lift.

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