You can appease and prevent painful corns and calluses by eliminating the source of friction. If your corns or calluses were caused by daily activities, such as raking or weight lifting, wear work gloves. If you are breaking in a new pair of shoes, wear adhesive bandages in areas that are tight. If the shoes continue to cause discomfort after an initial breaking-in period of several days, discontinue wearing them. Wear shoes that fit you well -- your feet should not feel cramped, but neither should they slide around inside the shoes. If you do not know your correct shoe size and width, have your feet measured at a shoe store.

Soak calluses and corns in warm water mixed with soap and Epsom salts for 10 minutes. This softens and cleanses the skin and should help reduce swelling and pain. Repeat daily until you are pain-free.

After soaking your skin and patting it dry, gently exfoliate corns or calluses. Use a washcloth, pumice stone or emery board to remove a layer of hardened skin. Do not use sharp objects to trim corns or calluses, because doing so can cause cuts and infections. Apply a natural moisturizer, such as raw shea butter or coconut oil, and cover with non-medicated corn pads.

Individuals with diabetes or other medical conditions should consult with their doctors before treating corns or calluses, suggests Mayo Clinic. People with diabetes have higher instances of circulatory problems and numbness. This could cause you to over-trim corns and calluses, which could lead to an infection you can not feel. Infections left untreated could end in serious health problems, with the worst case being amputation -- this is far too harsh a treatment for corns or calluses.