How ı do it: Treatment of plantar calluses and corns with an erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser

Abstract

The treatment options of calluses and corns include cryosurgery, chemical agents, electrosurgery, and scalpel removal; however, these present different limitations and side effects.1 The failure of conventional treatments may necessitate surgical intervention. The erbium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser (Er:YAG) ablates tissue with surgical precision creating minimal collateral thermal damage with the wavelength of 2,940 nm, which is strongly absorbed by liquid water in the tissue.2 Therefore, the authors evaluated the efficacy and safety of Er:YAG in treating calluses and corns as a minimally invasive alternative.