In brief:Calluses can be advantageous to some athletes but painful to others, while corns are characteristically painful. Corns and calluses, which may be confused with plantar warts, can be differentiated by gentle paring with a scalpel. This will reveal soft, granular, elongated mounds of dermis projecting up into the epidermis if the abnormality is a wart. Treatment of corns and calluses includes relieving the cause of pressure or friction. Properly fitting shoes and corn/callus pads can help prevent or minimize these common skin disorders.