What is wrong with my toes?

I've had these calluses or... well, I'm not even sure what they are, on my toes for years. I'm 19 and I've literally had them as long as I can remember. At first I just assumed they were calluses that formed because I grew up in a house that had all hard wood floors and I crack my toes by curling them under the foot and pressing down, if that makes any sense. But I haven't lived there in two years and I wear well-fitted shoes when I am forced to wear shoes. Usually I wear open-toed shoes like sandals or no shoes at all around the house.

I think they are calluses, but they never go away and there is rarely any pressure on that specific area of my toe, letalone a constant pressure that would cause a callus to form.

So I'm seriously confused here! I've tried cutting the excess skin off, as I can't even feel it and I can cut off quite a chunk of it, and I've also invested in a pumice stone thing that I've used quite a few times.

I guess what I'm asking is, what are these things and how can I get them to go away?

Here are a couple of pictures:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...6/DSC02717.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...6/DSC02715.jpg

[FootDoc]

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What I see in your photos appears to be a slight redness and thickening of the skin or perhaps keratosis over the interphalangeal joint of the great toe and lesser of the same over the proximal interphalangeal joint of toes 2 and 3, consistent with intermittent rubbing of the area by the shoe when the toes flex and that portion becomes prominent. These sorts of toe irritations are generally either painless or almost so. In most cases I would generally advise leaving them alone and only be concerned if the toes become more fixed in flexion or if the areas become painful.

[Marshie]

My husband has the same sort of thing on two of his fingers - they look very similar anyway - and have no idea how or why they appeared.

I used the foot file and the CCS Foot Balm which I use on his feet, on his fingers and the callouses have almost disappeared - it only took about a week to see a difference. Try this and see what happens.

I really don't think cutting them out is a good idea.

Let me know how you get on.

[mimipod]

It is difficult to view the photos you have sent and have an accurate diagnosis. The previous posts have their merits but if you have concerns you should consult a specialist and investigate all possible options for treatment in a surgery setting. Internet advise can only go so far in assisting you

I suggest getting better and bigger shoes.
I have worn size 8 1/2 shoes my whole adult life.. or so I thought.
I would get calluses all over my toes and they would get swollen and they hurt pretty bad.
I started wearing a size 9, and the pain stopped

[FootDoc]

You might be surprised to know that the sizes of shoes are not really standardized. The size number 8, 8/12, 9 is a pretty-much standardized length, but the width of the shoe relates to its volume, not just its width. So, although all size 8 shoes should be about the same length, the width designation is a function of both how wide and how high the shoe is relative to its length. To add to the problem, each manufacture makes shoes to conform to a last or form which the company believes to be the shape of the foot which will accommodate most folks. Obviously, unless one has shoes custom made from a cast of his/her foot, shoes of a particularly labeled size from different manufactures will fit the same person better or worse. Therefore, it is never wise to buy shoes by size alone, but by the one which feels most comfortable on one's foot. The optimum time of day generally to buy shoes is when the feet have reached their maximum swelling for the day. Shoes which are overly large may be more wearable than those which are too small, but they can still produce problems, albeit different ones. If the shoe is not comfortable in the store, it is generally unwise to believe that it will become comfortable after some wear. So, if the shoe fits . . wear it.