Jason King, age 7, of Huntsville, Ala., for his question:

WHAT ARE CORNS ON THE FEET?

Sometimes the outer layer of skin, which is called the epidermis, will form a small, hard, shiny thickening called a corn. This thick growth often presses on the dermis, which is the deeper skin layer, and causes it to become thin and tender.

Friction and pressure cause corns. They usually develop over joints of the toes of people who wear shoes that do not fit properly.

Corns can actually form almost anywhere on the body where friction and pressure can injure the skin. Soft corns often develop between the toes where the thickened skin remains soft because of the almost constant bathing of sweat.

To cure a corn it is necessary first of all to remove the things that cause it to form. Plasters may help to relieve the pain. Only a doctor should remove a corn by cutting it.