How To Treat A Blister
The best solution for blisters is to prevent them from forming in the first place. To prevent a blister, first you have to understand where they come from. Blisters develop from friction, the highest friction occurs when things are wet, hot or dirty. To avoid blisters you want to keep your feet clean, dry and cool.
Wear proper boots. To minimize rubbing you want to have a thumb’s width between the boot and the end of your toes. Avoid wearing boots that have pressure points. Make sure to break in your boots before you wear them for prolonged periods of time.
Choose the right socks. Layering two socks can reduce friction; also wearing synthetic wicking fabrics that remove moisture will help. Avoid wearing cotton as it absorbs moisture and can be more abrasive than other fabrics. Do not wear tube socks as their loose fit causes rubbing.
Prevent friction by applying foot powder. If your socks get wet, change to a new pair. Prevent rubbing by putting skin covers such as mole skin, blister blocks, wrapping tape, or even duct tape over areas on your feet that are prone to blisters.
Should a blister occur after you’ve followed these preventative measures, to treat them, first clean around the area of the blister with warm water and soap. Next, decide if you want to let the blister heal by itself. As a rule, if the blister does not make walking painful, you should let it heal on its own. Drain the blister if it is not practical to let it heal on its own. Sterilize a needle with alcohol and/or boiling water, do not use a match to sterilize the needle, the fire will oxidize any coatings on the metal and leave particles that can cause an infection. Once the needle is sterilized, insert it into the base of the blister and allow it to drain without removing the skin, removing the skin runs the risk of infection. Then, cover the blister with a mole skin or other protective cover. Allow the blister to heal in open air as much as possible. If you must continue to hike, place a donut shaped moleskin to the area. It will allow the blister to heal and prevent more friction to the skin. Make sure to keep checking the blister as you stop to rest and keep it clean. If the blister has excessive amounts of pus draining from it, starts to smell, or becomes red, the blister is probably infected. Make sure to see a doctor.
