Foot Care & Blister Treatment

In Part One of our Foot Care series we gave a number of methods to prevent blisters while in the great outdoors. In Part two we are going to give some tips on how to treat a blister if you have the misfortune to get one while on the trail.

First step is to clean around the area of the blister with warm water and soap. Consider adding anti-bacterial ointment.

Decide if you want to let the blister heal by itself, or whether you want to drain it. As a general rule of thumb, if the blister is not making walking painful, then you should let it heal by itself.

If it is impractical to let the blister heal, treat it by draining it. Start by sterilising a needle with alcohol and boiling water.

Insert the needle at the side and base of the blister and allow all the liquid to drain.Insert the needle at the side and base of the blister and allow all the liquid to drain. Carefully insert at the edge of the blister and allow it to drain.

Do not remove the loose skin that covers a blister, as this opens it to infection.

Cover the blistered area with a compeed dressing, mole skin, second skin then a gauze bandage, plaster, or other protective cover. Cover the now protected blistered area with a gauze bandage, plaster. if you have finished activity for the day try to avoid placing the cover on any forming new skin which will initially be tender. Allow the blister to heal in the open air as much as possible.

If you continue the exercise which caused the blister, apply a doughnut shaped piece of leukofoam or moleskin to the area. The doughnut hole should be the area with the healing blister skin. Leaving it uncovered will allow it to heal, while the leukofoam or moleskin around it will prevent other friction.

The Equip Blister Kit has been designed for the management and prevention of blisters. This kit is perfect for people undertaking activities that involve skin friction such as hiking, Running, Adventure racing and kayaking.