How to treat blisters

[Drybones]

This may have been covered before but I don't recall ever seeing it, one of the most important, if not the most important thing, for new hikers to know is how to treat blisters. For me, this is the one thing that puts a damper on my hike and can suck the enjoyment right out of a hike. Once you get a blister, how do you guys treat them?

[HooKooDooKu]

Try to protect the blister if possible. Place a bandaid or some other form of tape over it to prevent additional friction from making it worst.

Medical experts always seem to say you shouldn't pop a blister and expose the raw skin... and if you simply pop it with a needle to let the fluid out, the sack seems to just refill with fluid. So the thing I was taught years ago was to get some cotton thread and a needle, sterilize both with alcohol, then thread the blister leaving some cotton thread hanging out from both sides. The idea is that the cotton thread will wick away the fluid.

[steve0423]

Moleskin and Leukotape works extremely well for me

[Malto]

I talked to a Doctor in Tahoe who was treating some infected blister how to treat them. His answer was to put a small slit in the blister to allow drainage and then attempt to keep it clean. I used to use a needle but he was right in pointing out that it doesn't leave a large enough opening and will seal shut.

however, the best treatment is prevention. Stop immediately if you feel a hot spot. It won't get better on its own.

[DocMahns]

Use an empty syringe with needle and aspirate all the of fluid out, then inject tincture of benzoin into the empty space. It hurts, it burns, but it adheres the skin back in place, toughens the spot where it used to be, and you wont have a blister anymore. I've done it to marines on foot marches before, it works.

[FarmerChef]

We use medical tape or duct tape in a pinch. I used to use Moleskin but it was too much of a pain and just wasn't working well enough under the conditions of daily hikes..at least for me. We don't pop them unless we have to and the medical tape makes it much more comfortable.

[fredmugs]

Drain it and leukotape it.

[Oak88]

Moleskin and Leukotape works extremely well for me

Leukotape for sure! Waterproof stays where you put it and has many other uses.

[Don H]

Leukotape is the only thing I've found that will stay on my foot.
If you don't use moleskin or a bandaid over the blister first you'll rip the skin off if you ever try to take the tape off.

[slbirdnerd]

Start with the right shoes and socks, and pre-hike foot maintenance...

I wear Darn Tough socks and a Fox River X_Static liner after having the worst blisters of my life last year. This combo is working great with all of my hiking footwear: waterproof Merrell Moab boot, non-waterproof Moab low, and Asics trail runners.

Take care of your feet on a regular basis by managing callouses and other problem spots. I get a wedge-shaped callous on the bottom of my pinky toes because they slide sideways under my fourth toe. If I keep that callous sanded/trimmed down, the pinky toe doesn't wedge under the other one nearly as much. If I don't take care of it I'm prone to a big blister on my pinky toe!

[Drybones]

Drain it and leukotape it.

Is this the stuff you see on tennis players, and I'm sure other athletes? I'm guessing this is the same stuff a friend told me about this week end, said the best thing he's found is to apply New Skin and then apply this tape.

[Slo-go'en]

NEW SKIN! I can't say it often enough USE NEW SKIN!!!

New Skin stings like all go out, but it disinfects, seals and stays put! Re-apply in the morning and evening and in a couple of days it will be all healed up. The last thing you want is an infected blister and New Skin goes a long way in preventing that from happening.

[Don H]

Is this the stuff you see on tennis players, and I'm sure other athletes? I'm guessing this is the same stuff a friend told me about this week end, said the best thing he's found is to apply New Skin and then apply this tape.

This stuff
http://www.amazon.com/Jobst-Leukotap.../dp/B0009Q1OPA

[criley84]

Duct tape on top of cotton ball. Probably more sterile remedies, but it works for me, haha

[lonehiker]

I have found that, early in a trip, if you stop periodically during the day to allow your sweaty feet to air dry it hastens the callous formation process. Therefore avoiding the blisters. If I do get blisters I just duct tape them and suffer through until healed. I am going to experiment with this leukotape that everyone is raving about....

[Dogwood]

Use an empty syringe with needle and aspirate all the of fluid out, then inject tincture of benzoin into the empty space. It hurts, it burns, but it adheres the skin back in place, toughens the spot where it used to be, and you wont have a blister anymore. I've done it to marines on foot marches before, it works.

That's one I haven't heard. Inject the blister with benzoin. Then, do you suggest draining all of the liquid, including the benzoin, and placing leukotape over the top?

[lonehiker]

That's one I haven't heard. Inject the blister with benzoin. Then, do you suggest draining all of the liquid, including the benzoin, and placing leukotape over the top?

I read his post as you drain the blister then inject the benzoin. That is what aspirate means...

[jbwood5]

If you know that you are going to get boot slipping and a big blister on the back of your foot (bottom of achillies), coat the area with tincture of benzoin (use a q-tip), let it dry, and apply a 2 X 3 patch of Elastakon tape. If you do it with clean dry feet, you'll be good for a week or 2 and can have wet have socks, ford streams, and soak your feet with no problem. Do not try to rip this off because you'll take off your skin. If you have to get it off, begin rolling the edges, working it off a little at a time. Expect some tape residue to stay on the skin.

This has been a long time method used by hikers and runners a lot. I taped a few hikers feet up on the AT in years past and saved their hike. Nowadays I wear trail runners and don't worry too much about heel blisters and rarely ever have a blister problem using Sta-Dry socks (which, of course, stay wet all the time )

Just remember, both products are nearly impossible to find on the trail and if you spill tincture of benzoin, it is never coming off of your clothes.

There is a company called Zombie Runner that sells small pre-packaged amounts of tincture of benzion and probably Elastikon. I usually go online and buy the small plastic containers of benzoin and Elastikon.

[evyck da fleet]

Gold Bond works for me. Heard about it from a prior thru hiker on a section hike.

[Drybones]

NEW SKIN! I can't say it often enough USE NEW SKIN!!!

New Skin stings like all go out, but it disinfects, seals and stays put! Re-apply in the morning and evening and in a couple of days it will be all healed up. The last thing you want is an infected blister and New Skin goes a long way in preventing that from happening.

I agree, it's better than band aids, just wish they would put it in a plastic bottles instead of glass.