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Blisters: First Aid
By Matt Unangst, 29 Jan 18:54
Blisters are extremely irritating, but we all get them. Knowing how to prevent and treat blisters can make them far less onerous
Blisters can be caused by a plethora of different things. Your skin develops blisters in order to protect skin that has become irritated or torn from becoming infected. To keep this protection, you should do your best to keep your blister intact if it is not too painful. To do so, put another protective layer over the blister: an adhesive bandage if it is a small blister or an absorbent gauze pad if the blister if larger in size.
If your blister is uncommonly painful or prevents you from walking or using your hands, you should pop it. Here are the steps that you should follow when puncturing your blister:
1) Wash the blister and your hands with soap and warm water
2) Sterilize the blister carefully with rubbing alcohol or iodine
3) Sterilize the needle you are going to use with rubbing alcohol
4) Punch several holes around the blister near the edges
5) Let the fluid drain slowly from the blister, but do not remove the skin covering it
6) Put antibiotic ointment on the blister and cover it with an adhesive bandage or gauze pad
You should take the following steps several days after popping your blister:
1) Remove the bandage or gauze
2) Sterilize tweezers and scissors with rubbing alcohol
3) Cut away any dead skin around the blister
4) Re-apply antibiotic ointment and cover it with another bandage or gauze pad
There are some warnings that go with this self-treatment method. People who have diabetes or problems with circulation should consult a doctor before treating their own blisters. If you see any signs of infection around the blister, you should see a doctor. Signs of infection include redness, pus, increased pain, and warm skin.
Better than any blister treatment is blister prevention. If there is any part of your body undergoing frequent friction, cover the area with a bandage or protective covering. Most blisters occur on the hands and feet; wear gloves or an extra pair of socks to prevent these blisters. There are athletic socks available with extra padding for areas more likely to suffer from blisters. You can also apply moleskin to parts of your shoe with which you have blister problems.
The best foot-blister-prevention method, however, is to buy better fitting shoes. Here are some tips for shoe shopping to avoid blisters.
• Measure both of your feet frequently. Shoe sizes can change periodically during your life and one of your feet may be bigger than the other. Buy shoes that fit your bigger foot.
• Go shopping during the middle of the day. Your feet swell during the day, so going in the middle of the day will ensure that you have a pair of shoes that will fit you at all times.
• Wear the socks you plan on wearing with the shoes when you are trying them on. They can affect the fit of the shoes you are buying.
• Leave toe room in the pair of shoes you are buying.
• Buy flexible, supportive shoes with cushioned insoles for greater foot comfort.
• People with bunions or hammertoes should avoid shoes with seams in the toe box, as they can irritate these conditions.
Tags: blisters, first aid, gauze, rubbing alcohol, bandage, puncture, drain, pus