quickest way to heal blisters?

[knotzen]

My trainers have been giving me blisters, so I got a new pair, but before getting a chance to wear them, I wore dress shoes last night and ended up with quarter-size blisters on both heels.

 

I was so planning to hit the trail this weekend, and now I can only wear open-back shoes. Gaw dam it!!

 

Any tricks on healing blisters quickly? I know to drain them; then what?

 

I've heard aloe vera and vitamin E can make wounds heal quickly, but I haven't notice them make much difference in the past.

 

Idears?

 

 

[rob]

Band Aid makes a blister thingy that works good.

 

I had a knarly half-inch bleeding blister on my heel, I slapped one of those on it and hiked 5 miles without too much pain.

[knotzen]

Yeah, I've used those to prevent blisters. I'll give it a shot.

[ClimbingPanther]

if you have a Croton lechleri in your back yard, you could drain the sap and put it on your wound

[knotzen]

Hmm, I don't think I do. But thanks. Teh Interwebs tells me it's also good for hemorrhoids, birth control, and tumors.

 

A remedy every home can benefit from.

 

I did just smear some vitamin E on the wounds, and they don't hurt anymore. Maybe that does help the healing process.

[gary_hehn]

Yes, the best I've come across are BandAid blister busters. Next best, as a preventative, is regular athletic tape.

Edited June 30, 2007 by gary_hehn

[sampdx1]

As far as I know, vitamin E helps oxygenate the skin (as well as moisturizing it) for faster healing.

[mythosgrl]

My former cross country coach who was a pretty elite athlete used to cut a small hole in the blister, pump it full of pain reliever Neosporn, cover it with a band-aid, then cover it with duck tape and rub vasaline over the top. If you were planning on going hiking/climbing say, tomorrow, this is the proceedure i would follow. If not, use what everyone else is saying. I have run on big blisters pain-free before using this stystem... the neosporn keeps things bacteria-free while providing pain relief and helping your skin to heal, the ducktape helps keep the bandaid on and vasaline cuts friction.

Edited June 30, 2007 by mythosgrl

[sk]

My former cross country coach who was a pretty elite athlete used to cut a small hole in the blister, pump it full of pain reliever Neosporn, cover it with a band-aid, then cover it with duck tape and rub vasaline over the top. If you were planning on going hiking/climbing say, tomorrow, this is the proceedure i would follow. If not, use what everyone else is saying. I have run on big blisters pain-free before using this stystem... the neosporn keeps things bacteria-free while providing pain relief and helping your skin to heal, the ducktape helps keep the bandaid on and vasaline cuts friction.

 

that is totally brilliant!!!!!! i am so doing that next time i have bad blisters!!!!!

[chelle]

I learned a trick from some ultra-marathoners about 10 years ago that works for me. Put some athletes foot cream on it and the pain will be gone by the next day and the skin hardens up a bit so it is less likely to pop. Has worked for me every time I've needed it.

[rob]

How did it turn out, knotzen?

[Vickster]

I learned a new trick last summer when I got a half dollar size blister on my heal while breaking in new boots. It was a really bad one, like a blister inside a blister bad.

 

This really does work... I've done it a few times... Step one, tear the skin off the entire blister as painful as it is (worst part). Step two, apply Banana Boat Aloe Sunburn Gel (green stuff) onto the exposed tissue repeatedly every half hour. When you go to bed put a big glob on and put a sock over it.

 

The very next day you will be able to hike on that blister relatively pain free. You can also throw some Burts Bees foot salve on it to reduce friction if you like. Keep doing the routine and in 2-3 days the blister will be healed.

 

In the past, the more I tried to protect the blister the longer it took to heal. This method is counter intuitive but I assure you it works.

[denalidave]

If the blister still has the bubble in tact, take a needle & a few inches of thread (preferably sterilized) and run the thread through the blister and LEAVE the thread in the blister. This allows the wound to drain but still keeps the protective layer of skin there.

 

[CollinWoods]

Thats all interesting stuff.

[G-spotter]

Whatever you do don't drain the blister. The fluid is there for a reason - to protect the skin underneath. Leave the skin intact and it will harden into super tough callus that will prevent further blisters.

[fern]

I had matching blisters on both feet once after a bad hike. So I performed the drain vs. not drain experiment. The result was zero difference in pain, rate of healing, or quality of healing.

Just keep it dry and avoid re-irritating it and let it do its thing.

[G-spotter]

One data pt. is not a valid experiment.

[NRS]

I always drain. The skin seems to dry out more quickly, and the 'wound' is easier to cover and cushion if it's flat.

 

The fluid that forms under blisters is a result of the separation of the epidermal layers allowing serous fluids to leak, not as a natural protective mechanism for the intact skin below.

[marylou]

To not get them in the future:

 

Bridgedale socks. They fit very well.

 

The right boots. Get them now.