Blister free, comfy feet: Part 3: When all else fails…how to handle blisters on your feet

The adorable Madden Girl zipper pumps that gave me blisters.

I failed to follow my own advice on how to have blister free comfortable feet. Recently, I went out to a play and decided to wear an unworn pair of heels, which turned out to be very uncomfortable. By the end of the night, my feet were covered in blistered.

In case this happens to you, here is some advice to treat blisters and make your shoes and feet more comfortable the next day.

Foot blisters can become infected because of their proximity to the floor and ground. You need to monitor them for signs of infection, such as increased pain, swelling, redness or warmth around the blister (WebMD, 2009).

Although blisters can be painful, there are ways to may them more comfortable to deal with while they heal.

First, it is usually best to leave blisters alone. If your blister is less than 1 inch in diameter, do not break it unless it is bothering you. Furthermore, it’s best to avoid shoes the rub where the blisters are, especially the shoes that caused the blister. What I find the best thing to wear is usually flip-flops because they have minimal contact with your feet.

If you must wear a closed shoe, gently cover the blisters making sure to avoid sticking any adhesive to the blister itself. Band-aids work well, especially on the sides and top of foot. For the bottom of the foot, try a donut shaped moleskin pad. Do not wrap the entire foot or ankle with tape.

Blisters may be popped if they are painful or in a location that rubs against a shoe. To do so:

1.        1) Wash your hand thoroughly with antibacterial soap

2.       2) Gently, wash and dry the blister

3.       3) Sterilize a thin needle using either alcohol or soap and water

4.       4) Make a small puncture with the needle near the side the blister and gently squeeze the fluid out. Do not rip or pull the outer layer of skin

5.       5) Apply and anti-bacterial ointment to the blister and cover it with a bandage (WebMD, and Mayo Clinic, 2010)

For my blisters, I wore flip-flops when I could. When I couldn’t I covered the blistered in band-aids and wore comfortable shoes for a couple days.

Hope this help! Do you have any tips for dealing with blisters?

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Please note: Blisters can be a serious problem. This post is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. If your symptoms worsen or do not get better, please seek medical attention.

Related Posts:

Update: Blister free, comfy feet: Part 2: How to make high-heels more comfortable

Blister free, comfy feet: Part 2: How to make the high-heels you already own more comfortable

Blister free, comfy feet: Part 1: How to shop for comfortable shoes

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Sources:

Mayo Clinic. (January 2010). Blisters: First aid. Mayoclinic.com. Retrieved October 25, 2010 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-blisters/WL00008.

Web MD. (May, 2009). Blisters - Home treatment. Retrieved October 25, 2010 from http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/blisters-home-treatment?page=1.

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