How to Treat a Foot Blister

Too tight, too high, and too pointed, bad footwear is one of the main causes of foot problems. Thankfully, there are many traditional remedies that help to heal the soles of our feet. 

If a blister isn’t too painful, try to keep it intact. Unbroken skin over a blister provides a natural barrier to bacteria and decreases the risk of infection, blisters occur when the two top layers of skin rub against one another until they separate, producing a hollow which fills with watery liquid.

Prevent blisters from occurring:

By always wearing shoes with socks or stockings 

Going for a hike? Opt for two pairs of thin socks instead of one pair of thick ones. The pairs of socks will rub against each other instead of rubbing against your foot.

Before a long walk rub some petroleum jelly into the sensitive skin of your feet. 

How to drain the fluid of the blister to relieve pain while leaving the overlying skin intact:

• Wash your hands and the blister with soap and warm water.
• Swab the blister with iodine or rubbing alcohol.
• Sterilize a clean, sharp needle by wiping it with rubbing alcohol.
• Use the needle to puncture the blister. Aim for several spots near the blister’s edge. Let the fluid drain, but leave the overlying skin in place.
• Apply an antibiotic ointment to the blister and cover with a bandage or gauze pad.
• Cut away all the dead skin after several days, using tweezers and scissors sterilized with rubbing alcohol. Apply more ointment and a bandage.