BLISTER TREATMENT

What is the best thing to do with a blister? Drain it? Or leave it alone? In general, don't interfere with blisters that are small or those that probably won't pop on their own.They are less likely to become infected if you leave the natural covering of skin intact, and give the area time to form new skin under its protective cushion of fluid. Meanwhile, these tips will relieve the pain and itching and speed up healing. If your blister is large, or in an area where you can't avoid putting pressure on it, drain it the proper way. Never pop a burn blister, though, as there's a risk of infection if you do.

Let it be 

• Leave a blister intact if at all possible, and if it's going to pop, let it do so on its own — keep the blister clean with soap and -water. You can dab on petroleum jelly such as Vaseline or some other emollient to minimize further friction. 

• Whether and when to cover a blister depends very much on the site of the blister — if it's likely to get banged, it should be covered. Cover it with an adhesive plaster and change it at least once a day. If it is not likely to get knocked, it's best left open to the air. 

• Protect the blister with a piece of moleskin — a soft, adhesive cushion available from pharmacies. Leave it on for two days, and remove it carefully so that it doesn't tear the fragile skin beneath. 

• At night, remove all dressings from the blister to expose the area to the air. This will speed up healing. However, if the blister is in a vulnerable area and likely to rub on bedclothes, then keep it covered with a light dressing. 

• Apply calendula cream, a product made from marigold. It's traditionally used as a soothing wound healer. To keep the cream clean, cover it with an adhesive plaster or a gauze pad. 

• If you don't have any calendula cream, apply some aloe vera gel to the blister and cover it with a dressing. But be sure to use the pure gel of the plant — cut a leaf and squeeze the healing gel from the middle — as manufactured products may contain ingredients such as alcohol, which have a drying effect. 

• Try Preparation H. This may not be the normal use for a haemorrhoid cream, but it contains ingredients that relieve itching and burning, and it also provides a coating that protects the skin.

• Relieve pain and itching with a wet flannel. Soak the cloth in cold water, wring it out and lay it over the blister. 

    If it pops by accident... 

• Wash the blister with soap and water. Apply a healing cream or gel and cover with a clean dressing. Four times a day, remove the dressing and treat the raw area with a mixture made up of one part tea tree oil and three parts vegetable oil. The tea tree oil will help to kill bacteria and will also prevent infection. 

    Practise the art of careful draining 

• Do not drain a blister unless absolutely necessary — if it is -espcially large, for example, or in a spot where you can't putting pressure on it.

• Sterilize a needle. Use a pair of pliers or tweezers to hold the needle cover a naked flame for a few seconds until it glows red. it cool. Clean the blister with surgical spirit or an antiseptic cleanser such as Betadine. 

• Open a sterile gauze pad and lay it gently on top of the r. Pierce the edge of the blister, sliding the needle in side-and gently squeeze out the liquid by pressing down on gauze pad. Make sure you don't tear or remove that top of skin — it's protecting an extremely sensitive circle of beneath. 

• Apply an antiseptic cream such as Savlon and cover it with an dressing. Or cover it with Second Skin, a blister dressing made by Spenco. It's a moist, jelly-like covering that absorbs pressure and reduces friction. It can be cut to size and in place. Change it twice a day. 

• If the blister refills again later, drain it again the same way. 

• Apply a mixture of vitamin E and calendula cream to help skin to heal faster. Vitamin E comes in capsules. Slice a capsule, mix equal amounts of the vitamin and calendula oil, and apply the mixture to your blister. Reapply as needed for up to a week. 

The power of prevention 

• Don't assume you know your proper shoe size or that your feet haven't changed since you last bought shoes. Have your feet measured every time you buy. And when you try on shoes, be sure you're wearing the same kind of socks you will be wearing with the new shoes. 

• Shop for shoes in the afternoon.Your feet swell during the day, and if you buy a pair in the morning, you might be getting half a size too small. 

• Make sure new shoes are roomy in the toe area. When you're standing up, you should have a thumb width of space between your longest toe and the end of your shoe. For long walks or hikes, try wearing two pairs of socks to reduce friction. The inner pair should be made of a thin fabric like acrylic that draws out sweat, with an outer sock made of cotton. 

• You may also want to use an antiperspirant on your feet to keep them dry. Dry feet are less likely to develop blisters. • Cover blister-prone spots with a lubricant such as petroleum jelly such as Vaseline or a thick nappy ointment before you go for a run. 

• Gardeners can prevent blisters on their hands by wearing soft leather gardening gloves. If you always get blisters when you hoe the garden, even if you wear gloves, look for a hoe with a larger handle or a cushioned grip. 

• Anyone who plays racket sports will probably have to contend with hand blisters. But if they keep recurring, get advice from your local sports shop about changing the grip on your racket or wrapping it with an absorbent, soft covering.