Blister Care

Stitcher · Aug 28, 2011

Ok everyone.....
 
I FINALLY got a successful 12 mile run completed.
Yay!
However,
I was left with some gifts.
Blisters 1, 2, and 3. The one on my toe isn't as big of a deal as the others as I seem to get one there every other week.
But....I'm interested in opinions on care/treatment of them.
 
Right now....they're covered and wrapped, and I'm staying off my feet.
But, I have a scheduled 3 miler tomorrow morning, and then the rest of the week's runs and work and all that.
 
So.......
drain them and keep them covered?
Leave them alone and cover them?
Throw caution to the wind and uncover them and hope they callous over?
 
The one on my left foot is more of a blister under the callous....but the big yukky one on the right is ...... "angry" right now.
 
<a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/93228/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="blister1.jpg" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17698" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17698/width/163/height/273" style="width:163px;height:273px;"></a>
 
<a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/93230/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="blister2.jpg" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17699" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17699/width/187/height/312" style="width:187px;height:312px;"></a>
 
<a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/93232/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="blister3.jpg" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17700" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17700/width/175/height/293" style="width:175px;height:293px;"></a>

jenotter · Aug 28, 2011

oooooouuuuuuccccccchhhhh!!!
 
I have a couple spots that occasionally blister, and my M.O. is sterilize some kind of needle type thing, poke, drain, slather with neosporin and cover with a bandaid. Seems to help.
 
Stay off those feet today!!!

4boysmom · Aug 28, 2011

OUCH!!! First stop should be running store to see if they can fit you wiht a better pair of shoes! 
 
I tend to use nail clippers to cut a hole to allow fluid to drain. I do not cover unless it looks like it will get infected. For the next long run, cover with cloth tape.

pcsronbo · Aug 29, 2011

yeah, you need new shoes

Muffin Queen · Aug 29, 2011

I've always drained and covered and it has worked for me. Once healed or the skin is al least dried and fallen off I've used duct tape to prevent blisters from coming back. I used this method for 3 3day walks and it was a godsend. I haven't had an issue running though so I'm not 100% sure if it would work the same. There is a also a powder out there that my running partner uses that has been working for her since 2009. She swears by it and her Nike Frees. Let me know if you want the name of the powder and I'll get it for you.
 
Take care of those things and way to go on the 12 miles!

Stitcher · Aug 29, 2011

Update:
Blister surgery was a success.....although I'm pretty sure Rabbit and I broke every medical treatment rule in existance.
Except we did manage to remember to sterilize the pin that poked the holes in the durn things.
 
Had a 3 miler scheduled for this morning, and the tender skin meant that we ended up walking the last 3/4 mile home.
But, they didn't refill.
 
Got in the pool today and could tell when the chlorinated water found the raw skin. yeah, that was "super awesome".
 
I'm in chockos today....and have them slathered and covered up. I don't have to wear "grown up shoes" till Thursday so
until then, it'll be either sandals, flip flops or maybe running shoes.
 
Re the duct tape:
Do you stick it directly onto your foot, so it's the outer layer that's in contact with your sock? Do you wrap it around your foot, or just stick it on like a bandaid only bigger?

4boysmom · Aug 29, 2011

The only time I've done "real" medical treatment was on the 3-day. We weren't allowed to treat our own blisters. They did the whole sterile needle, mole skin, antibiotic ointment, etc, etc, etc...... What should have been a "drain it and go" turned into the most wicked infected mess you have ever seen. 
 
Can't speak for duct tape, but for cloth medical tape, I cut it way oversized. Like for the blister on the side of your foot, I'd go up the side of the foot and then all the way across the bottom of the foot, possibly even up the other side. This way, the tape won't roll. You'll have to play with how tight. I would have my foot semi-tippy toe so while running it's not pulling. So try it on a shorter run.

Muffin Queen · Aug 30, 2011

4Boys. Wow I either didn't pay attention on 3 day instructions or just chose to ignore them. I treated all my own blisters and ended up with no infections and also being served much quicker.
 
Duct Tape: I put it directly on my skin like 4boys does with medical tape. Want to make sure it covers the whole area that gets blistered but does not roll and cause another blister in the roll location. The shiney non sticky side is against my sock.

em73 · Aug 30, 2011

I switched to WrightSocks (before I switched to VFF's) and that made 99% of my blister problems go away for good. 
 
I just pop them, wait for the skin to dry out, and then peel the nasty dead skin off. I tend to wait until they dry out to run on them again.

Stitcher · Aug 30, 2011

I probably should wait a bit to run on them, but I am time-short.
So, it looks like tonight will be the first test.
 
How do you pull OFF the duct tape without pulling off new skin?

4boysmom · Aug 30, 2011

Carefully... I usually wait until after my shower which tends to disolve some of the adhesive.

Swimmerbee · Aug 30, 2011

i use tincture of benzoin and foot powder when I get to the deperate stage. ToB toughens the skin fast and creates an adhesive on the skin. So if I need tape to stick (runnign on a lightly healed blister) I put ToB over it and then tape. If I'm trying to toughen up a new area of fresh skin I put ToB on it every day twice a day for a week but then put powder over it beucase it makes a sticky mess. If you put ToB and tape it won't come off easily and will need a long soaking in warm water to get loose.

4boysmom · Aug 31, 2011

Notice that no one has told you that you are nuts for trying to run on those wicked blisters. Kinda like the marathon I did with an ultra runner. Around m20 I felt a pop and realized that the nail on my second toe had come off. To which the other runner replied "meh, it'll grow back. No stopping now!"

JWcrew · Sep 1, 2011

GACK! I never had anything like that! I used to use a very sharp pair of scissors to trim my calluses down so I would not get blisters under them.
 
Are you wearing cotton socks?
 
Jon

Stitcher · Sep 1, 2011

Jon...no cotton...ever. Not even my clothes! lol
 
Well, ok...sometimes I wear old cotton socks for fin sets in the pool, but that's a whole different matter.
 
Tincture of benzoin.....where would one find that?
Normal pharmacies? specialty places?
 
One last tape question:
Do you put the tape on over the skin that was the blister? the stuff that's loose? Or, do you trim that off and put it on the new, tender skin?
 
Update:
Got 3 miles in today.
Left foot is good, ugly as all get out, but not hurting at all.
Right foot is better, but not great. Although this morning was the first time I could put pressure on my pinky toe while it was in a shoe since Sunday.
I figure that with the rest I'll give them between now and Sunday morning, I should be ok. Planning on the plan for Sunday morning, though.

4boysmom · Sep 1, 2011

Yes, tape goes directly on the skin. I never cut/peel so don't have raw skin. Either the layers bond back together or it dries out then I cut when the skin underneath has healed.
 
Have you gotten new shoes yet? If you are getting blisters on both sides of your foot, your shoes are too narrow. My shoes are "fitted" from the heel to the arch, forward of that has plenty of slosh room.

Swimmerbee · Sep 1, 2011

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325&tag=kickrunners-20&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FGeritrex-Benzoin-Compound-Tincture-Oz%2Fdp%2FB000GCKDP4" rel="norewrite" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Geritrex-Benzoin-Compound-Tincture-Oz/dp/B000GCKDP4</a>
 
i get it at most regular pharmacies but its somewhat old fashioned so sometimes they have to order it.
 
Or take a look at zombie runner they have some nice porducts I've sent thier kit as a gift to others
<a href="http://www.zombierunner.com/store/categories/foot_care/adhesives/product2108.html" target="_blank">http://www.zombierunner.com/store/categories/foot_care/adhesives/product2108.html</a>

Blister Care

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