Blisters are bubbles of fluid that form under the top layers of skin when excessive friction causes the layers to separate. After 2-5 days a new layer of skin grows and the bubble of fluid is reabsorbed into the body, after which the skin that contained the bubble dries up and peels off. Once in position though, you can say goodbye to blisters. In fact, they’re so effective I suspect shoe manufacturers will eventually start including something similar in the soles of all their shoes. That being said, they won’t peel off like plasters and they won’t wear off like anti-blister creams and powders, and they also provide cushioning if you tend to put a lot of impact pressure on your heels.

Spend the money and get the best pair you can afford and ensure the ball of the foot fits comfortably inside the widest part. Each patch has a hard-wearing but very smooth coating so your foot doesn’t suffer from shear friction which is the biggest cause of foot blisters. Infected blisters are very painful and can become very dangerous if left untreated as the infection can easily spread to other parts of the body. It can even turn into a life-threatening illness if sepsis develops. Not good when you’re on a long-distance hike miles from the nearest chemist or medical centre. That plea might give you an indication to how highly I rate this product and I’d place them higher in this list if they were actually sold as blister prevention, but they’re actually designed for alleviating the pain of plantar fasciitis, and blister prevention is something I inadvertently stumbled upon.

The heel shouldn’t ride up and down when you walk and there should be at least half an inch from the end of your longest toe to the inside tip of the shoe. So how do you know if a blister becomes infected? It’s sometimes difficult to notice the difference between an infected and uninfected one as even uninfected fluid bubbles can feel very sore and look red and inflamed, but there are a few tell-tale signs to be aware of.

When the upper layers of skin on a foot are damaged through abrasion, the body’s response is to protect it under a sterile fluid-filled bubble. This we already know. The fluid acts like a bandage, preventing bacteria from entering the wound and reducing the risk of infection. It’s that last point that sees me purchasing new boxes of Ballotte heel protectors every month as they’re great to use with running shoes, but note that your feet will get a wee bit sweaty if you wear them all day and if you use them a lot they’ll start tearing after a week or so. If you feel the blister needs to be drained consult with your GP who will be able to release the fluid with a sterilized needle while keeping as much of the skin intact as possible. They will also cover the blister with a protective ointment and cover the wound with a dressing which will help prevent bacteria from entering it. So that’s the process of getting a blister, which probably doesn’t sound all that bad if you’ve never suffered from them, but if you have you’ll know how painful they are and how much they can impact your walking adventures. With your clean hands gently feel around the area and look for any signs that the skin bleeds when touched. You may also notice a degree of warmth around the blister and the skin might be peeling away.Blisters will disappear on their own, usually within five days. The body’s first reaction is to cover the exposed separated skin with a sterile fluid which encourages new skin to grow. I’d say the material in these plasters is more durable than Compeed patches but they’re also more noticeable, so if you’re a lady wearing open shoes this probably isn’t the product for you. If you feel localized heat in your foot when walking it’s usually the first indication that you’re about to get a blister. If you like to expose your feet (high heels etc) you’ll be pleased to know Compeed patches are semitransparent so once applied they’re barely noticeable, and if you’re covering up a pre-existing blister they have a deep cushioning layer which allows you to get on with your day when you’d otherwise feel every touch against the exposed raw skin. Before doing any prodding and poking make sure your hands are thoroughly cleaned with soap and water and preferably give them an additional rinse with antibacterial gel.

They can be caused by a number of medical complaints, but the most common is friction to the skin of the foot from parts of the shoe that rub against toes, heels, and soles. Second, they contain a special hydrocolloid gel (which provides moistness) to encourage new skin growth and I have to say whenever I’ve had a blister they always seem to heal faster in a Compeed patch than when I just leave them open to the air, admittedly because whenever I do that the fluid bubble inevitably pops too early. I write this having returned from a fantastic week in the Morar peninsula that was somewhat marred on the last day when my other half ended up with a couple of very painful blisters on her feet caused by ill-fitting shoes, as you can see in the photos above (no, they’re not my feet. Wrong colour nail polish).

Heel pain relief ✔ Help relieve severe heel pain and discomfort from your sore hurting heels, heel spur treatment, bone spurs, aching feet, aches, stress fractures, bruised, and sprained feet. They can even help with sharp extreme heel soreness and swollen ankles For the infection to be diagnosed a small tissue sample may be taken after which they will likely prescribe antibiotics either in the form of an oral tablet or a cream or ointment that is applied directly to the affected area.