How to Treat Blisters

We all get blisters from time to time, whether it’s when we’re breaking in a new pair of shoes or just spending too much time outside. When they get irritating and fill up with puss and water, you only hope not to pop it. Once the skin is torn and the watery puss oozes out, it gets even more irritating as it becomes an open wound. Not to mention it ruins your socks or even your shoes. Below I will explain how to treat blisters quickly so that you may continue to wear the same pair of shoes and continue walking as long as you want. This is a trick I learned in the infantry where you don’t take off your boots for weeks at times, so believe me it works!
Once it starts to swell up with liquid, make sure not to pop the blister. Nurture it until you have the chance to sit down and treat the blister properly. Take off your shoes and socks. For the next step you will need: a small plunger and wide needle (approx 1mm) to stick on the end, a small bottle of tincture of benzoin (also known as ‘Friar’s Balsam’) and some sports tape (approximately 3cm in width). While most people don’t have these things at home they can all be bought at your local pharmacy.
Step 1: Poke a small hole right on the edge of the blister, approximately 1mm from the outside edge blister bubble. Be careful not to poke it too deep, just enough to tear the skin and let the water ooze out. Use your thumbs to squeeze out all of the liquid from inside the blister. You may need to poke the hole again as if it’s not big enough it will close up.
Step 2: Once there is no more liquid in the blister take your plunger and fill it with tincture of benzoin from the bottle. Attach the needle (always use a clean needle!), turn the plunger and needle upside down so the needle points towards the sky. Press the plunger slightly so the tincture of benzoin starts to flow out of the needlepoint. Flick the plunger with your other hand while continuing to press on it to make sure all air bubbles have been released. Now place the needlepoint in the hole you poked in your blister earlier. Pull on it slightly so that an air pocket is formed between your flesh and outer skin (where the liquid was earlier).
Step 3: Squeeze the plunger quickly and pull it out and away from your foot. The first 3 seconds you will feel searing pain in the flesh under the blister. Be prepared so as to not push the needle into your flesh out of shock.
Step 4: Now that you have successfully replaced the liquid inside your blister with the tincture of benzoin, it will dry exceptionally quickly. Leave it there for a minute or so and drain the blister again. Leave a little tincture of benzoin inside the blister rather than draining it completely this time. Now wipe and dry all the skin surrounding your foot and apply one decent piece of sports tape across it. Make sure it sticks and will not come off.
This is how you treat blisters. From this moment on your foot problems are solved! Your skin is literally ‘glued’ back onto your flesh where the blister used to be. You can put your socks and shoes back on and enjoy your day. You may feel a little uncomfortable in the first few hours but it is nothing compared to earlier or what may have come. I recommend leaving the sports tape over the blister for 2-3 days.

Article Source: http://www.howy.org/