Discussion: Blister

When I discover I'm blister-prone in some location, I start taping that location on both feet (or hands or whatever) with Leukotape P. I put it on the night before the race with foot bent or extended to allow maximum movement because the tape isn't stretchy - just extremely sticky. It seems to stick better if you put it on in advance. In Ontario, you can get it at Shoppers Drug Mart Home Health Care stores (not regular Shoppers stores). Trav and Baloney taught me about it.
http://clinicsuppliescanada.com/leukotape-p-1-5-x-...

When it's too late and I already have a blister, it can help to use Second Skin on top of the blister with really good adhesive tape (like Leukotape) holding it in place. It will still hurt but the Second Skin is not sticky and it's like stiff Jello so the friction from your shoe is not fully transferred to the painful area. I checked and it appears to be available in Finland.
<https://www.apo-rot.fi/tuotteet/ravitsemus-urheilu...>

Another option is to cut the shape of your blister out of the Leukotape (or other adhesive tape) and cut another larger piece of tape. Stick the sticky sides together and tape your blister with only the unsticky side of the tape touching your blister. That doesn't put any padding over your blister, which can be better or worse depending on where it is and how much pressure there is against your shoe.

Take your shoes off whenever you can to help the blister to dry out faster.

The expert on this is John Vonhof, who wrote the book "Fixing Your Feet" and also has a website. He has all kinds of ideas that might work better for you. Feet are very individual.
<http://www.johnvonhof.com/Fixing-Your-Feet.html>

Hope it clears up soon!

awesome advice.

This is great, thanks Bash!

I second the pretaping with leukotape thing, you can leave it on for several days too sometimes ;)

Also pretty much the same advice once you get a blister, but I don't know if there is any difference between those sort of oval-ish gel pads you can get and second skin?
http://www.scholl.com.au/footcare-products/blister...
Tape over helps them stay on, otherwise often an edge will try to roll up and that can just make things worse...

Looks like I'm on the hunt for some leukotape!

Leukotape P (not stretchy) sticks better than Leukotape K (stretchy - like K-Tape) so I'd look for that. As Salal says, you can leave it on and shower with it for a few days.

Second Skin also makes those oval blister pads. They can be great if they are the right size and shape, and if they don't feel bad on the blister. They are different from the Second Skin gel pads (I buy burn pads if I don't find blister pads) that you can cut to different shapes and tape on. There is more moisture in the latter and less rubbing so it feels better if the blister is open. But it can move around more too. Try things out and see what you like. Everyone develops their own favourite tricks!

My best trick once you've got the blister is to find molefoam and cut it in the shape of a donut that fits around the blister, then bandaid or tape over the donut to hold it there. Avoid sticking anything directly to the blister.

For orienteering, I always had to wet my o shoes before putting them on to soften them up and to able to tighten them fully. Other people have been skeptical of this strategy but then gotten so desperate they've come around. I've also been using a lot of duct tape on spots that get blisters so then your shoes rub on a slippery surface, not on your skin, similar to the leukotape strategy above. Absolutely do not put duct tape on once the blister has already formed; then you'll just pull off the top layer.

Ditto Carol re moleskin/molefoam plus bandaid.

Then Leukotape or duct tape on blister-prone areas... I've been using Johnson and Johnson waterproof adhesive tape*, 1" wide, but no one carries it anymore and Amazon is expensive (US$6 per roll). I'll look for the Leukotape-P; otherwise duct tape may have to do, but I don't find it as comfortable as the waterproof adhesive tape.

*Not for blisters, because my shoe fit is okay, but for plantar fasciitis support.