If you have a small blister on your foot – at the end of your toe or under your heel, for instance – you can protect it with a plaster. Keep it covered and the body will usually deal with it. In the case of a larger blister, put a small, sterilised needle into it and allow the fluid to drain out. Leave the skin on top intact to protect the underlying skin, then put a dry, clean dressing over the top to protect the area while it heals. Eventually, that bubble of skin will dry and peel away, and the skin underneath will have had a chance to recover. Put a fresh plaster on it every day and check that it hasn’t deteriorated.
Problems arise if a blister is inflamed, bloody and possibly dirty. In this instance, see a podiatrist, who will clear the skin from the top and ensure the wound is clean and has stopped bleeding. They will apply a sterile, moist dressing, which you should check daily. This is especially important if you are diabetic, because a foot wound is high-risk.
Blisters occur because of repetitive irritation. If you are prone to blisters in specific places, putting a blister plaster between the skin and whatever is irritating it should help to prevent them occurring in the first place.
Matthew Fitzpatrick is a consultant podiatrist at the College of Podiatry
