Summer mania is here and so is the itch to go hiking, trekking, or walking miles with friends. Wait a minute. Would the blisters on your feet allow you to do what your heart wants? Not quite.
First of all, it is important to know the cause of blisters. They largely happen due to friction which happens when your feet go wet, hot or dirty. In order to avoid blisters, you have to overcome friction and keep your feet happy by getting them clean, cool and dry. It’s not a tough job but you can do it if you want your feet to get the same attention as your face. Remember one thing. Don’t make the mistake of putting band-aid on the blisters. That’s a temporary method to overcome the pestering blisters on your delicate feet. Got it?
Tips to prevent blisters from happening
Here are some ways and techniques by which you can reduce blisters popping up on your feet.
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Choosing socks
Don’t just wear socks, wear the right socks. Only then would you be able to prevent blisters from happening. Socks keep moisture at bay and provide extra support to the feet. Instead of wearing cotton socks, go for nylon socks. Cotton socks soak up the sweat and in the process make room for more blisters to surface. Nylon allows breathability of the skin and gives less room for moisture build up on your foot. As an alternative, you can wear 2 pairs of socks, one atop the other.
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Wear proper shoes
If you want to reduce the friction or rubbing, keep some gap between the end of your toes and the shoe. Try and stay away from wearing shoes that put pressure points on your toes.
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Role of Tincture
Preventing blisters from forming is a tough job. For that you need to toughen your skin. As a matter of fact, you can apply a tincture of benzoin in order to harden your foot skin. Also try walking barefoot in and around the cool places of your home and in safe outdoor areas. This will help toughen up your soles.
Source: trailandultrarunning.com
Preventing friction
Use any of these techniques in order to prevent blisters get the better of your feet:
- Try to stay dry by applying talcum, foot powder, or corn starch on your toes. Should your socks feel wet and soggy, immediately slip into a new pair of socks.
- Avoid getting into the habit of putting skin covers such as second skin, moleskin, blister blocks or for that matter zinc oxide tape over the areas on your foot which you feel are prone to blisters.
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How to treat blisters
Here are few tips to fight blisters in case they happen.
- If the blister is full of liquid and hasn’t got torn yet, pierce it from the side at the base point using sterilised needle so that the liquid can come out.
- If the blister has got torn, be patient enough in cutting away the loose skin around the blister. Follow it up by using an antiseptic.
- Give some time for the blister to dry out and harden in the open air.
- If you want to go back to hiking in spite of the troubling blister, then put a band aid or gauze over the torn blister as a precautionary measure.
- Keep checking the blister at each stop when you are on a hiking mission. Also give it sufficient time to dry off. It is important to keep it clean and sterilised so that no further infection happens.
As a thumb rule, keep walking each day. This will help condition your body when you plan to go for hiking. It would also improve your patience and endurance and condition your feet appropriately.
