Hydrocolloid Bandages for Blisters

[Bster13]

Moleskin sweated off my heels last time I went for a long hike and someone mentioned Hydrocolloid bandages as a better way to address blisters:

http://www.explainthatstuff.com/blisterplaster.html

Question.... do you pop a blister and drain out what fluid you can prior to applying the blister, or do you leave the blister intact and the bandage absorbs the fluid in the blister through your skin?

Have these worked for anyone else?

Thanks!

[Bear Cables]

My sister who is a nurse brought hydrocolloid bandages on our section hike and it seems to really work. She put some on a hot spot and it stayed put all week like a second skin. She gave some to a couple of other hikers with blisters...a regular Florence Nightengale! I will pack it next trip instead of moleskin.

[GGS2]

Question.... do you pop a blister and drain out what fluid you can prior to applying the blister, or do you leave the blister intact and the bandage absorbs the fluid in the blister through your skin?

I haven't used these hydrocolloid plasters, but I use methylcellulose gel in pottery and book binding. It's generally a gel former and a mild adhesive.

In my experience, if I get a blister and fail to attend to it before it forms fully, there's usually no pop or don't pop option: it's already shredded. At that point, I generally inspect to see if the separated skin should be removed, but often just apply a layer of bandage. As several people have discovered, an overlayer of duct tape generally protects well for a day at a time. Be generous, and apply it so it has a good mechanical grip wherever the blister is. On a hot spot, you can apply it directly over the abrasion area. On a blister not yet popped, you can apply a pad with the tape over it, on the understanding that the blister will probably pop before the day is out, or you can just apply it as for a hot spot. The fluid under the skin will act like the hydrocolloid pad. If the blister is popped and bloody, I generally apply some topical ointment before applying a light dressing and the tape cover.

If you are doing this at camp, wait until the morning to apply the duct tape. Depending on the state of the wound and the type of ointment you use, you can clean and apply a light dressing before sleep, or just let it air out overnight.

The duct tape is a mechanical barrier which protects the wound and keeps other dressings in place while you hike. Except on open wounds, it doesn't need much padding. The slick tape coating will help to avoid more abrasion. If you need a packing to absorb exudate and prevent adhesion to the open dermis, almost anything clean and absorbent will do, even facial tissue or bathroom tissue. Just a small, clean pad of it.

Of course, if you have a wet, rough day on the trail next day, any dressing may fail, in which case you should do it all over again, making sure to dry your foot thoroughly, etc. But I have used this method over several wet days in a row with good results. A few bloody blisters and black toe nails will not generally hobble you, but daily or more frequent care may be required. Oddly, blisters and minor foot injuries like bloody toenails are usually only mildly annoying, provided the injury is not rubbing constantly on a hard shoe part, or something. If the wound remains sore and gets worse, carefully inspect the shoe for a problem, like a frayed lining, a protruding seam, or a tight spot. It may be possible to do some minor shoe surgery to get you through the section.

Special bandages like the one under discussion may be an advance, as may foot dressings for wet conditions, etc., but you should be able to take care of minor foot problems like blisters with whatever you have on hand. Which should include some sort of tape (duct or athletic), some kind of clean dressing material, a sharp knife or scissors, and some antiseptic cream, ointment or topical fluid. If you are an ultra light nut, note that almost all of these can be multipurpose.