Blisters can be painful, especially if you have a lot of walking or standing around to do. Knowing how to prevent blisters can help, but sometimes you or your little one can be caught out - it happens to us all! If it happens to you, don’t panic. There are simple guidelines you can follow to help the blister to heal as quickly and as painlessly as possible.
Foot blisters most commonly form as a result of friction, whether that’s from doing an excessive amount of walking or wearing shoes that don’t fit properly. Children can be especially at risk because their feet grow so quickly, which is why it’s so important to measure their feet regularly and frequently so that you can try to avoid problems like blisters forming.
If your child has a blister that isn’t on their feet, or a blister has formed without any apparent reason, it’s a good idea to visit your GP or pharmacist. Sometimes, blisters can be a sign of other conditions such as allergies, infections or burns, and it’s always best to have it checked out to be safe rather than sorry.
Many of the best pieces of advice regarding looking after blisters on your or your little one’s feet are simple, common sense, but it’s worth having a refresher every now and then so you can be sure you’re not acting on misguided instincts.
Look into any discussion around blister care and you’re sure to see a debate around whether or not to burst a blister. It’s one of the most frequently asked questions relating to the condition, and to answer it, you need to understand more about what a blister actually is.
Essentially, blisters are little pockets of fluid that form to protect areas of skin that have been rubbed and damaged. With the blister intact, the area is sealed and the skin inside the blister can heal without any germs getting in. If you burst the blister, that protective barrier no longer exists, and the damaged skin is left vulnerable to infection.
Additionally, a burst blister is likely to be more painful. Because it’s open to contact without its fluid barrier in place, simple things like water, a soft breeze or even just the fabric of a sock can make a burst blister sting. This can be particularly distressing for children.
Sometimes, unfortunately, blisters can burst accidentally. Once this has happened, young children can find it very tempting to pick at the loose skin of the blister or try to peel it away. This should be avoided at all costs, because it’s very easy to peel away more than just the loose skin, making the wound larger than it was and prolonging the healing process.
One way to prevent little fingers from popping or picking at blisters is to cover them over with a plaster or dressing. This also helps to reduce the risk of the blister bursting accidentally, if it hasn’t done so already, and makes it less likely that the blister will become infected. By acting as a replacement barrier for burst blisters, a plaster can also help to keep the blister from stinging too much, which may help to avoid distress in little ones.
In the case of a burst blister, it’s best to allow the fluid to drain away from the wound before you apply a plaster. This will help the adhesive to stick well so the plaster is less likely to fall off. If the plaster or dressing comes loose at any point, take it off, gently wash the area with clean water and pat it dry with a clean cloth. Then apply a clean plaster or dressing to avoid contaminating the wound.
If you or your child developed a blister after wearing a specific pair of shoes - for example, a new pair of shoes that hadn’t yet been broken in - then the best course of action is to avoid wearing those shoes at least until the blister has fully healed. That’s because the shoes are likely to continue to apply friction on the affected area, which can make the blister worse and delay healing. If it’s a shoe you or your child wears very frequently, such as slippers or school shoes, it’s a good idea to get a new pair that can be worn comfortably and allow the damaged skin to recover.
Once the blister is healed, it’s important to check the shoes to determine whether or not they are suitable to continue wearing. If they’re brand new, it may simply be that they need to be broken in gently to avoid future pain and blisters. However, for children it can be common for blisters to be caused by shoes that are too small, since children grow out of their shoes quicker than they can wear them out.
To be on the safe side, it’s a good idea to measure your child’s feet once their blisters have healed. That way, you can easily find out if they need to move on to a larger size to avoid getting blisters again.
Last but not least, it’s very important to wash your hands before and after touching burst blisters, as this is when the wound is most vulnerable to infection. Use an antibacterial hand wash to clean your hands, and dry them thoroughly before cleansing the blister, applying a plaster or going anywhere near it with your hands.
Washing your hands is especially important if the blister has burst, but it’s a good habit to get into for any kind of wound, and even for blisters that haven’t burst. If in doubt, wash your hands with antibacterial soap. This will help the blister to stay as clean as possible, reduce the risk of infection and avoid delaying the healing process.
Author: Click Consult, published 23-07-2024.
