Mister Blister, Please Go Away!

What do the following scenarios have in common?

1. Slipping shoes on after being in the pool or at the beach
2. During sports seasons, the kids are wearing different shoes and getting their feet wet from sweat or post-practice showers
3. You wearing that perfect pair of heels that looks good but doesn't fit so well

…all of these scenarios may end the same way…with a blister! What exactly are blisters? They are painful, fluid filled lesions (Ew!).
More importantly, what are common causes of blisters?

• Shoes that don't fit well
• Stiff shoes
• Wrinkled socks that rub against your skin
• Excessive moisture
• Foot deformities

Now that you know everything you ever wanted to know about blisters, check out these nifty tips that will help you to prevent them but also care for them if they do appear:

• Dry your feet thoroughly after swimming, bathing, working out, etc.
• Always wear socks, which can act as a cushion between your feet and shoes.
• Wear shoes that fit! (Those heels might look real nice, but if they don't fit, your feet will turn on you by the end of night!)
• Stay away from popping blisters. Instead, carefully do the following:

1. Open a corner of the blister closest to the bottom of thefoot with a sterilized utensil, such as a sewing needle
2. Drain
3. Apply antibiotic cream
4. Cover with a bandage

• Check the blister on a regular basis to make sure that it's not getting infected.

TIP: Let blisters know that they are not welcome! Take care of your feet – they'll love you for it!
Be careful though as blisters are not to be confused with warts;
Instead of being fluid filled, and soft, warts are a painful thickening of the skin, and generally stays to the sole of the foot.

Unlike blisters, warts are caused by a virus which can enter the skin through a cut or abrasion.
How can you avoid warts in the first place?

• Don't walk barefoot
• Change your shoes daily
• Keep your feet clean and dry - which may be difficult if you have sweaty feet - use a powder if this is occurring

Don't do these things:

• Don't use home treatments
• Don't try to dig the warts out, even though it may be tempting; a podiatrist will know how to deal with them
• Podiatrists use laser treatments, or Duofilm, a liquid 'aspirin' type wart remover.

There is one other foot condition that you might think is a wart, but is not: Calluses or Corns
The determining way to tell if you have this condition is a painful thickening of the skin, over bony protrusions, or at points of pressure from your shoes. They can also occur on the bottom of the foot, much like warts do.
What causes them?

• Repeated friction and pressure from rubbing against bony areas or lumps in your shoe.
• Tight stockings
• Tendon Imbalance
• And NOT YOUR FAULT: Heredity

How to avoid them:

• Avoid tight-fitting shoes, socks and hosiery - just as with blisters.
• Wear supportive shoes with a roomy toe box, and low heel - which is more comfortable anyway.


• Do not use heating devices on feet; instead soak in cool water and ice - on the other hand, soaking them with warm water, and then using a pumice stone to scrape off the extra skin is good to do.
• You can use over the counter creams - but don't use medicated callus corn remover pads
• You can also ask a podiatrist for anything using Pendinol's Ureacin-10 cream and AmLactin Moisturizing Lotion (read the ingredients on over the counter lotions to see if these ingredients are contained)

TIPS: Be sure to wear COMFORTABLE shoes, and if possible, soft pads to avoid hard bottoms of leather soled shoes from creating heel strike, or calluses if you have uneven or bony feet. This is especially useful if you spend your days standing in thin soled, hard shoes. And please, wash your feet often!
Source: "Summer Foot Fixes", American Podiatric Medical Association.
Posted In: Fitness: 10/27/2011