Simply put, dealing with blisters can be quite painful. If you’re reading this, you’re likely already aware that blisters are red, raised areas resembling bubbles that primarily occur on the feet of runners. Found on the outer layer of skin, they frequently fill with fluid and can cause discomfort or itching.
Blisters often occur in runners, particularly during marathons, because of continuous friction between the skin and sock or shoe. However, they can also appear during training runs and be caused by other types of footwear.
Although most blisters do not pose a significant health threat, they should not be disregarded. If a blister is painful, it can prevent a runner from participating in activities or, in more severe cases, become infected, particularly if an unsterilized needle is used to puncture it. This article provides a comprehensive overview of blisters and offers recommendations for the top products to effectively treat and prevent them.
What Causes Blisters?
Friction, which can be caused by our socks, shoes, or both rubbing against our skin, is responsible for irritating and painful blisters. Various factors, such as an increased pace, ill-fitting shoes, and foot abnormalities like bunions, heel spurs, and hammertoes, can exacerbate rubbing and trigger blister formation. Additionally, heat and moisture contribute to heightened friction as they cause your feet to swell.
During races or long runs, when mileage is increased and there is friction, blisters often appear. Your body’s reaction to this friction is the production of fluid, which accumulates under the skin that is being rubbed.
Because moisture is also a contributing factor, races provide an ideal environment for blisters to form: the increased speed and duration of running makes you sweat more, you traverse water stations, and in warm weather, you may even pour water on your head.
Blister Treatments and Products
Injinji Injinji Run Lightweight No-Show Socks
To prevent friction, wear technical toe socks that help to isolate your toes. Injinji’s offer a lightweight design and allow your feet to splay due to the five-toe structure. Additionally, these socks feature a heel cuff that protects your Achilles and are made from a nylon-polyester blend, which helps to wick away sweat. Furthermore, they are light and breathable, providing just the right amount of cushion to ensure you don’t feel cramped or hot in warmer months.
Balega Blister Resist No Show Socks
Balega socks possess a luxurious mohair texture, justifying their cost and earning them recognition as race-day socks. These no-show socks have a significant tab preventing shoe friction against the heel and a seamless toe construction to combat hot spots. They provide the right amount of cushioning for comfort without being too bulky and feature a narrower band that securely holds the socks in place around the arch, ensuring they do not move within the shoe.
Bombas Bombas Performance Running Merino Ankle Socks
Bombas offers running socks designed with a heel cuff that prevents irritation caused by collar rubbing. Additionally, these socks feature a front cuff to protect your skin from tongue friction. The socks are contoured, cushioned, and made from lightweight, quick-drying, and highly breathable merino fabric. They also have a seamless toe for added comfort. For those who prefer a taller cuff, Bombas offers the same model in a merino quarter crew version, priced at $18.
Body Glide Body Glide Original Anti-Chafe Balm
If you frequently develop blisters on areas other than your feet, using Body Glide is the most effective method to eliminate friction on those contact points where skin rubs against skin or fabric. It is available as a practical balm stick designed to prevent chafing, and it can be purchased in different sizes ranging from .35 to 2.5 ounces, making it convenient to pack for travel or carry in your pocket while running. This balm does not feel wet or greasy, and it ensures that your pores remain unclogged.
Body Glide Body Glide Foot Glide Anti-Chafing Skin Protectant
We have been using Body Glide for a long time to protect ourselves from chafing, blisters, and other friction issues. The newly introduced Foot Glide offers the same relief, but it also includes apricot oil and leaf extracts to soften the skin and decrease inflammation. This can help to reduce hot spots and raw skin caused by the friction between your foot and shoe. Additionally, it comes in a smaller .35-ounce tube, which is convenient to carry in a pocket or hydration pack for reapplication during a run.
Megababe Megababe Thigh Rescue Anti-Chafe Stick
Megababe’s Thigh Rescue is a preventative product that can be applied to areas prone to blisters, such as the inner thighs. It is available in a regular and travel size stick, and has a formula that feels slightly creamier and more moisturizing than Body Glide. While it was not specifically designed for running, it is very effective at preventing chafing caused by sweat due to its lightly fragrant and skin-softening active ingredients, including vitamin E, aloe, pomegranate seed oil, and orange oil. Please note that there is also a fragrance-free version available.
Dr. Scholl’s Dr. Scholl’s Moleskin Plus Padding Roll
This moleskin roll, made of cotton and foam, is ideal for protecting blisters, calluses, and bunions and aiding their healing process instead of aggravating them or causing discomfort. You can conveniently cut a piece of the roll to suit your needs and apply it to the specific areas of your foot that are vulnerable to developing hot spots while running. The tape is so thin that you won’t even realize it’s applied, yet it effectively creates a strong barrier for protection.
Blisters – Treatment and Prevention
First and foremost, it is undeniably more advantageous to prevent a problem rather than having to find a solution for it later on. However, if you already have the problem at hand, there are several essential principles to consider when treating it.
- Let it heal
- Reduce the friction
- Use appropriate wound/ blister care
- Deal with the cause
Let it heal
If you experience blisters from running, your initial action should be taking a couple of days off. Due to the rapid healing of the skin, adjusting your running schedule slightly may be sufficient for the blister to heal before your next run. In case you must continue running, ensure to minimize friction and dress the blister appropriately.
Reduce the friction
There are several ways to approach this situation.
Zinc Oxide tape can be very helpful in various situations. If a blister is still healing, it is recommended to first place a plaster or gauze dressing over it, and then apply the tape on top. In case the blister has already healed and is clean and dry, it is usually safe to directly tape over it. Additionally, applying tape on healthy skin can serve as a preventive measure to avoid blisters in areas that are prone to them.
Compeed Blister Plasters are a viable choice due to their ability to expand when exposed to friction in order to provide protection for the affected area.
Applying Vaseline generously to the foot is beneficial in minimizing friction. Apply it to the inner area of the arch, including the base of the big toe. It is also recommended to cover the tips of the toes and the spaces in between. Additionally, some individuals choose to spread Vaseline on the outer surface of the sock and lightly coat the inner part of the shoe where the friction occurs. Another effective option for reducing friction is Bodyglide, as suggested by Melissa in the comments.
Is it possible to choose the right socks? I am uncertain about this because I have not found a specific type of sock that significantly impacts my experience. I have experimented with socks ranging from £2 per pair from discounted outlets to £15 high-tech ones that claim to prevent blisters, absorb sweat, and occasionally compliment your fashion sense. However, the results always seem to be the same. Without a doubt, other runners may have socks that they highly recommend (unlike my situation where I tend to complain about them), so it is beneficial to explore various options and try them out. Some runners find using two pairs of extremely thin socks to be effective.
Blister care
When dealing with a wound, there is always a possibility of infection. In the case of a blister, infection can hinder the healing process, cause more pain, and even result in a few weeks of not being able to run. Therefore, it is crucial to minimize the risk of infection when taking care of a blister. Using common sense, it is important to keep the feet and socks clean and ensure that the nails are trimmed. Additionally, applying an antiseptic cream like Sudacrem or Savlon on the blister might be helpful.
The question that arises is whether to pop or not to pop.
Usually, it is best not to pop a blister because it serves as a protective sac for raw, healing skin. It provides necessary nutrients for healing and prevents infection. Puncturing the blister with a needle can introduce bacteria and raise the risk of infection. This recommendation aligns with the advice from NHS choices. If possible, it is advisable to take a break from running for a few days and allow the blister to settle naturally. Additionally, using a soft dressing can provide comfort, even if the blister has not burst.
However, considering that this is a site for runners, it is highly unlikely that we have ever been ‘sensible’.
If the blister is very large and causing painful pressure, or if you need to run for an event or training and the blister is too painful, there is an argument for popping it. When you run, there is a good chance that the blister will pop anyway, so it may be safer and less painful to do it at home in a controlled and relatively sterile manner. Afterward, you can dress it. Alternatively, you can visit your GP or Practice Nurse to have them drain and dress it, which would be sensible and recommended in an ideal situation. However, I am aware that many runners are unlikely to seek medical help for a blister. If you decide to pop the blister at home, make sure to wash the foot thoroughly first and use a sterile needle.
When dressing a burst blister, it is important not to remove the skin around it, as this skin serves as protection for the healing skin beneath. The recommended approach is to let the fluid drain out and then cover the blister with a dry, sterile dressing. Hydrocolloid dressings, like duoderm, are suggested by NHS choices for this purpose. For more detailed information on treating blisters and applying dressings, refer to their resources.
It is important to be cautious for indications of infection, such as swelling, redness around the blister, discharge that is yellow or green, or pus from the wound (note that this should not be mistaken for the usual clear yellowish fluid that can be present in a blister). Additionally, an increase in pain and excessive heat from the affected area should also be monitored.
Deal with the cause
If you go back to running in the same shoes after developing a blister, there is a high likelihood that it will happen again. It is important to determine the cause of the blister and take action to address it. This typically boils down to either the shoes you are wearing or the type of terrain you are running on. Wearing shoes that are too small, too big, too narrow, or too wide can create excessive rubbing and friction. Additionally, insoles or defects within the shoe can also cause irritation. Engaging in a significant amount of hill work can also contribute to the development of blisters, particularly on the toes which push forward in the shoe when running downhill.
