We all deal with blisters. You get them from cooking, from yard work, and from simple daily actions like walking. Heck, blisters are a universal part of the “walking on feet” experience. Maybe you got your blister from cleaning the kitchen or raking leaves, or maybe you just didn’t break in your boots before a hike.
It doesn’t matter. If you’ve ever wanted to know how to get rid of blisters, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are five helpful tips for getting rid of blisters.
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1) In most cases, just leave it alone
Your first instinct when it comes to blisters is going to be to mess with them. We get it. It’s a weird little bubble on your body, and you wanna poke at it. Sadly, the best way to treat a blister is to just leave the hell alone. According to the Mayo Clinic, your best bet for healing a blister is to leave it intact and just not touch it. Cover it with bandaid and do your best not to let it pop. The skin over a blister helps prevent infection. Keep it on as long as possible.
2) Try a little tea tree oil
If you’re into natural healing, put a few drops of tea tree oil on your blister. Tea tree oil is a natural essential oil that works as an antibacterial cleaning agent, but it’s got another special secret up its sleeve. Tea tree oil is also a natural astringent, which will help dry out the blister. This is also effective if the blister has already popped or been drained. Just be warned: It’s going to sting.
3) If you need to drain your blister, make sure you use a sterilized needle
Many online guides will tell you to sterilize your needles by putting them over an open fire until the needle glows bright red. Here’s the thing: All flames aren’t made equally. If you don’tthoroughlyy clean the needle of possible carbon debris from the flame, you might end up with junk inside your now open wound. Instead, just clean your needle with standard rubbing alcohol. Clean it twice just to be sure.
4) When you drain a blister, make sure you start at the edge
The goal when draining a blister is to remove the fluid while causing as little damage to the skin as possible. To do this make sure you only puncture at the lowest edge of the side blister. This allows you to drain all the fluid while keeping the skin onto intact. This skin will act as a natural bandage, improving the speed of the healing process and saving you from extra pain. For particularly big blisters, it’s OK to lance each side of the blister, but try to keep your holes as small as possible.
5) Keep it clean and bandaged
This seems like it should go without saying, but keep your blister cleaned and bandaged at all times, even if you don’t pop it. The bandage will help protect the skin from tearing further, and a dab of antibacterial ointment with each bandage change will keep you from developing a nasty infection that could lead to scarring.
Getting rid of blisters is mostly a matter of time. You can wait out most blisters, but if you need to drain a blister, make sure it stays clean. If you notice any foul smelling discharge or signs of infection, you should contact your doctor.
