Survival UK Forums

Hello Everyone

I'm currently checking out first aid skills for myself and AlyBear. We'll be sending that information your way when we learn something new.

If you have a blister, do not pop it. It is needed to allow the skin to thicken and heal.

HOW TO BLEED A BLISTER

If the blister gets to the point where it needs to be drained or where it could burst, you need a sewing needle, clean it (alcohol swab, or over a flame) and a piece of cotton thread.

Feed the thread into the needle and push the needle into one SIDE of the blister, and out of the other Side. But do not push the thread out. You need to make sure that you leave the thread sticking out of both sides by at least 1.5cm. The liquid in the blister will seep into the cotton thread and then slowly drip out of the ends sticking outside of the blister. This is a much safer way that just popping or bursting the blister. If you bleed a blister, it is a much more gradual and less harmful way to relieve the pressure and allow the skin time to respond.

Using that system will allow your body to heal while releasing a lot of pressure on the foot.

Once you are done with the string, don't reuse it. You're a minger if you do that. Just chuck it away and get back to trekking.

Interesting.I've not heard of that one before.

yeah thanks for that lots of useful stuff on this forum love it

Foot blisters occur when socks stick to wet or sweaty skin of the feet. Which then rubs against the walls of the shoes or boots. This causes the outer layers of the skin separate from the inner layers of skin, the space or void then fills with lymph fluid.

Foot blisters will usually heal on their own. The lymph fluid is reabsorbed back into the body. Sometimes blisters will pop by themselves, this when they become infected. When the appearence of red lines, yellow coloured fluid around the blister or redness, seek medical attention.

The first signs of a blister developing is redness over the area rubbing, this can be on the instep, heel or toes. The redness starts to balloon and fills with lymph fluid.

Blisters can be self-medicated by applying a skin dressing or plaster and tape over the blister. Petroleum jelly can help relieve the pain. It is adised not to pop the blister especially with blood in it, this would cause more infection in it. Create a small hole at edge of the blister with sterilized needle, draining the fluid and still leaving the skin intact. leaving the skin on serves as a protective layer and helps against further infection. Always wipe around the area with an antispectic wipe.

To harden the skin on the feet to reduce the chance of blistering soak cotton wool pad in surgical spirit and wipe it on your feet, a week or two.

The needle and thread method is what we'd use in the army but we'd also cover the blister in zinc-oxide tape leaving the thread hanging loose. Zinc-oxide will take care of most small blisters on it's own, reducing the swelling and offering some cushioning.

We also used this method in the Army

To avoid them in the first place we used to wear two pairs of sock, a nylon pair under a `normal` pair,.. like uks said its the rubbing that does the damage, but by wearing the more `clingy` nylon sock next to your skin, you avoid that

Very useful ....did not know that one, many thanks S13

thanks for this Scythe... I think I've seen this before but a longtime ago thanks for the reminder

I know this is slightly controversial but when i was in vagas i got the blister from hell on the first day of the shot show, i had 2 more days to walk around the trade stands.
So off i went to Walmart and bought some super glue.
Back at the hotel i open up the blister and dripped in a few drop and wiped away the excess.
Never gave me any problems, its not the first time iv done this and i would do it again. I felt no pain after the super glue treatment.
Yes i know there are new medical versions of super glue now that are less harsh, But super glue was designed to close open wounds in the battle field because in the Vietnam war 3 time more men were dyeing due to infection than there original injuries.
Once super glue was introduced 85% less deaths were due to infection.

Posted this before when this topic came up not long ago. Prevention is better of course but if you do get one, the best treatment I found was hypo and meths. Always worked a treat...