Blister Question (Grossness...)

[Greenday]

So, I have this old pair of New Balances that are pretty worn down. I stopped wearing them for normal use and just use them for my morning basketball games. Well, today, my toe was REALLY killing me. When I finally got to check it, it turned out the bottom of my big toe has a huge ass blister on it. Since it hurt like hell, I took a clean needle and poked a very small hole so it could drain. Drained it, cleaned it with rubbing alcohol (that was so very painful), then put a bandaid with neosporin on it. All was good. Well, after some more walking around, I felt an even more painful experience. It ripped off. So now I just have the bare skin there. It hurts, a lot. I'd clean it with more rubbing alcohol, but I have a feeling it will hurt more than the first time combined with the pain of getting schooled by my biochem teacher. I put some neosporin on it. I can't put a bandaid on it because none of them are large enough to cover the entire area and putting any adhesive parts onto the fresh skin will be very painful.

So, any suggestions on what to do?

[Aethian]

Use that white medical tape and a bit of cotton to make your own type of bandaid. I've done something like that, takes fricken forever to heal to. Good luck on it.

[iradney]

Don't use cotton wool, it sticks to the site. Rather find some gauze, or something that won't stick to the fresh skin. Try and keep it covered and moist as it surprisingly enough heals faster that way. Keep it clean, and try and prevent any more rubbing on the site till it's healed.

[Greenday]

So...if I have to walk to get to class, how would I go about that?

Must check my makeshift first-aid station to see what I have:

Small bandaids
Neosporin
Rubbing alcohol
Medical Tape
Rubber Bands
Various painkillers and stomach stuff

No gauze or any gauzelike-substitutes.

[RetailWorkhorse]

Got any cheesecloth lying around? You can use that for a makeshift bandage since you don't have any gauze.

I have a whole mess of stuff in my first aid kit that you could use (I'm paranoid) but since you're way up north, I'm not going to drive up there to administer my nursing care.

Especially since I won't get laid for it.

Next time you use those shoes, wear a pair of really thick socks.

[JLRodgers]

Generally I use a cotton ball like thing (just with overkill oitment stuff on it) with paper tape to make a bandage. Never had cotton stuff stick -- but then I'd also replace it like twice a day too.

You could take q-tips, take the cotton off the end, try to flatten it (un-wrap it) or put multiple together... or facial tissue.... or toilet paper/napkin/paper towel as a quick fix (like to make it to buy an actual item). And I'm hoping you've got at least one of those but it could work as a temporary quick fix. Or as a last resort... cotton from the top of a pill bottle.

Or honey.... but that'd be messy. Or even a pair of socks under a pair of socks (as a really quick fix). Or a washcloth....

[Aethian]

Greenday we really need to get your a better first aid kit. Mine has gauze, all different size bandages, the white tape, alcohol, and lots of other items. I boughtit as a kit from here. And if I use something I make sure to replace it asap.

[Greenday]

Yea, I had used up the last of my normal size bandaids. Gauze is really the only main thing I'm missing. I've got tylenol for pain, aleve for sore muscles, airborne, pepto, zantac, tums, tylenol cold night & day, tape, alcohol, neosporin, anti-fungus cream. Plus rubber bands. You never know when a rubber band will be needed.

[Gwen_Goth]

i find letting it breathe overnight helps too; keep it covered in the day for sure, but take the bandage off at night (so long as it's not prone to get dirty)

[wagegoth]

Two things stick really well to feet: corn/callus pads and moleskin. I've used both. Put some neosporin on the blister, then cover with the corn/callus pad. If you get moleskin, put some gauze over the blister until it is less tender.

[AdminAssistant]

How's your university's health clinic? Will they hand out supplies (gauze, etc)?

[crazylegs]

Ok, here goes.

The blister that you described is a burn. It's a friction burn. What do you never do with burns? You never burst the blister.

Unfortunately we have to work with what we've got so...

Ditch the rubbing alcohol.

Don't even think about fluffy dressings, they adhere to the wound and everytime you remove the dressing for cleaning/changing the dressing you damage the wound time and time again.

If you can get it melolin and micropore. Both of these products are designed for burns and the dressing will not adhere to the very tender skin.
If you can find some alcohol free cleansing wipes, use them to clean the wound then dress it (essentially all you're doing is keeping it covered, as it's not actively bleeding you don't need to apply pressure...).

If you get another blister scholl do very good blister releif pads, which are fantastic at reducing the swelling before any blister breaks.