1. Proactive Prevention
It's easier and less painful to prevent a blister than to treat one, so if you feel a hot spot on your foot while you're backpacking, stop hiking and treat the sore spot before a blister forms. Check your shoes for pebbles or sand, which could be causing the irritation. Add a small amount of petroleum jelly to the sore spot to protect it from friction. Tighten your shoes laces so your shoes fit snugly. Blisters are caused by shoes that are either too tight or too loose.
2. Drain the Fluid
Generally, you shouldn't drain a blister because it becomes an open wound and can get infected. However, if you're backpacking, you won't be able to walk on a fluid-filled blister, so you'll need to drain it. If the blister has already torn, cut the loose skin away from the wound. Before you drain the blister, sterilize a needle or safety pin by holding it under a flame or wiping it down with rubbing alcohol. Sit down so you can hold your foot and remain balanced. Poke the top of the blister with the pin or needle just far enough that the tip penetrates the blister. Gently press the sides of the blister until clear fluid begins to drain. Maintain that pressure until the fluid stops. If the blister doesn't drain, puncture another hole and try again.
3. Protect Yourself from Infection
After the blister's fluid has been drained, wipe the wound with antiseptic and apply an antibacterial ointment. Expose the affected foot to open air until the blister dries and hardens. Put on a clean pair of socks. Moisture causes new blisters and irritates existing ones, and damp socks harbor bacteria. Every time you stop hiking, clean the wound, apply ointment, let the wound air out and change your socks.
4. Pad the Blister
Protect the blister from friction and pressure by cutting a circle out of mole's skin that is at least an eighth of an inch larger than the blister's circumference. Cut the center out of the circle so you have a ring of mole's skin that fits over the blister. Tape a thin layer of gauze directly over the blister to keep it clean and dry, then tape the mole's skin doughnut over the gauze to protect the blister.
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