Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 12:11:42 -0500
From: "Keith Conover, M.D., FACEP"
Subject: blister treatment advice
The following is reposted from SARNEWS, the email newsletter of NASAR,
with permission. (Subscription is free at www.sarnews.com.)
> Blister Treatment Tips
>
> Dr. Murray Hamlet, a frequent presenter at SAR conferences in the
> Northeast because of his military background and cold weather
> expertise, advocates making a blister kit. It should contain
> BetadineTM swabs, SiliposTM, Triple antibiotic ointment, 22g
> needle, and tape. If a blister forms, wash and dry the area and
> paint and let dry twice with Betadine. Start outside the blister
> with the needle tip and advance into the fluid. Press out the
> fluid with the swab. Cut a doughnut shaped piece of Silipos bigger
> than the bleb. Stick it on the skin and fill the chamber over the
> bleb with ointment and cover with tape. Change tape and add ointment
> daily.
>
> Silipos is a product that functions similar to moleskin, but has a
> gel inside, making it vastly superior to simple felt. It comes
> in sheets (stock number 11205). Information may be obtained at
> 800.925.2995 or at:
>
> http://www.silipos.com/
I would suggest that bacitracin ointment is a better choice than triple
antibiotic ointment, as it will kill any bacterium that's likely to
infect a blister. Triple antibiotic (AKA Neosporin[TM]) ointment
contains bacitracin, but also polymyxin and neomycin, which is
overkill--and neomycin is well-known for causing severe allergic
reactions in a fair number of people.
--Keith Conover, M.D., FACEP
http://www.pitt.edu/~kconover
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