Blisters and how to treat them?

So I went skating Saturday night. Worked on proper forward technique, started working on my backwards skating(it's coming along), and spinning/turning tightly. I noticed movement in my right skate, but I had just tightened my laces and only had a few minutes left. I knew it was probably a fit issue, and I could tell instantly that if I continued, I'd get a blister. So a blister I have. Anyone have any good ways to treat a blister? My boyfriend has suggested Pulling a needle and thread through it. Supposedly, by pulling the thread into the blister, the thread helps keep the blister drained of fluid by absorbing it and exposing it to the air to dry. But I've also looked at another forum that said to just leave them be and let them heal naturally. Any tips for a beginner?

Popping a blister by sticking something in it can cause an infection.

I can tell you how to prevent blisters from forming. Get a bottle of brush-on "liquid bandage", put several coats over the spot where you think you might get blisters. You have to let it thoroughly dry between coats. Multiple coats will make it tougher, and will not wash off right away, so you won't have to re-apply every day. The "bandage" prevents friction directly on the skin, so no blisters will form in the covered spot. Many years ago I had to do that with a new pair of skates until the skates started to break in, and it was the perfect solution (another skater had told me about it).

Coebalt said:

So I went skating Saturday night. Worked on proper forward technique, started working on my backwards skating(it's coming along), and spinning/turning tightly. I noticed movement in my right skate, but I had just tightened my laces and only had a few minutes left. I knew it was probably a fit issue, and I could tell instantly that if I continued, I'd get a blister. So a blister I have. Anyone have any good ways to treat a blister? My boyfriend has suggested Pulling a needle and thread through it. Supposedly, by pulling the thread into the blister, the thread helps keep the blister drained of fluid by absorbing it and exposing it to the air to dry. But I've also looked at another forum that said to just leave them be and let them heal naturally. Any tips for a beginner?

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If it hurts really badly and might already become dark red, a visit to the doctor is advisable.

If it doesn't, then try to create a little pocket for it, by using gauze at the edges until you reach the same height as the Blister has, while adding a lesser piece of gauze on top of it. Afterwards, cover it up with some sports tape. Make sure it can´t move, by adding another piece of tape on top of the "usually white" sports tape. Duct tape for instance.

In case you feel like cutting it, maybe because it´s too much pressure or pain, no doctor around ..., then do it within a sterile environment. Use a needle at the edges, to create a few holes so that the fluid can go its way. Make sure to apply some antibiotic ointment and do the rest as explained above. But make sure, to use gauze that isn´t sticky, else you run into danger of ripping off the skin of your blister. Change the bandage every day, by keeping the environment sterile.

Again, if it turns dark red, consult a doctor as you could have an infection.

I like the band aid gel blister cushions

If the blister leaks you could try a duoderm patch.

Well, Lucky there wasn't much swelling or fluid when I got home, so I went right to lancing it with the threading technique. So far, it hasn't filled yest and isn't irritating me too badly. It is currently a light/faded pink colour and is only slightly slightly irritated by touch(responding with a faint burning sensation). I'll update if there's any changes.

There is something called SPENCO second skin that can be used to protect blistered skin. It is especially useful if the blister has broken.

It's a sheet of gel with plastic on both sides. You cut a patch to cover your blister, remove the plastic, slap it on the blister, then tape it on. It comes with some sticky fabric, but I find the tape/gel ratio is wrong, so buy extra tape to use with the rest of the gel. Non-waterproof fabric tape works best.

In addition to the gel and tape, you can buy a donut-shaped foam patch that goes around the blister (hole in patch goes over blister) to protect it from further contact or rubbing. If your blister is so big that the commercial foam donuts are too small, or if you want to save money, you can buy a piece of thin craft foam very cheaply at the dollar store and make a zillion foam donuts. It is quite thin, so you can use two or more layers.

With second skin, tape, and craft foam, I was able to doctor myself well enough to go on a muliti-hour hike when I had a blister more than an inch in diameter, broken and all overlying skin gone, so I know wherof I speak.

The gel comes in a small zip-lock bag, but it does dry out eventually. I double bagged it and used it lavishly, since I figured it would be garbage before the next hiking trip and next blister.

Corn and callus pads when you skate. Also, moleskin is a lifesaver for many skaters (myself included for many years). Also, you can get something called "body glide" and use that on the spots where you think your foot will rub the skate. If you are getting blisters up higher like near your ankles/heels you can wear bunga pads. I swear by those as do many elite figure skaters. You might also look into having your future skates (when you get a proper fitted pair) ankles pushed out by a skate pro. As far as your current blister, don't do the thread technique b/c it's unsafe and you have a very large chance of getting an infection. Do apply antibiotic gel/cream to it to protect it from getting infected.

Happy skating.

I'm reminded of Shen Xue when she was little and loved skating. She had a blister or some wound on her foot and her parents would not let her skate. She cried till they gave in. When they got home, they found her sock stuck to her foot with dried blood and could not be taken off.

I looked up second skin on the web and see that they have two (or more formats).

Some of them are shown on this page:
https://www.rei.com/search.html?q=2nd+skin&ir=q:2nd+skin&page=1

Get the one with the two pads that are 3 x 6.5 inches each (39 square inches total) rather than the one that has 6 1-square inch pads. The prices are similar, but one has more than 5 times as much gel pad!

Also, if you wear it to bed, which I would recommend, wear socks over it. Otherwise it may wind up taped to the bedding instead of to your foot.

As a child my mom used to heat the end of a sewing pin with a match to sterilize it, and then prick a part of the blister to open it up (I guess to drain any fluid and help the healing process)

Then she put antiseptic cream and a sturdy bandage over it and that was that. No idea if that is the most effective way to treat them, but that was how it was always done for me.