Blisters tend to pop up in the most inconvenient places and when you have an open wound on your heel or toe, it can be difficult to cover it and protect it from infection while still getting in your daily steps. That's where blister plasters come in! These hydrocolloid dressings are designed to prevent bacteria from getting into the affected area and will help it to heal quicker.
In this article, we'll explain how a blister plaster works, why you shouldn't put one on a popped blister and how to remove it once your wound has healed. We've also put together a list of the best plasters available to buy at Amazon, Boots, Tesco and ASDA from top brands like Compeed® and Elastoplast. Keep reading to find out more!
Quick List - Top Blister Plasters
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The layer of skin that remains on the top of the blister when it forms is called a 'roof' — this is your body's natural defence against bacteria and infection. If your blister has a roof, it means your body is healing just fine on its own and you should not apply a blister plaster. Doing so may actually cause more harm when the plaster is removed!
If your blister doesn't have a roof, you will likely have noticed a red, weeping sore beneath the skin. These can be painful and are at risk of infection, so it's important to apply a protective dressing. Once you have cleaned your wound and the surrounding area, you can apply a blister plaster to this type of wound to act as an artificial blister roof and encourage your skin to heal in a protected environment.
The best type of dressing to apply is a hydrocolloid plaster, which will absorb the fluid as your deroofed blister weeps. Since this type of plaster is waterproof, it can be worn in the shower or while washing your hands. As your blister heals, the fluid will turn into gel and the hydrocolloid material will turn from translucent to white.
Blisters are most commonly found on the feet, but they can vary in size depending on the exact area. A large, round plaster is best for a blister on your heel, as they usually have specially designed curves and contours to wrap around this part of your foot.
If you're looking to cover up a blister on the front half of your foot, a smaller and slimmer plaster is better as this will allow for more movement without disturbing the placement of the dressing. We would also recommend a multipack that comes with lots of different shapes and sizes, just in case you're unfortunate to have more than one blister at a time!
As an extra precaution, once your plaster has been applied, you can go around the edges with regular plasters or medical tape to ensure that the corners are secured to your skin. This will prevent the plaster from rubbing against your socks or shoes and peeling off, which can ruin the healing process and may cause even more blisters!
Cover all the essentials with one of these first aid kits!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Compeed® Mixed Size Blister Plasters | ![]() | A Mixed Multipack From the Leading Blister Care Brand | |
2 | Elastoplast Large Blister Plasters | ![]() | Perfect for the Most Common Type of Blister | |
3 | Compeed® Extreme Heel Blister Plasters | ![]() | Stay Active With These Extra Cushioned Heel Plasters | |
4 | Compeed® On Toes Blister Plasters | ![]() | Mini Plasters Designed to Protect Damaged Toes | |
5 | Compeed® High Heel Blister Plasters | ![]() | Kick up Your Heels With This Discreet Protective Plaster | |
6 | Compeed® Small Size Blister Plasters | ![]() | Small-Sized Plasters for the Balls and Soles of Your Feet | |
7 | Compeed® Medium Size Blister Plasters | ![]() | The Most Popular Medium Plasters on the Market | |
8 | VITAPLUS Mixed Size Blister Plasters | ![]() | A 5-Piece Multipack to Suit a Smaller Budget | |
9 | Steroplast Blister Gel Cushion Plasters | ![]() | A Cheap and Cheerful Option to Protect Your Heels | |
10 | Zelador® Hydraseal® Hydrocolloid Dressing | ![]() | An Extra Large Plaster for Wide-Scale Blistering Skin |
Compeed® completely dominates the market when it comes to blister plasters, so whether you're looking to stock up your first aid kit or you have a few blisters to take care of right away, this multipack is ideal and it's superb value for money!
It comes with two heel plasters, one toe plaster and two plasters for the ball of your foot. These plasters will provide instant pain relief and stay on for days, giving every inch of your skin enough time to heal.
These plasters from Elastoplast are the perfect remedy if you want to focus specifically on standard to large-sized areas. Since the heel is most commonly affected by blisters, it's very likely that this 5 pack will continue to come in handy.
The plasters will protect against dirt and bacteria for an average of three days, giving your blister enough time and protection to heal. They're even waterproof and shower-resistant!
If you exercise regularly, you may have noticed that intensive workouts can make you more prone to blistering. This is due to the excessive friction caused when you move, and Compeed® has the ideal solution.
This heel plaster features 20% extra padding, which will protect the blister site from further damage and allow you to head straight back out to the gym without a second thought. Don't let your blisters hold you back, pick up this pack and keep moving!
As well as friction, blisters can be caused by excessive moisture being trapped around the skin for prolonged periods of time. This is especially true of toe blisters, so if you're prone to sweating a lot then you may need to invest in this handy pack.
The size and shape of these dressings are purposefully a lot smaller than other plasters so they'll comfortably fit around your toes. You get 8 in a pack too, which is very reasonable for the price.
If you often wear high-heeled shoes, then chances are you're no stranger to blisters on your heels. Sometimes it feels like you have to choose between fashion or comfort, but that doesn't have to be the case!
These plasters are designed to protect your heels specifically against the type of pressure that comes from high-heels. The shape is discreet, so it won't pop out over the edge of your shoe. Comfort has never looked better!
These small plasters provide instant pain relief and are shaped to fit around the curve of the ball of your foot. They are great if you have recently broken in a new pair of shoes, as the sides and soles of the feet can be greatly affected during this process.
As they are a little smaller than the standard size, the pack comes with six plasters in total. While they can be a bit fiddly to apply, they do the job well once they're stuck down firmly.
As soon as you start shopping for blister plasters, you're likely to come across these heel plasters from Compeed® and it makes sense — they're a staple for any blister sufferer! There are certainly no complaints when it comes to functionality.
The only reason they're this far down our list is that the other packs feature dressings that can be used on various areas of the feet. If you only need heel protection then this pack will do just fine!
This 5-piece mixed multipack from VITAPLUS contains two medium, two small and one toe plaster. It's similar to the multipack that takes our number 1 spot but of course, it is from a less recognisable brand.
If you want the security of a brand name, this might not be the best option for you. However, the reviews suggest this product is just as reliable as its household name counterparts!
It's no surprise that there have been plenty of heel plasters mentioned on this list, as anyone who's suffered blisters will know it's the most likely place for them to occur. This pack is not to be missed if you're looking for budget-friendly heel protection.
At just 42p per plaster, it's a very affordable option. Again, this is a less popular brand but we'd say it's worth trying out if you don't want to spend too much on plasters.
These dressings are much larger than standard blister plasters, measuring 10 cm x 10 cm. They're therefore suitable for use on the soles of the feet or on large blisters that cover the whole heel.
Despite being extremely uncomfortable and often painful, most blister sites are usually quite small — so it will be rare you'll need a blister plaster of this size. However, on the unfortunate occasion that you do need to cover a wide area, this will do the trick!
The adhesive layer on hydrocolloid plasters is incredibly strong and once applied, it can remain on the skin for anything from several hours to several days. As long as you have cleaned and dried the wound before applying, there's no need to worry about leaving a blister plaster on for days at a time.
You only need to remove the plaster once it starts to naturally peel away from your skin, or when you notice that the white bubble in the centre has reached the edge of the dressing. This indicates that the blister fluids are filling up the inside of the plaster and it needs to be replaced. If neither of these things happen though, leave your plaster on, as removing it will be painful and will only slow down the healing process!
Try an extra-thick pair of hiking socks to prevent blisters and keep your feet sweat-free!
Written and researched by Alicia Byrne
No. 1: Compeed®|Mixed Size Blister Plasters
No. 2: Elastoplast|Large Blister Plasters
No. 3: Compeed®|Extreme Heel Blister Plasters
No. 4: Compeed®|On Toes Blister Plasters
No. 5: Compeed®|High Heel Blister Plasters
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