How do you use moleskin?

[sherry7]

I've used moleskin before, but I'm not sure I used it correctly. I got a huge blister, and put a regular band-aid over it, and then a piece of moleskin over the band-aid. If that the right way to use it? Or, do you put it directly on the blister itself? (Seems like that would be painful!)

Please....share your moleskin wisdom with me. We leave in 5 days, and I always get multiple blisters, regardless of preventative measures.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Various people put their mole skin on various ways. Moleskin basically works as a cushion so your blister is protected.

I personally just cut strips of moleskin out and put them on top of the blister. I have even used layers of moleskin if necessary. I have also lined the sides and heels of shoes with moleskin to soften up shoes and have put moleskin on my fingers when on a dig.

 

[Sillyminny40]

We caught onto moleskin when ds played hockey. We put it sticky side right on the blister to stop further friction. We also buy double layered socks.
Then we put an ordinary big bandaid over top of that to stop the Moleskin from rubbing off.

Avoid infection first of all! Use rubbing alcohol to clean the wound and try not to puncture it as the skin is healing underneath. If skin appears red or pus-y you may have an infection.

Change your socks frequently to avoid excess moisture and bacteria which can cause infection. Soaking the foot in warm water in evening helps heal the damaged skin.

But....You can carefully drain the blister however if you follow the Mayo clinic's advice.
What a better place than the Mayo clinic for info:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-blisters/WL00008

 

[sherry7]

Thanks for the replies.

So....if you put the sticky part right on the blister, what keeps it from pulling the skin off the blister? What happens when you eventually have to take the moleskin off?

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Thanks for the replies.

So....if you put the sticky part right on the blister, what keeps it from pulling the skin off the blister? What happens when you eventually have to take the moleskin off?

I leave the moleskin on until I take a shower. The water and soap drop the moleskin clean off.

 

[Disneyvirg]

I must be the only one who has a hard time keeping the moleskin on my skin! I went to a local zoo last summer after discovering moleskin here on the DIS. My flip flops started to rub on the top of my foot. I put two pieces of moleskin on either side of the blister to keep it from rubbing. It worked great - until it slid off. I must have the sweatiest feet in the world! I can never keep bandaids or anything on my feet - anywhere.

Even so - I'm not sure I'd place the moleskin on top of a blister - just for the sole reason of pulling off the skin when removing the moleskin.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Even so - I'm not sure I'd place the moleskin on top of a blister - just for the sole reason of pulling off the skin when removing the moleskin.

If you let water, steam, soap and time take the moleskin off for you, that's not an issue. The adhesive becomes unsticky, the moleskin falls off, leaving your skin, even if its just the fine shell of a blister.

Edit: Also, something it's taken me time and experience to learn. Moleskin should be cut in big, long swatches. If it only covers the blister the moleskin will come off fairly quickly. Use big pieces that cover weigh more than the blister, pieces that don't end on a friction spot with your shoe or on a joint. Anchor the moleskins, so to speak, on fairly stable, no moving parts of your skin.

 

[Sillyminny40]

Also, something it's taken me time and experience to learn. Moleskin should be cut in big, long swatches. If it only covers the blister the moleskin will come off fairly quickly. Use big pieces that cover weigh more than the blister, pieces that don't end on a friction spot with your shoe or on a joint. Anchor the moleskins, so to speak, on fairly stable, no moving parts of your skin.

Ah Snarling Coyote has great wisdom there! Very correct on big pieces. Keeps the ms on the skin better. Further if blistered feet have to be open avoid flip flops and use a sturdy sandal if possible or runners. You must avoid picking up bacteria.

 

[kimis]

I put it on the "hot spots" before the blisters form. Actually now I use body glide a couple of times a day and only carry moleskin for an emergency.

 

[disneynuts777]

Various people put their mole skin on various ways. Moleskin basically works as a cushion so your blister is protected.

I personally just cut strips of moleskin out and put them on top of the blister. I have even used layers of moleskin if necessary. I have also lined the sides and heels of shoes with moleskin to soften up shoes and have put moleskin on my fingers when on a dig.

This is what we do. I line and cover the spots of DD's shoes and flipflops with the moleskin. She does have the sweatiest feet on earth and I could never get it to stick on her feet.

 

[Elmo888]

If I have a blister, I cut a hole in the piece of mole skin. So, the moleskin surrounds the blister, but doesn't cover it. Nothing rubs on the blister and it just lets the blister breathe. Does that make sense?

 

[sherry7]

Thanks for the explanations. I think that in the past, I've been cutting the pieces too small. I'll try bigger the next time I need it.

I bought some of the Body Glide recently. (Well, actually the Dr. Scholl's brand of it.) Can I use that if I'm wearing sandals, or will my feet be too slippery?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

If one pair of shoes is causing a blister, then the most important thing is to change your shoes! I find different shoes have different friction spots. Usually I swap shoes daily and avoid blisters.

The first time I used moleskin was when I managed to get a cut on my ankle right before a trip to WDW. Molekin saved my trip, but I still found it best to limit how much I wore my sneakers. With my sandals, the moleskin stayed on better, since they didn't rub the spot as much.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

If one pair of shoes is causing a blister, then the most important thing is to change your shoes! I find different shoes have different friction spots. Usually I swap shoes daily and avoid blisters.

I like to change shoes because of the stinky factor too. No matter what I do - and I've done a LOT, tried many different strategies - I have stinky feet. If I wear the same shoes day in and day out, they are foul! I have 3 pairs of workout shoes (these will be my Disney shoes) and never wear the same pair two days in a row. (Except when travelling. Then I suck it up and wear them. But they go to the back of the closet for a few days after I get home!)

 

[disneydreamgirl]

I consistently get blisters in the same places, so I put the moleskin on the first day so there is no rubbing and ideally no resulting blister. I did really well with this strategy on our last trip. I also switched shoes and that helped too!

 

[nuggetoflove]

thanks for the info. I've never heard of moleskin. Off to google.

 

[schwoomp]

If I have a blister, I cut a hole in the piece of mole skin. So, the moleskin surrounds the blister, but doesn't cover it. Nothing rubs on the blister and it just lets the blister breathe. Does that make sense?

Just thought I'd pass on that I bought some Dr Scholl's moleskin the other day and the above is what the instructions say to do.

 

[sherry7]

Update from the OP here....

We're in Orlando right now, and of course I got 3 blisters on the first day of the trip, despite all of my preventative measures (one on the ball of my foot, and one on each pinky toe). It figures...I am EXTREMELY prone to blisters.

They're starting to heal up, and I've been using the Band-aid brand blister block bandages, with a layer of New Skin painted directly over the blister itself. We took a day off from the parks today, and that helped a lot.

I think I just need to stop taking vacations where I walk so much, because my feet are absolutely killing me.