Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Keeping blisters away

Diabetics should inspect their feet daily for blisters and areas of infected skin

IN-TRADE TRICKS Applying powder and anti-perspiring sprays keep feet dry for a few hours

Acrylic-based socks, or thin polyester socks combined with thick wool or polypropylene sock are your best bet to keeping feet dry.

Anti-sweat measures reduce blisters. Applying talcum powder to feet will reduce sweat build-up. Anti-perspiring sprays keep feet dry by preventing formation of sweat for a few hours. All these measures can, in the wrong person, cause skin reactions (contact dermatitis), so use them with caution.

Professional athletes have a few in-trade tricks to keep blisters away. For example, long distance walkers ands runners harden the soles of their feet by applying tincture of benzoin.

Many prefer to puncture a blister with a red hot needle. Not a bad idea, but better still is to let a doctor drain it under aseptic conditions. Once the blister has burst and left a raw bleeding area, the treatment is similar to that for any other open wound: local antiseptics, sterile dressings, and antibiotics in case of serious infection.

Diabetics should inspect their feet daily for blisters and areas of infected skin. Since diabetics often have nerve damage that dulls pain, these blisters are usually better seen than felt. Daily foot inspections and prompt treatment will prevent many foot amputations and life-threatening infections.

RAJIV. M

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail