The best course of action is to take steps to reduce the possibility of getting them in the first place, but if you do end up getting one or two the following products should help no end. That being said, they won’t peel off like plasters and they won’t wear off like anti-blister creams and powders, and they also provide cushioning if you tend to put a lot of impact pressure on your heels. If you like to expose your feet (high heels etc) you’ll be pleased to know Compeed patches are semitransparent so once applied they’re barely noticeable, and if you’re covering up a pre-existing blister they have a deep cushioning layer which allows you to get on with your day when you’d otherwise feel every touch against the exposed raw skin. ENGO Blister Patches work by doing one thing only - but they do it well. That is, they reduce the coefficient of friction (COF).

ENGO Blister Prevention Patches - Heel Pack (E-2HSP)

Other signs of an infection are pus under the bubble which is often accompanied by a foul smell, and considerable pain and swelling. If you experience any of these symptoms you must consult with your doctor as soon as possible. When the upper layers of skin on a foot are damaged through abrasion, the body’s response is to protect it under a sterile fluid-filled bubble. This we already know. The fluid acts like a bandage, preventing bacteria from entering the wound and reducing the risk of infection.

ENGO Blister Patches Pros

So how do you know if a blister becomes infected? It’s sometimes difficult to notice the difference between an infected and uninfected one as even uninfected fluid bubbles can feel very sore and look red and inflamed, but there are a few tell-tale signs to be aware of. Some blisters are small, like a blister on the outside of your pinky toe. You’d use a Small Oval Patch for this. Others can be huge, like blisters across the whole ball of your foot. You’d use the Rectangle Patch for this. That’s why ENGO Blister Patches come in 4 shapes and sizes. What's more, you can cut the patches with scissors to any size or shape you like. Read this useful resource to learn more about how to choose the right ENGO Patch and tips on how to apply it to your footwear so that you’re getting the most out of it. Second, the glue doesn’t last as long as Compeed patches and I generally got two days max use out of them before they peeled off, although in the long run these KT Tape plasters still work out as the cheaper option. Infected blisters are very painful and can become very dangerous if left untreated as the infection can easily spread to other parts of the body. It can even turn into a life-threatening illness if sepsis develops. Not good when you’re on a long-distance hike miles from the nearest chemist or medical centre. Coefficient of friction data of various in-shoe materials. ENGO reduces COF the most, in dry and wet conditions.

Engo Oval Blister Prevention Patches (6 Patches) | Fits in

I’d say the material in these plasters is more durable than Compeed patches but they’re also more noticeable, so if you’re a lady wearing open shoes this probably isn’t the product for you. One of the key benefits of ENGO Blister Patches is that they adhere to the shoe, rather than the skin, and last for weeks to months, sometimes even years! This makes them a cost-effective and convenient solution for people who are prone to developing friction blisters and always on the go. The other outstanding feature of ENGO’s PTFE patches is they are extremely thin, and therefore don’t adversely affect shoe fit. This is particularly convenient in ultra-endurance activities like multiday hiking (like walking the Camino) and ultramarathon events where swelling of the feet is common.This has become the gold standard for longevity in blister prevention. And it has taken blister management for the following scenarios to a whole new level: The ENGO blister patches come without how-to-use instructions. It represents best value to experienced users with:

ENGO Blister Patches Work - Blister Prevention How ENGO Blister Patches Work - Blister Prevention

When you use ENGO Blister Patches, you put them just where you need them – only at those blister-prone areas. In this way, you’re relieving ‘bad’ friction to avoid blisters whilst maintaining ‘good’ friction elsewhere esle. This is the best way to manage friction. We call it targeted friction management. Pro 5: Different Shapes & Sizes My advice for applying them is to first make sure your feet are completely dry and then really push them down hard once in position. Each patch has a hard-wearing but very smooth coating so your foot doesn’t suffer from shear friction which is the biggest cause of foot blisters. ENGO Blister Patches are very thin – only 0.38mm. There’s a significant advantage to this, and that is, they won’t change the way your shoe fits. This is important, especially in endurance activities where your feet swell. It’s also important if your shoes are tight already in certain areas – like if you’ve got a bunion. You simply can’t afford to add more bulk into your shoe in this area without making things worse. Blister pads, cushions and protectors all take up room in your shoe and can change shoe-fit. PTFE was accidentally discovered in 1938 by Dr. Roy Plunkett, who was attempting to create a new refrigerant.

Once in position though, you can say goodbye to blisters. In fact, they’re so effective I suspect shoe manufacturers will eventually start including something similar in the soles of all their shoes. ENGO Blister Patches change that. Once in place, you’re protected day after day, week after week, month after month. It saves time, it saves money, and there's no mess! But best of all, there's no better way to reduce the coefficient of friction than with an ENGO Patch. Take a look at the ENGO Blister Patch Placement Masterclass below to help you get started with ENGO Patches. When you apply an ENGO Blister Patch to your shoe or insole, with just a tiny bit of care, it will stay there indefinitely. The adhesive is strong and the patches are extremely durable. You can expect a single ENGO Patch to last day after day, week after week, month after month – for a good 300 miles (~500kms). You’ll know it’s time to replace them if the blue surface wears through to white.

ENGO Blister Patches - Blister Prevention

Before doing any prodding and poking make sure your hands are thoroughly cleaned with soap and water and preferably give them an additional rinse with antibacterial gel. Friction is not bad. In fact, friction is necessary. We need friction for traction. Without traction (like when you put Vaseline all over your foot) it’s too slippery and your foot slides around too much in your shoe. This makes walking and running harder and less efficient. The detrimental effects on the efficiency of your gait, like propulsion (push-off), braking (slowing down), changing direction and on your balance, also make injuries more likely. Applying a blister prevention to your shoe rather than your skin is a bit out of the ordinary. Find out how to install the patches to ensure you’re making the most of each patch. Read more here or watch these videos. Second, they contain a special hydrocolloid gel (which provides moistness) to encourage new skin growth and I have to say whenever I’ve had a blister they always seem to heal faster in a Compeed patch than when I just leave them open to the air, admittedly because whenever I do that the fluid bubble inevitably pops too early. ENGO Patches reduce friction by reducing the coefficient of friction. Not by a little, by a lot! And they do this even moist conditions, like it invariably is inside your shoe. Take a look at these bar graphs – ENGO is the smallest bar in both. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s wet or dry. In essence, they take moisture out of the equation.

Properties of PTFE

As a reader of the Blister Prevention blog, you know friction blisters are a common ailment among active inpiduals such as runners, walkers, hikers, military personnel, netball players, tennis players … you get the picture! PTFE patches, better known as ENGO Blister Patches, offer a convenient and effective solution for preventing and treating these painful skin injuries. This is thanks to its uniquely low coefficient of friction. For this reason it’s vital that the body is allowed to grow a new layer of skin and this is best done under the protective bubble of serum that the body creates over the damaged area. Blue ENGO Patches (PTFE Patches) used by an ultramarathon runner. Image credit: Ian Corless Wrapping up