Problems occur when the bubble bursts and all the lovely, gooey liquid seeps out leaving the exposed and undeveloped new skin vulnerable to all manner of airborne nasties. 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 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. Remember that the fluid that fills the blister bubble keeps infection at bay, so popping it yourself will prevent your body’s natural protection and you could introduce bacteria into the wound.

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

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. 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.

Interesting facts about PTFE

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. PTFE is also used in a wide range of medical and industrial applications, including as a graft material in surgery, as a coating on catheters and in gaskets, seals, and bearings. It’s that last point that sees me purchasing new boxes of Ballotte heel protectors every month as they’re great to use with running shoes, but note that your feet will get a wee bit sweaty if you wear them all day and if you use them a lot they’ll start tearing after a week or so. 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. ENGO PTFE Patches are applied to footwear surfaces to reduce friction force, preventing and relieving blisters.

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

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. Now I take it for granted that I don't get blisters. And that's the way it should be - for everyone. No matter what your activity, how sweaty your feet are, how hot it is where you live, or how blister-prone you are. That's why I've researched and written so extensively about blisters. ENGO Blister Patches aren't my only focus. But they're something I couldn't do without personally, or professionally in my clinic and at the 6-day ultramarathons I provide foot care at. 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. PTFE was accidentally discovered in 1938 by Dr. Roy Plunkett, who was attempting to create a new refrigerant. It’s obvious that blisters can cause untold misery to walkers, not just for the immediate pain they cause but also for the potential infections that can occur if bacteria manages to get inside the exposed wound.Blue ENGO Patches (PTFE Patches) used by an ultramarathon runner. Image credit: Ian Corless Wrapping up 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 - Blister Prevention

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. 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.

Mechanism of Action

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. 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.