A: Hydrocolloids are used to facilitate healing of mildly weepy wounds. If you’re having to change your hydrocolloid bandage within 24 hours, it’s too weepy to benefit from the healing powers of a hydrocolloid. Use an island dressing instead, until the weeping slows down a bit. Q6: What would cause my blister to be too weepy for a hydrocolloid? Blisters: Compeed ® specialist plasters will help relieve the pain caused by the blister and help the skin heal. To treat blisters, burns, and healing wounds where liquid forms between the outer and inner layers of skin tissue, choose hydrocolloid plasters. How do they work?

Hydrocolloid dressings suffer a poor reputation in blister management in the running and hiking communities, as highlighted below for instance:Are blister plasters good for spots? Some spots are more susceptible to the benefits of a hydrocolloid dressing than others. Because of the way they work, hydrocolloid plaster and acne patches produce the best results when used on spots in certain stages. The active ingredients used in hydrocolloid bandages vary by manufacturer. Several ingredients are often used in combination. Hydrocolloid bandage materials include: The recommended time on the wound is from the manufacturers and is approximately 5-7 days but some wounds will produce more fluid than others and the dressing may need redressing more frequently, but most blisters, they will be fine to leave on for a week. We have had some patients leave them on for up to 8 weeks and they have been ok, but we always defer to the manufacturer’s recommendations. On occasions there can be a white area in the centre of the dressing showing after a few days, and this is totally normal. Why are medical hydrocolloid dressings so much more expensive than over the counter blister plasters? Of course, if your blister base does not seem to be healing, you suspect it is infected, you're just not sure how to care for your blister or you have a health condition, seek medical advice from your doctor. Corns and calluses: the Compeed ® bandages maintain a moisturizing environment to soften the corn, relieving pain, and may eliminate the corn.

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Conversely, if your deroofed blister is dry and on its way to healing already, if it's dry or got a scab over it, a hydrocolloid should not be used. The wound must be somewhat weepy for a hydrocolloid dressing to be an option. If it's dry already, use an island dressing simply for protection. Can you use blister plasters on burns ? Hydrocolloid plasters (sometimes called blister plasters ) are ideal for treating burns because they draw out liquid from between the layers of skin, aiding the natural healing process and protecting the wound from infection or disruption.My mother came to visit last month. She bought a new pair of shoes, wore them all day, and came home with a deroofed blister on her big toe. Bad news for mum. But as it turned out, good news for me. Because I wanted to show you the white gel bubble that shows hydrocolloid healing. Kaminska MS, et al. (2020). Effectiveness of hydrocolloid dressings for treating pressure ulcers in adult patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.