Off Duty, Technology - Army Times

Find of the day: Beating blisters

ORLANDO, Fla. — File this cool find of the day under “fighting fire with fire.”

After a 20-mile battalion road march, your first instinct might be to pop the ugly blister that formed on your heel. But don’t go reaching for the needle just yet.

Blisters are your body’s way of saving your skin from the painful irritation of constant friction — the fluid inside protects the sensitive skin underneath. Still, adding a few dozen painful miles on that blister could mean even more time before you heal properly.

Enter Blist-O-Ban, a new bandage from SAM Medical Products that we found at the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show and Conference (known as SHOT Show), a sprawling trade show at the Orange County Convention Center devoted to military, law enforcement and outdoor gear.

Most troops look to moleskin as the protection method of choice if they don’t immediately reach for the needle. But Blist-O-Ban improves your odds of success, as you’re essentially treating a blister with a blister.

The two-layer bandage re-creates the protective qualities of a blister, with the top layer of the bandage sliding freely over the bottom layer, eliminating the source of friction against your skin. It can help protect an existing blister or, more importantly, cover a known friction point to stop a blister from forming in the first place, SAM Medical Products officials said.

Call it stealing Mother Nature’s flow.

When applied to a clean, dry surface (a preliminary alcohol wipe is recommended), the bandages are advertised as lasting several days. In fact, getting one to come off takes a bit of work — you’ll need either mineral oil or Detachol adhesive remover to loosen the medical-grade adhesive and save yourself some pain. Blist-O-Ban is available in three sizes, with an even smaller size in the works for toes.

Prices range from $6.98 to $7.98 for a package of six, depending on the size you want. It’s available in boxes of 100 for $111 to $125, depending on bandage size.

Visit www.blistoban.com for more information or to order online.

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