Blisters tend to pop up in the most inconvenient places and when you have an open wound on your heel or toe, it can be difficult to cover it and protect it from infection while still getting in your daily steps. That's where blister plasters come in! These hydrocolloid dressings are designed to prevent bacteria from getting into the affected area and will help it to heal quicker.
In this article, we'll explain how a blister plaster works, why you shouldn't put one on a popped blister and how to remove it once your wound has healed. We've also put together a list of the best plasters available to buy at Amazon, Boots, Tesco and ASDA from top brands like Compeed® and Elastoplast. Keep reading to find out more!
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of blister plasters available and understand how our ranking was determined.
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Compeed® | 2 ![]() Elastoplast | 3 ![]() Compeed® | 4 ![]() Compeed® | 5 ![]() Compeed® | 6 ![]() Compeed® | 7 ![]() Compeed® | 8 ![]() VITAPLUS | 9 ![]() Steroplast | 10 ![]() Zelador® |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Mixed Size Blister Plasters | Large Blister Plasters | Extreme Heel Blister Plasters | On Toes Blister Plasters | High Heel Blister Plasters | Small Size Blister Plasters | Medium Size Blister Plasters | Mixed Size Blister Plasters | Blister Gel Cushion Plasters | Hydraseal® Hydrocolloid Dressing |
Features | A Mixed Multipack From the Leading Blister Care Brand | Perfect for the Most Common Type of Blister | Stay Active With These Extra Cushioned Heel Plasters | Mini Plasters Designed to Protect Damaged Toes | Kick up Your Heels With This Discreet Protective Plaster | Small-Sized Plasters for the Balls and Soles of Your Feet | The Most Popular Medium Plasters on the Market | A 5-Piece Multipack to Suit a Smaller Budget | A Cheap and Cheerful Option to Protect Your Heels | An Extra Large Plaster for Wide-Scale Blistering Skin |
Price | £4.00 | £5.10 | £4.15 | £5.00 | £2.60 | £4.20 | £4.60 | £3.50 | £2.50 | £8.50 |
Placement | Heel, toe, ball | Heel | Heel | Toe | Heel | Ball, sole | Heel | Heel, toe, ball | Heel | Heel, ball, sole |
Best For | Stocking up, multiple blister sites | Standard-sized blisters | Working out | Sweating, small blisters | High heels, discreet protection | Small blisters | Standard-sized blisters | Stocking up, low budget | Standard blisters, low budget | Large blisters |
Number of Plasters | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
Price per Plaster | £0.80 | £1.02 | £0.83 | £0.63 | £0.53 | £0.73 | £0.76 | £0.70 | £0.42 | £1.70 |
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The layer of skin that remains on the top of the blister when it forms is called a 'roof' — this is your body's natural defence against bacteria and infection. If your blister has a roof, it means your body is healing just fine on its own and you should not apply a blister plaster. Doing so may actually cause more harm when the plaster is removed!
If your blister doesn't have a roof, you will likely have noticed a red, weeping sore beneath the skin. These can be painful and are at risk of infection, so it's important to apply a protective dressing. Once you have cleaned your wound and the surrounding area, you can apply a blister plaster to this type of wound to act as an artificial blister roof and encourage your skin to heal in a protected environment.
The best type of dressing to apply is a hydrocolloid plaster, which will absorb the fluid as your deroofed blister weeps. Since this type of plaster is waterproof, it can be worn in the shower or while washing your hands. As your blister heals, the fluid will turn into gel and the hydrocolloid material will turn from translucent to white.
Blisters are most commonly found on the feet, but they can vary in size depending on the exact area. A large, round plaster is best for a blister on your heel, as they usually have specially designed curves and contours to wrap around this part of your foot.
If you're looking to cover up a blister on the front half of your foot, a smaller and slimmer plaster is better as this will allow for more movement without disturbing the placement of the dressing. We would also recommend a multipack that comes with lots of different shapes and sizes, just in case you're unfortunate to have more than one blister at a time!
As an extra precaution, once your plaster has been applied, you can go around the edges with regular plasters or medical tape to ensure that the corners are secured to your skin. This will prevent the plaster from rubbing against your socks or shoes and peeling off, which can ruin the healing process and may cause even more blisters!
Cover all the essentials with one of these first aid kits!
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£4.00
Placement | Heel, toe, ball |
---|---|
Best For | Stocking up, multiple blister sites |
Number of Plasters | 5 |
Price per Plaster | £0.80 |
£5.10
Placement | Heel |
---|---|
Best For | Standard-sized blisters |
Number of Plasters | 5 |
Price per plaster | £1.02 |
£4.15
Placement | Heel |
---|---|
Best For | Working out |
Number of Plasters | 5 |
Price per Plaster | £0.83 |
£5.00
Placement | Toe |
---|---|
Best For | Sweating, small blisters |
Number of Plasters | 8 |
Price per Plaster | £0.63 |
£2.60
Placement | Heel |
---|---|
Best For | High heels, discreet protection |
Number of Plasters | 5 |
Price per Plaster | £0.53 |
£4.20
Placement | Ball, sole |
---|---|
Best For | Small blisters |
Number of Plasters | 6 |
Price per Plaster | £0.73 |
£4.60
Placement | Heel |
---|---|
Best For | Standard-sized blisters |
Number of Plasters | 6 |
Price per Plaster | £0.76 |
£3.50
Placement | Heel, toe, ball |
---|---|
Best For | Stocking up, low budget |
Number of Plasters | 5 |
Price per Plaster | £0.70 |
£2.50
Placement | Heel |
---|---|
Best For | Standard blisters, low budget |
Number of Plasters | 6 |
Price per Plaster | £0.42 |
£8.50
Placement | Heel, ball, sole |
---|---|
Best For | Large blisters |
Number of Plasters | 5 |
Price per Plaster | £1.70 |
The adhesive layer on hydrocolloid plasters is incredibly strong and once applied, it can remain on the skin for anything from several hours to several days. As long as you have cleaned and dried the wound before applying, there's no need to worry about leaving a blister plaster on for days at a time.
You only need to remove the plaster once it starts to naturally peel away from your skin, or when you notice that the white bubble in the centre has reached the edge of the dressing. This indicates that the blister fluids are filling up the inside of the plaster and it needs to be replaced. If neither of these things happen though, leave your plaster on, as removing it will be painful and will only slow down the healing process!
Try an extra-thick pair of hiking socks to prevent blisters and keep your feet sweat-free!
Written and researched by Alicia Byrne
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