Treating Friction Blisters

When I first started training, my feet would constantly get friction blisters from the training mats (Judo tatami at my club). If I trained no-gi, my knees and sometimes elbows would also get scarred up. Painful? Sometimes, but more of a stinging sensation. Annoying? Certainly, because the wounds would not heal before the next class 2 days later.

At first I tried band-aids which would fall off once I started sweating. Then I tried covering the scares with hockey tape and tough it out. It helped a little, but pulling hockey tape off a fresh blister scar was not very pleasant. Then I found this great stuff called New-Skin.

New-Skin is a Liquid Antiseptic Bandage that you litterally paint on your blister, cut, or scar. After I came home from class and threw my kimono in the wash, I would jump in the shower. If you have a friction blister, you feel it in the shower. The pain continues as you get out and dry yourself off. That is the perfect time to paint on the New-Skin Antiseptic Liquid Bandage. If you feel a stinging, paint where you feel it. Sometimes applying the New-Skin can sting nicely, but after a few seconds, the pain is gone.

New-Skin comes in two types; a spray and a liquid type. I recommed picking up the paint brush or liquid kind because you can more accurately paint the stuff on instead of spraying it all over the place. You can also apply more as needed more easily with the liquid type.

New-Skin will generally keep the scar contained until it heals. It will not fall off in training, as it becomes stuck on just like real skin; although like plastic. Sometimes, after a class, you may need to re-apply the stuff. But the stuff is awesome and works great... Certainly worth picking up incase you get a little burnt in class.

Ous.