Anyone here a serious ballet dancer? question for DD about serious blisters

[Laura]

My dd just got a new and different brand of pointe shoes and in breaking them in got some of the worst blisters she has ever had. She is in the middle of nutcracker and can't afford to miss rehersals. Are there products other than tape that you use to help make wearing them bearable while the skin heals?

[greysangel]

I'm not a ballet dancer but I did spend some time in college working for the Hartford ballet and those dancers used to cut strips of this stuff called mole skin. It's like little felty strips that you can cut in any shape and size to cushion until the blister heals. That and neosporin at night!

j

[Laura]

Thanks JeAnne; I was wondering about moleskin. She has been using the neosporin so hopefully that will help. It's not the two hour classes that are killing her but the 7 hour rehersals. Fortunately, the next one isn't until Saturday and maybe they will have improved some by then.

[leebee]

Well, it's been many, many years, and I was never anything close to a serious dancer, but I got serious blisters. My teacher gave me the following advice:
Use Vaseline on areas of the skin where you feel rubbing before a blister occurs to help prevent one from forming. If a blister does form, you can use a cushy piece of foam with a hole cut for one that hasn't popped. If you want to pop it to reduce potential damage, do it parallel to the blister, rather from the top. Use moleskin (as pointed out above) to cover a popped/raw blister.

[joybuzz]

Vitamin E capsules~break them open and apply to blister. Product Newskin
is a liquid which puts a protectiove coating over it. Stings like crazy but works. Try bandaid and then wrap in tape.
My daughter said each individual blister on her toes required different methods of healing. I remember her feet bleeding thru her toe shoes on several occassions. She always had ice and salts waiting in the wings/dressing room and at home. Most of the audience has no idea how the cast is limping around back stage in pain :eek:

[doggerham]

As a marathon trainee, non-petroleum products like Bodyglide have been recommended over vaseline. I use it everywhere I chafe, including feet. Check you local running store. It come in a push up tube, like deodorant.

http://www.bodyglide.com/images/new_af_product.jpg

[Laura]

As a marathon trainee, non-petroleum products like Bodyglide have been recommended over vaseline. I use it everywhere I chafe, including feet. Check you local running store. It come in a push up tube, like deodorant.




I have used bodyglide myself, I just didn't think about it as we were rushing out the door. :rolleyes: Thanks for all the replies everyone; I am off to the store. I have to tell you though she has been a trooper through all of this. I guess it all evens out when she is on stage. :)

[Cookin4Love]

Not a dancer, but I got some seriously nasty blisters when I was waitressing on a patio in the middle of summer. Bandaid makes a special bandage for blisters--it compresses on and stays on for several days. If it weren't for those, I'm pretty sure I would've lost some toes--and I'm only half kidding. Bodyglide and/or Vaseline are good for prevention, but these might allow her to heal.

[Hammster]

I'm not a dancer, but I am a hiker who has gotten blisters. I learned about sock liners and wear them every time I hike and no more blisters. The reason is simple. The sock liner, which is very thin and slippery, moves against your feet and your other rough socks thus keeping a nice smooth surface against your feet.
I wonder if your daughter could wear some sock liners with her shoes during her practices and see if it would help prevent or minimize the number of blisters?
I know this doesn't answer the question of how to heal and protect the blisters while they heal, but it could be a proactive way to prevent them.
Sock liners can be found at good sporting goods and camping stores like REI, A16, etc.
:D

[Valerie226]

I cut doughnuts out of moleskin or molefoam( thicker than moleskin) with a hole in the center to go over the blister area. I strap the whole thing on with duct tape over and across the top of my foot. Friction from foot movement against a shoe part causes the blister, and the friction will peel off any bandage as your foot perspires underneath and the adhesive stops working. so if I have a heel blister( where I always get them) I cover my entire heel with the moleskin doughnut, and strap duct tape over the top of my foot to hold the moleskin doughnut in place. Do not stick the duct tape to the blister itself. I sometimes put a plain bandaid on the blister, then the moleskin doughnut, then the duct tape. I x-c ski alot & every year, until my heels harden up, I go thru the same routine.

Double socks don't work for me but a lot of people have success with that method. Body Glide doesn't work for my foot blisters but is a good product. you can get it online thru roadrunnersports.com