Blisters are often very annoying and painful too. It is caused by friction, usually your shoes or socks rubbing against your skin. Everything that intensifies rubbing can start a blister, including a faster pace, poor-fitting shoes and foot abnormalities, such as bunions, heel spurs and hammertoes. Heat and moisture also intensify friction by making your feet swell. This explains why many runners only suffer blisters during races, especially marathons. If you're perspiring more, running faster and longer, sloshing through water stations and, if it's warm, pour water over your head. The body responds to this friction by producing fluid, which builds up beneath the part of the skin being rubbed, causing pressure and pain. A blood blister occurs when the friction ruptures tiny blood vessels. While most blisters don't pose a severe health risk, they should be treated with respect.

Prevention

To prevent blisters to come up your way just moisten your feet. Similar to the sweaty skin, dry skin is also more prone to friction. For this use skin creams and lotions liberally on a daily basis to maintain proper moisture. Also always choose blister-free socks that take care of your feet. This is because synthetic socks wick moisture away from the skin. One can also use cotton which is lighter enough, but it also retains fluid. Socks with reinforced heels and toes are also helpful in reducing friction. One should, while running, run with a slick skin. You can coat your feet with products like Vaseline or any another lubricant before you run. Or in case you can also use second Skin, that is, a padded tape that stays on even when wet. Both the methods form a protective shield between your sensitive skin and the socks.

Conclusion

You should always wear two pairs of socks so that the friction occurs between the two socks, rather than between the socks and the skin. If your shoe now gets too tight, go up a half-size as long as your foot doesn't slide around, making blisters a possibility. Also wear shoes and socks that fit you properly. Shoes that are too small may cause blisters under the toes and on the ends of the toe nails. There should also be a thumbs width of space between the toes and end of the toe box. Your socks should fit you smoothly, with no extra fabric at the toes or heels.

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