My mother came to visit last month. She bought a new pair of shoes, wore them all day, and came home with a deroofed blister on her big toe. Bad news for mum. But as it turned out, good news for me. Because I wanted to show you the white gel bubble that shows hydrocolloid healing.
There’s only one other good photographic example of hydrocolloid healing showing the white gel bubble and I was keen to enhance that.
The only thing was, she was leaving the next day. So she promised to take photos and send them to me. She did a great job. Her photos clearly show how the hydrocolloid white bubble forms so you can see this is completely normal.
New deroofed blister with hydrocolloid blister plaster applied.
A white gel bubble starts to form within hours which indicates the wound is healing.
What Hydrocolloid Healing Looks Like
Hydrocolloid blister plasters are exudate-absorbent hydrophilic gel dressings. They’re rubbery and slightly translucent. As your deroofed blister weeps, the hydrocolloid material absorbs the fluid and turns into a gel. From the outside, it looks like a white bubble. The dressing remains waterproof the whole time. The white bubble is a sign that your blister is healing.
You can learn more about how hydrocolloid blister plasters work here including:
- When you should change your plaster
- What your blister will look like when you take your plaster off
- Why you should tape the edges of your plaster down
Blister healed! Mum sent me a photo of her healed blister a week later on her way down south.
Examples of Hydrocolloid Blister Plasters
- Compeed Blister Patches – Three convenient shapes/sizes of blister plasters.
- BlisterPod Hydrocolloid Blister Plasters – Like Compeed, but sterile!
- Duoderm Ulcer Dressings – Used more in the hospital setting for ulcers and bed sores
- Comfeel Ulcer Dressings – As above
Get Started With Hydrocolloid Blister Plasters
Hydrocolloid Blister Bandages 10 Pack
Hydrocolloid Blister Bandages are exudate-absorbent hydrophilic gel dressings. Promotes blister healing. Latex-free, water-proof (10 Pack). Shop now!
About The Author
Rebecca Rushton BSc(Pod)
Podiatrist, blister prone ex-hockey player, foot blister thought-leader, author and educator. Can’t cook. Loves test cricket.
Hydrocolloid Blister Bandages 10 Pack
Hydrocolloid Blister Bandages are exudate-absorbent hydrophilic gel dressings. Promotes blister healing. Latex-free, water-proof (10 Pack). Shop now!
This is great! I’m currently trying out how might a blister plaster help heal an over-filed thickened painful toenail. It’s made the white bubble so that’s promising.
Hey Cliona :)
Actually, the hydrocolloid needs to be in contact with the raw blister base to work best. A blister under the toenail is a different proposition – if I understand your situation correctly. If a blister is under the nail, depending on the volume of blister fluid (it sounds like there was a fair bit to have lifted the nail up), the nail has lost some of its grounding/stability. So be very careful when you remove the hydrocolloid plaster because it might have stuck like glue to your nail. An island dressing, changed frequently as it soaks up the fluids, would have been the best option, I think.
Thank you Rebecca,
I got the duoderm from a pharmacy in Borneo after scuba diving with tight Fins. I thought my midlife toe was exploding with the White bubble but your photos and description have relaxed me! There aren’t many images of hydrocolloid dressings actually healing online so well done for posting.
I’m using it for a cut on my leg . I have extremely thin skin. It is healing it. I have the white under the bandage . I will assume I don’t change it everyday.
I am using it for a leg ulcer, the white bubble has formed , now it has turned yellowish. What does that mean?
See your doctor, Tonia.
I have a leg ulcer, and the white bubble is now turning yellow is that normal, I’ve had it on for 3 days now.
Videos were very informative. Where can I get fixation tape?
https://www.blister-prevention.com/product/fixomull-stretch-tape/