Toe Blisters: Causes, Prevention and What to Do
Toes take a beating. They’re squeezed by shoes, rub against each other and get jammed into the front of your boots on every downhill. It’s no surprise they’re one of the most common places for blisters.
The good news is that toe blisters usually have an obvious cause, and once you know it, they’re easy to prevent.
Where your toe blister is tells you why it formed
On the side of your big toe. Usually your shoe is too narrow, or the toe box presses the big toe inwards. Look for shoes with a wider, roomier toe box.
On the tips of your toes. Your toes are hitting the front of the shoe, either because the shoe is too short or because your foot slides forward on descents. Go up half a size, and lock your heel in with your laces before downhills.
Between your toes. Toes rubbing against each other, often made worse by sweat. Keeping the area dry and adding a little padding between the toes makes a big difference.
On your little toe. The classic pinch blister, where the little toe gets squeezed under or against its neighbour. Common in narrow shoes and on long walks or runs.
Blood blisters on toes. These come from pinching or pressure strong enough to damage small blood vessels under the skin. Treat them like any other blister: leave them intact and protect them from more pressure.
How to prevent toe blisters
Check your shoe fit. You should be able to wiggle your toes, and they shouldn’t touch the front of the shoe, even on downhills. Try shoes on later in the day, with the socks you’ll wear.
Trim your toenails. Trim straight across. Long nails press into the next toe and the front of your shoe.
Keep your toes dry. Merino or synthetic socks, never cotton, and swap to dry socks on long days.
Try toe socks. Separating each toe stops skin-on-skin rubbing. They take some getting used to, but many people with recurring toe blisters swear by them.
Pad your problem toes before you start. This is where hikers wool shines. Tear off a small tuft and tuck it between your toes, or wrap it around a little toe that keeps blistering, then pull your sock on. The wool meshes with your sock and stays in place, cushioning the toe and helping reduce rubbing. Unlike tape, it doesn’t need cutting to shape and won’t peel off between your toes.
Got a toe blister already?
Don’t pop it. The skin on top protects the raw skin underneath.
Clean it gently with mild soap and water, and pat it dry.
Cover it. Use a soft plaster for an intact blister. If it has burst, use antiseptic and a dressing or hydrocolloid patch. Small toe-sized patches work best.
Take the pressure off. If you need to keep moving, tuck a little Blister Wool around the blister (not on broken skin) so the neighbouring toes and your shoe can’t rub on it.
For the full first-aid steps, see how to heal blisters on feet overnight.
See a GP or pharmacist if a toe blister looks infected (red, hot, or weeping yellow or green pus), keeps coming back, or if you have diabetes or poor circulation.
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