[blairasb]

I am on my second day working at a local farm cleaning stalls (10 per day) and working some horses.
I'm no real stranger to barnwork- prior to losing my gelding 3 weeks ago, he was on self care at another barn, and I worked as a barn grunt and cleaned 15+ stalls a day for several years while in high school and college. My hands still have the calluses from that.

Unfortunately, I brought the wrong gloves with me today and my hands paid the price in a major way.

I developed a blister underneath one of the calluses on that meaty spot right where your palm ends and fingers begin, and it tore open, leaving a big ugly red seepy SORE mess (it's not nice. I had a hard time riding afterward because the mare I ride likes stronger contact than I prefer...), and I have another great big bubble toward the middle of my palm that I don't think is going to be so bad, but.... sore enough.

Does anyone have suggestions on topical stuff that might take some of the ouch out of the one that ripped open?

[KateKat]

In my experience, just time, bandaids and neosporin! Also, if you still have the flap of skin on your hand I know a lot of people who just Super Glue it shut. Helps the natural healing process and keeps the dirt out.

If the bubble one hasn't popped, you could drain it. Otherwise it might pop/tear on its own next time you're stall cleaning which could be uncomfortable...

Gotta love blisters. NOT.

[crewgirl34]

Superglue is a good one.

Another one is to soak your hands in tea. The cheap little tea bags work great. I rowed in college, and even though our hands were tough as leather, we still would get the occasional blister. The tannin in the tea toughens up the skin, even that really tender stuff you just exposed.

[BuddyRoo]

Get thee to a drug store. They have this lovely stuff that you can put over that's kind of like moleskin but clear and rubbery feeling and it flexes with you but also has good stuff in it to sooth the burn.

I used it a LOT when I played soccer.

[nashfad]

Prevention is the key-------wear leather gloves

[happymom]

Goldfish.......raise them instead of horses......

[Judysmom]

Furacin salve and band aids or vet wrap. Its magical

[shiningwizard255]

Petro Carbo salve by Watkins is awesome!

[InstigatorKate]

Haven't had to use it on my hands before, but both Band-Aid and Dr Scholl's make blister patches that are latex-y gel-type sticky bandages that have always been amazing on my heel blisters. Make sure the skin is really dry prior to putting them on, and then let them set for an hour or so before stressing the area. They stay on for 2-3days on my feet and work really well. Usually I only need 1, and by the time it falls off, the skin underneath is vastly improved.

[shayaalliard]

Get thee to a drug store. They have this lovely stuff that you can put over that's kind of like moleskin but clear and rubbery feeling and it flexes with you but also has good stuff in it to sooth the burn.

I used it a LOT when I played soccer.

It's called hydrocolloid- and it is fabulous! Goes straight over the blister, feels like it never happened. Shown to heal 50% faster in clinical studies too. Developed for burn victims. I used it a ton in dance- and just got some for when I ripped a chunk out of a finger on my tack trunk- the cushyness helped the pain a lot more than a regular bandaid did.

[Coanteen]

Just for pure pain relief you might try the topical analgesic cream, something-caine. Lidocaine or benzocaine are the 2 I can think of, both should be over the counter. I used that when I had my burn from unexpected-flambe.

[jetsmom]

Haven't had to use it on my hands before, but both Band-Aid and Dr Scholl's make blister patches that are latex-y gel-type sticky bandages that have always been amazing on my heel blisters. Make sure the skin is really dry prior to putting them on, and then let them set for an hour or so before stressing the area. They stay on for 2-3days on my feet and work really well. Usually I only need 1, and by the time it falls off, the skin underneath is vastly improved.

These things are the BOMB!!! Work great!

[PaintPony]

If you need to build the callus back up after the blister has healed, I recommend something called Quick Callus.

It's marketed towards musicians - I use it on my fingertips for playing the guitar. But it works anywhere on your hands and doesn't have all the toxic crap in it that some crazy/super glue does.

It's been a lifesaver for my poor fingers!