These Boots were made for walking... (Boots Hydrocolloid Blister Plasters)

Member Name: collingwood21

Product:	Boots Hydrocolloid Blister Plasters
Date:	10/07/03 (478 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Pain and pressure relief, Comfortable and flexible, Prevents infection and scaring

Disadvantages: Quite expensive, The gel can somtimes leak out of the plaster

I'm amazed that you are reading this - it is a lovely sunny day, and you are sat indoors reading a review about blister plasters? Do you really have nothing better to do? Well, the prospect of writing about such a product was just as thrilling a prospect to me, but fortunately I have been able to sidestep it a little. A couple of recent messages from the more pioneering end of the collingwood21 dynasty should tell you pretty much all you need to know about the product:


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>--Message --
>Date: Sat, 31 May 2003 14:44:47
>From: "Everest Basecamp" < Top_Of_The_World@bloodybigmountain.com >
>To: collingwood21@ciao.com
>Subject: Hello from Everest

Dearest cousin,
Just writing to let you know that I have now successfully reached the top of Everest, and in time for the 50th anniversary celebrations, too. And what a spiffing party that was - I have not seen anything like it since the end of term hooray at the Ladies College. It was a jolly good view from the top as well, I must say! I am currently at the more reasonable 17,500 feet of base camp and sending this message from the internet cafe here. This is really roughing it, as you can imagine - other than this building and the Starbucks next door there is nothing here at all apart from several hundred of us climbers, our tents, kit, Sherpas, porters and the helicopter landing pad. It is dashed hard to be so cut off from civilisation, but one must keep a stiff upper lip about such things, mustn't one?

I did have some frightfully bad luck on my descent, though. Those fabulous new boots that I bought especially for this expedition have left my feet with the most ghastly blisters on them. Awfully uncomfortable. I got hold of one of our Sherpas and after pointing at my feet and saying "BLISTER" several times in a very loud voice (can you believe that some of the natives still don't speak Engl
ish properly?), the little chap gave me a pack of Boots Hydrocolloid Blister Plasters. Apparently he picked them up in a local village on the way up to base camp - Boots must really be branching out, these days.

These hydrocolloid plasters are jolly modern and scientific, though - quite unlike anything I have ever seen. One of the chaps up here explained to me how they work, which was uncommonly decent of him. You see, these plasters have a sort of gel in the middle of them that pad the blister so it doesn't hurt so much to walk around (which is rather important as we have an 85 mile trek back to our hotel). But that is not all - this awfully clever gel also prevents the blister drying out or bursting, so it heals quicker and does not get infected. This chap explained it was like having a second skin and gives "optimum healing conditions". Damned clever, these science fellows!

Well, must be off - I'm absolutely dying for a caramel mocholattefrappocino from next door. Looks like I may have to have it without the muffin, though. Still, one must suffer for one's art, mustn't one?

Toodle pip,
Hillary Collingwood-Smythe



>-- Message --
>Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 16:31:12
>From: "H Collingwood-Smythe" < Hilary@Ive_Climbed_Everest.com>
>To: collingwood21@ciao.com
>Subject: Homeward bound!

Dearest cousin,
I am now away from the beastly and uncivilised mountain areas, and am back in my hotel after a five-day trek. Can you believe that some of those upland villages are so isolated that the only contact they have with the outside world is through their local Starbucks? Not so much a McDonalds up there, it is so cut off. Those poor people.

I am pleased to note, though, that those jolly clever little plasters that the Sherpa gave to me have done wonders for my blisters. Not only did they stay in place for a whole five days of walking and showers, (they are v
ery flexible little blighters too I might add, you hardly know you have them on) but they have helped the nasty things to heal up with bursting, and made them quite a bit less painful. And no infection or scarring, either - top notch! Although I will say that one of them did come unstuck a little and oozed some gel onto my socks, leaving a rather embarrassing sticky white mark there. I am not too worried about this though, as I'm sure the help can do something with them back home.

In case you are interested, cousin, I did stop at a branch of Boots nearby and enquire whether these plasters were available back in Blighty. Thankfully they are. The local price is 2 Tugrik for a pack of six; a bit of mental calculation suggests that the English price to be somewhere around £3.89. I should say, though, that they may not be appropriate for people with diabetes or circulatory disorders, so don't go giving any to Papa, now.

Onwards to Kathmandu - I shall see you at home soon, I hope!

TTFN,
Hillary Collingwood-Smythe

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Well, that saves me having to write a long and boring essay on hydrocolloid blister plasters and the importance of dressing a blister properly rather than bursting it. Of course, if you are desperate to know more, you can have a look at:

For the official product page:
www.boots.com/shop/product_details.jsp?product id=1004418

For how to help prevent blisters:
www.mgear.com/pages/articles/article.asp?artic leid=270

For more on hydrocolloid plasters:
www.benefitsnowshop.co.uk/shop/section/84.htm

If this review was not to your satisfaction, don't blame me - they were my cousin's words, so direct all vitriol at her. After all, you have her email address. ;-)

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