Dead Tools

Non-Irritating Paper Tape

Blister prevention

My wife, who is an RN, brought some of this stuff home one night — they use it to hold IVs in place, I think — and it wasn’t long before I started tinkering with it. Turns out that if you’re a distance runner or a hiker or are breaking in a new pair of shoes, this stuff is a godsend. At the first sign of irritation, take off your sock and put a layer of this tape on the affected area. It is very thin, so it just feels like your skin conveniently got a bit thicker and less sensitive. Unlike cloth tape it has a minimal amount of adhesive, so there’s little need for trepidation when it comes time to remove it. Because of this stuff I was hero for a day last November when on the day of her high school Cross Country finals my daughter had a HUGE blister on the inside of her arch. Nothing was going to completely take away the pain, but she was able to finish the race without too much distraction.

-- Paul Dulaney 03/11/04

(Reviewers online have reported Nextcare's paper tape is superior. If you have any experience with that product or another option. Please let us know. -- SL — editors)

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