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Dr. Paul Auerbach discusses blisters at Medicine for the Outdoors:
If a blister is caused by pressure (ill-fitting boots), you have a couple of choices. As mentioned above, prior to actual blister formation, you can protect or pad the area. Once a blister forms, the blister site can be padded with moleskin or other adhesive foam, so that rubbing no longer occurs, the blister should be ringed with a doughnut of padding and left intact. For a better cushion, a piece of Spenco 2nd Skin (an inert gel consisting of polyethylene oxide and water) can be laid into the doughnut hole and the entire area covered with a second layer of moleskin or an absorbent bandage, such as a Spenco adhesive knit bandage.
The best treatment for blisters, as for most outdoor ills, is a healthy dose of prevention. Thorough instruction on proper footwear, socks and quickly responding to ‘hot spots’ are an important component of preparing your Scouts for a hike or backpacking trip.
I’ve found that wearing two pairs of socks rather than one thick pair (be sure to fit your boots for two pairs of socks when buy them) helps prevent hot spots and blisters from forming.