A disc head slider supports a transducer relative to a moving media in a data storage system. The slider includes a slider body having a media opposing face with a leading slider edge, a trailing slider edge, a recessed area and a bearing surface formed by at least one positive pressurization area. The pressurization area is raised relative to the recessed area. A wearable airflow-blocking pad is positioned upstream of the positive pressurization area, between the positive pressurization area and the recessed area. The pad is wearable from a first height to a second, lower height relative to the positive pressurization area during normal operation of the data storage system. The airflow-blocking pad substantially disrupts fluid flow from reaching the positive pressurization area when at the first height and allows progressively increasing fluid flow to reach the positive pressurization area as the pad wears toward the second height.