Blisters: Causes, Soothing Tips & Prevention
What is a blister?
Blisters on feet
How to manage blisters on the feet and other areas of the body
Should you pop blisters?
How to help prevent blisters on the feet
Preventing blisters on hands and other areas of the body
Help prevent and soothe blisters with Aquaphor®
Being able to spend an entire day shopping and then dance the night away is great – but all it takes is a painful blister to spoil the fun. Learn all about what causes blisters, how to treat them, and how to help prevent them below.
What is a blister?
A blister is an area of raised skin with a small pocket of watery liquid inside. Blisters form from continuous rubbing and pressure, and they can also form due to burns, moisture, and heat. Blisters are common on areas of the body that experience friction like hands and feet but can occur anywhere on the skin.
How does a blister form?
Repetitive rubbing and pressure will eventually lead to the separation of the epidermis (the outer skin layer) from its lower skin layers, and this leads to the formation of a blister containing tissue fluid. This liquid is supposed to cushion the wound and protect it from further pressure. Though it can be painful, a blister is a clever self-protective measure of your body.
The blister’s outer membrane is what successfully protects the wound – from further pressure, and from dirt and bacteria infecting the body.
How to tell if a blister is infected
Unfortunately, a blister is painful and can burst if exposed to more pressure and friction. This leaves an open wound that can be painful and easily become infected. An infected blister is filled with yellow or green pus and feels hot. The surrounding skin will appear red, though this can be difficult to notice on darker skin tones. Skin may become red before a blister forms, so redness is not always a sign of infection. Infected blisters should be treated, otherwise they could lead to other infections.
If a blister has popped and you’re concerned it may be infected, be sure to contact your doctor for further treatment.
Infections may require treatment plans involving antibiotics so it’s important to seek medical attention right away if you suspect an infection may be forming.
Blisters on feet
It’s not uncommon to get blisters on your feet. The feet experience a lot of friction while walking or running while wearing shoes and may also experience blisters on the bottoms of the feet if walking barefoot on hot pavement. Blisters on the feet can form from excessive friction caused by ill-fitting shoes, or from very long walks, runs, or hikes in shoes that may seem comfortable at first. Chafing from friction is exacerbated by moisture, so when feet are sweaty or if shoes get wet and soak through to the feet, this can increase the likelihood of blisters.
Blisters on the feet can show up anywhere on the foot, from the side of the pinkie toe to the balls of the feet, the tops of the feet, and, very commonly, the heels. Blisters on the heels are particularly common with ill-fitting shoes. This is because every step can cause friction at the contact point when the foot is rolling off the ground to take another step, as well as when landing and pushing the foot back down into the shoe. Both shoes that are too loose and shoes that are too tight can cause friction blisters on the heels.
Whether wearing a pair of stiff dress shoes without socks, a pair of sandals with rubbing straps, or wearing socks with a pair of sneakers that rub against the heel, a blister on the foot or heel may be close behind without proper precautions. When it comes to blisters on the feet, prevention is the key.
How to manage blisters on the feet and other areas of the body
While blisters can be painful and inconvenient, they are seldom serious and can be managed with some gentle home treatment. Here are some steps to take to help take care of a blister if you see one forming:
How to take care of an intact blister that hasn’t broken
Cover the blister – While the blister itself is working hard to cover a wound, protecting the blister from further friction and possible rupture is an important first step in blister care. Gently cover the blister with a bandage and ensure that the center of the bandage is a bit loose as not to apply additional pressure to the blister. If the blister is on an area that experiences unavoidable pressure (such as the ball of the foot or bottom of toes), apply a donut-shaped bandage or moleskin to ease the pressure.
Avoid friction in the area – If possible, stop the activity that caused the blister and avoid friction in the area until blistered skin has fully healed.
How to manage a blister that has broken
Sometimes, despite precautions, blisters can break on their own. If this happens, there are some measures you can take to soothe your blister:
Keep the area clean and dry – gently wash your blister with a gentle soap, rinse clean with water and pat dry, being careful not to further irritate the skin with harsh detergents or rubbing.
Apply a skin protectant ointment – applying an ointment like Aquaphor Healing Ointment will help protect and soothe the skin.
Apply a sterile bandage – cover loosely with a bandage to help protect the blister without adding further pressure.