How to Safely Treat a Blister - By: Dr Andrew Schneider

A blister is a small pocket of fluid contained in the outer layers of the skin. A blister is caused by irritation of the skin from excessive rubbing, burning, freezing, chemicals toxic to the skin, or infection. It can contain blood, serum, or pus within it. If you are athlete you are probably very familiar with blisters. They commonly appear at places that get repeated irritation. The location of blisters depends on the activity you are doing. If you are a golfer, weight lifter or baseball player the most common places to get blisters are on your hands, a skier or snowboarder on your shins or lower legs, and a runner or walker on your feet.

Once people realize that they have a blister the most common issue is not knowing what to do. Do I pop the blister or do I leave it alone? Some people say don't pop a blister because it can get infected and it will just get worse. Other people say pop a blister as soon as it forms otherwise it will keep getting bigger. I can see why there is confusion as to pop or not pop a blister because there is a little truth in both of these statements. Most health care practitioners, such as a podiatrist, would counsel you to drain the blister as long as you do it in a clean and sterile manner. If you need to drain a blister because you are going to continue the type of activity that caused the blister, follow the following guidelines to do it safely

1) Gather the following supplies: washcloth, soap, sterile needle, gauze, antibacterial ointment, Band-Aid

2) Clean the area over and around the blister with a washcloth, soap and water.

3) Hold the sterile needle in your stronger hand. Have the gauze ready in your other hand. Puncture the blister with the sterile needle and apply pressure with the gauze pad. Continue the pressure until all the liquid is drained from the blister. Do not remove the "roof" of the blister.

4) Properly dispose of the needle and gauze pad.

5) Apply a thin layer of topical antibacterial ointment to the area where the blister was located.

6) Put a Band-Aid over the area to help prevent infection.

7) Figure out what caused the blister to form and find a way to stop the irritation from continuing. This will prevent additional blisters from forming.

Blisters are common occurrences, especially in active people. Most blisters are easy to treat but if you feel uncomfortable treating it on your own, or think that your blister may be infected, contact your local podiatrist for a professional opinion.

Blisters on feet are common when running, walking, or just when trying new shoes. The question on how to treat a blister or if you should pop a blister is a common one. This article discusses how to safely treat a blister.

Dr. Andrew Schneider is a podiatrist in private practice in Houston, TX. He is dedicated to maintaining the health and safety of the feet of athletes and return them to their sport as soon as possible after injury. For more information about foot health in sports, informative videos, and to order Dr. Schneider's FREE book, visit his website and his blog "The Houston Running Chronicles"