Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDo PopDon’t PopSafe PoppingSpotting InfectionPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Do Pop
Don’t Pop
Safe Popping
Spotting Infection
Prevention
Don’t pop a blister unless it is big, painful, or is getting continually irritated. In most cases, blisters act as natural bandages, protecting a damaged area of skin, helping to promote healing, and preventing skin infection.
If you are going to pop a blister, how you do it is important. Using improper techniques can cause harm to your skin and increase the risk of infection.
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What Is a Blister?Ablisteris a pocket of fluid between two layers of skin. The clear fluid inside a blister is called serum. Blisters usually form when something rubs against your skin and irritates it, but they can occur for other reasons, too. Most blisters are quite painful, even when they’re not a serious medical issue.
What Is a Blister?
Ablisteris a pocket of fluid between two layers of skin. The clear fluid inside a blister is called serum. Blisters usually form when something rubs against your skin and irritates it, but they can occur for other reasons, too. Most blisters are quite painful, even when they’re not a serious medical issue.
What Blisters Can Be Popped?
It is usually best to leave a blister alone. Blisters form to protect your skin. If you leave them alone, they should go away within a week or so, depending on the size. Your body will reabsorb the liquid.
Friction Blister
Friction blisters can be popped in some cases. Friction blisters are among the most common blister types.
A blister that’s less than 5 millimeters (mm) is called a vesicle. A larger blister (more than 5mm) is called a bulla.
Friction blisters should only be popped if they are very large and impeding your usual activities. As with other blisters, popping a friction blister increases your risk of bacterialinfection.
Should I pop a blister on my toe or foot?
Blood Blister
Blood blisters can be popped under certain circumstances. Ablood blisteris almost the same as a friction blister, but instead of containing serum, the blister is filled with blood.
If the blister is small and just occurred and the blood is fresh, you can pop it and put on a compressive dressing. Do not pop a blood blister if the blood is old and congealed.
What Blisters Should Not Be Popped?
Some blisters can become infected if you pop them, while others can spread viruses. Generally speaking, you should not pop these types of blisters.
Burn Blister
Burn blisters should not be popped. Asecond-degree burncan leave your skin to become discolored and blistered. While a small second-degree burn can sometimes be treated with first aid, aburn blisterthat covers a large area of skin requires medical treatment since it’s extremely prone to infection. This includessun blisters.
For this reason, you should avoid popping a burn blister, even a small one. If a burn blister pops on its own, remove the dead skin and keep the wound covered and moist. If you’re having trouble keeping the area moist, you can use an antibiotic ointment.
Eczema Blister
Eczema blisters should not be popped. Eczema (atopic dermatitis) can cause irritation that leads to blisters. Blisters can be aneczema symptomof specifictypes of eczema.Dyshidrotic eczema, for example, causes very painful and itchy blisters, often on the hands and feet.
Because they’re intensely itchy, it can be difficult to avoid scratching eczema blisters. However, that can pop them and lead to infection, so try to avoid it.
Bug Bites
Some insect bites can develop into painful blisters, such as the bite of fire ants, mites, and centipedes. Like burn blisters, you should not pop a blister from a bug bite. Popping a bug bite blister can introduce bacteria that could lead to an infection.
Fever Blister or Cold Sore
Do not pop a fever blister, also known asoral herpes or cold sores. Because they’re highly contagious, you want to avoid touching them as much as possible so you don’t spread the virus to other parts of your body or to other people.
Herpes blisterseventually will break open on their own, crust over, and heal without any intervention on your part.
Other strategies for managing discomfort and preventing transmission include:
Do blisters heal faster if you pop them?Blisters don’t heal faster if you pop them. In fact, popping a blister can actually prolong the healing process. Is it usually better to leave a blister alone than it is to try draining it.
Do blisters heal faster if you pop them?
Blisters don’t heal faster if you pop them. In fact, popping a blister can actually prolong the healing process. Is it usually better to leave a blister alone than it is to try draining it.
How to Safely Pop a Blister
If you have a very large friction blister that’s making it difficult to function, such as a massive one on the back of your heel that makes it hard to walk, carefully popping and draining the blister can help ease pain and discomfort.
To pop a blister:
To deal with smaller blisters, you can use store-bought moleskin or padded bandages to protect the area while the blister heals.
How to Tell If a Blister Is Infected
Whether your blister pops on its own or you decide to drain it yourself, keep an eye out forsigns of infection:
Call your healthcare provider if you think your blister is infected.
What color should blister fluid be?
How to Prevent Blisters
Blister prevention, specifically in the case of friction blisters, involves:
Summary
Popping a blister can introduce bacteria and cause an infection. If you have a very big friction blister that’s making it hard to function, however, it’s okay to pop and drain it as long as you take steps to prevent infection. This includes washing your hands, using a sterilized needle, and cleaning and bandaging the area afterward.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.New Zealand Trust: DermNet.Blistering skin conditions.National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Blisters.University of California: UCI Health.Home burn care do’s and don’ts.National Eczema Society.Pompholyx eczema.American Academy of Dermatology.Cold sores: Signs and symptoms.The University of Texas at Austin, University Health Services.Cold sores / fever blisters.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to prevent and treat blisters.Seattle Children’s Hospital.Wound infection.Harvard University Medical School, Harvard Health Publishing.Blisters (Overview).National Health Service: NHS Inform.Blisters.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.New Zealand Trust: DermNet.Blistering skin conditions.National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Blisters.University of California: UCI Health.Home burn care do’s and don’ts.National Eczema Society.Pompholyx eczema.American Academy of Dermatology.Cold sores: Signs and symptoms.The University of Texas at Austin, University Health Services.Cold sores / fever blisters.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to prevent and treat blisters.Seattle Children’s Hospital.Wound infection.Harvard University Medical School, Harvard Health Publishing.Blisters (Overview).National Health Service: NHS Inform.Blisters.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
New Zealand Trust: DermNet.Blistering skin conditions.National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Blisters.University of California: UCI Health.Home burn care do’s and don’ts.National Eczema Society.Pompholyx eczema.American Academy of Dermatology.Cold sores: Signs and symptoms.The University of Texas at Austin, University Health Services.Cold sores / fever blisters.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to prevent and treat blisters.Seattle Children’s Hospital.Wound infection.Harvard University Medical School, Harvard Health Publishing.Blisters (Overview).National Health Service: NHS Inform.Blisters.
New Zealand Trust: DermNet.Blistering skin conditions.
National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Blisters.
University of California: UCI Health.Home burn care do’s and don’ts.
National Eczema Society.Pompholyx eczema.
American Academy of Dermatology.Cold sores: Signs and symptoms.
The University of Texas at Austin, University Health Services.Cold sores / fever blisters.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to prevent and treat blisters.
Seattle Children’s Hospital.Wound infection.
Harvard University Medical School, Harvard Health Publishing.Blisters (Overview).
National Health Service: NHS Inform.Blisters.
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