Read on to learn how to tell when it might be time to take things into your own hands and how to do it safely.
When and How to Pop a Blister
Before popping a blister, it’s important to first determine what kind of blister you have. While all blisters share some common features, they aren’t all good candidates for popping on your own.
Blisters are raised bubbles under the top layer of your skin that are filled with fluid. This fluid might be a clear liquid, blood, or pus.
Regardless of what they’re filled with, blisters can be very uncomfortable, especially if they’re on a part of your body that you use a lot.
Read on to learn how to tell when it might be time to take things into your own hands and how to do it safely.
You’ve probably heard that it’s best to leave blisters alone. While this is true, it’s not always practical. However, it depends on the type of blister you have.
Popping a friction blister
Friction blisters are caused by repeated pressure or rubbing, which creates irritation. They can form from wearing shoes that don’t fit properly, especially if they’re too tight. While they can form in any area that’s exposed to friction, the hands and feet are common sites.
Once you remove the source of friction, the fluid usually drains on its own within a few days. You’ll then develop a new layer of skin under the blister. Once the skin has developed, the skin from the original blister will fall off.
If the blister continues to be exposed to friction, it can take several weeks to heal. In the meantime, the blister may pop on its own, oozing fluid. This also leaves the blister vulnerable to infection. If you have a friction blister that you can’t protect from irritation, such as one on the index finger of your dominant hand, you might want to consider safely popping it to avoid infection.
Popping a blood blister
Blood blisters are friction blisters that contain a mix of blood and clear fluid. They’re usually red when they first form. Over time, they can become more purple in color. The blood comes from broken blood vessels under the raised pocket of skin.
While they look slightly different, blood blisters and friction blisters follow the same course of healing and can be treated similarly. Again, you should only pop a blood blister if you can’t avoid using the affected area.
Popping a fever blister
Fever blisters, also called cold sores, are red blisters filled with fluid. They form on the face, usually near the mouth. They can also appear on the nose, inside the mouth, or on the fingers. A few fever blisters often form together as a clump.
Fever blisters are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which is easily spread to others through close contact. Never pop a fever blister. It won’t help it heal any faster and you run the risk of spreading the virus to other areas of your skin or to other people.
