Did you know that popping your blister, no matter how enticing it is, is a MASSIVE mistake?
I am going to tell you why, but also tell you what you can do to help your blister. We are not talking about the blister that has already popped, or the blister that has had the roof torn off, we are just talking about the everyday, run of the mill blister.
Now I know the temptation to pop your blister is real. I get it. I’ve even been guilty of it myself, but here is why you shouldn’t!
Blisters are pockets of fluid caused by friction and they are actually a defence mechanism to prevent further injury to that site – pop the blister and it leads to further injury ☹.
Also, the fluid and environment underneath the blister is sterile and has the best conditions for healing and healing quickly – pop the blister and germs can get in leading to infection and a longer healing rate ☹
It’s not all doom and gloom though.
Firstly, the best thing you can do is cover your blister with a dressing that will not stick to the blister roof. An island dressing with an absorbent pad surrounded by adhesive such as Primapore or Cutiplast is perfect for this. Not only will it protect the blister, it will take away the temptation to pop it – out of site, out of mind 😊
I can hear you saying “but it hurts, it’s painful and so on and so on”. OK. If you NEED to pop your blister, there is a safe and sterile way to do it so as not to allow germs in and to not disrupt the healing process.
- Get yourself a small sterile scalpel blade or a small sterile needle (the good old needle into a flame works well if you do not have anything else – thanks for that one grandma)
- Pop the blister with the very tip of what you are using ensuring the hole is only big enough the drain the fluid (DO NOT make a massive hole)
- Drain the fluid from the blister ensuring the roof of the blister stays intact.
- Cover with one of the dressings mentioned above.
- You may need to pad around the blister but we will save that conversation for another day
So there you have it. You want to avoid popping the blister at all costs. You do not want germs or an infection and you want it to heal quickly. The instructions are there if you need to pop it but hopefully you are thinking twice before that 😉
On a side note, we have developed a one page information sheet on treating blisters which you may find handy. Feel free to get in contact with us and we will make sure you get a copy.
We also have some fantastic prevention strategies here at Border Podiatry Centre for blisters and even some more advanced treatment options. If you are an unfortunate suffers of blisters, call our clinic on 60245577 and we can schedule you an appointment to get to the very bottom of your blisters and stop them from coming back.