Is It Ok To Pop A Blister?

Is it ok to pop a blister?

Blisters – the irritating little buggers that we all get every now and then. I would have still agreed if they were just little bumps on the skin, but they are painful as hell. There are multiple reasons why you may have gotten a blister on your body. Maybe you wore a shoe that was not the right fit for you. Or maybe that little drop of oil that popped into your hand.

Or, at the worst, maybe you have a medical condition or a viral infection that caused the flare-up of blisters on your skin.

However, there is one thing with a blister that you can’t deny – the unfathomable temptation to pop it. But, as experts say, it might not be the best thing to do.

You do not really know what lies under the blister and how deep-rooted it is. So, it is better to leave it till it heals on its own.

What Is a Blister?

Blisters are little bumps or bubbles appearing under the top layer of the skin. Blisters are filled with fluids that might be clear, such as pus or blood.

Regardless of what their filling is, blisters are very uncomfortable. And somehow, they always appear on those parts of the body that you use a lot.

Some blisters appear because your skin gets rubbed. They look like small pockets of bumped skin filled with a liquid.

A blister might come up anywhere on the body. However, they are most common on the feet. However, there are other types of blisters, too. But are you supposed to pop blisters? Is it safe to do so? Well, not all blisters are safe for popping. Some of them come with an underlying infection that you may not be aware of.

Types Of Blisters

To make things even more apparent for you, blisters are not just of one kind. Multiple variants of a blister appear on the body. When you know which, one is what, you can be more careful while dealing with them or tending to them.

Friction Blisters

These blisters are caused by rubbing on the skin. You may have seen by now that friction blisters form with a clear liquid building up in the upper skin layers. Mostly, people get friction blisters from walking to much in unfitting shoes or not wearing socks. You may also get them on your palms by holding tools like a shovel.

Blood Blisters

You may get blood blisters by a pinch on your skin. The only difference between a blood blister and a friction blister is the blood flooding the area due to the broken blood vessels and injury to the lower skin layers. Instead of the clear fluid, the blood clots and forms a blister. You should only pop a blood blister if it is needed. Or else, leave it be.

Fever Blisters

Fever blisters are commonly known as cold sores. They mainly appear on the face, near your mouth. These blisters are very painful, and you must refrain from popping them under all circumstances.

Is It OK to Pop a Blister?

Now, coming to our main question – is it ok to pop a blister?

Well, not every blister needs to be popped. Some are more serious than others. So, as long as you can, it is better to leave it alone. But, in case you give into the temptation, make sure you are very cautious and don’t end up making the situation worse than it already is.

Popping a Friction Blister

Friction blisters are way more common than others. While they may form anywhere on the body, they are more frequent on the feet. Once you take away the source of friction, the blister drains itself away. If you plan to pop a friction blister, make sure you are properly tending to it, as you do not want to hurt the new skin growing out.

Popping a Blood Blister

In no way should you pop a blood blister. The fact that there is a broken blood vessel underneath makes it riskier to pop blood blisters. If you have one, just leave it alone. It will drain on its very own.

Popping a Fever Blister

You will be quite disappointed to know that no other blister is safe for popping other than the friction blister. A fever blister, under no circumstances, should be popped. These blisters come up because of the herpes simplex virus. So, when you pop one, you will pass it on to others close by.

Signs Of Infection

Unless you are a medical professional, it is impossible for you to understand if your blister is infected. But you can always look for the signs to understand whether you should pop it. 

Most blisters heal on their own. The fluid inside drains away in the first few days. The roof of the blister acts as a protectant till the new skin comes out. Gradually, the blistered skin peels away.

This entire process of healing lasts for about two to three weeks.

When blisters pop, germs can easily enter the wound and cause a bad skin infection. A blister might pop if they are put under constant friction or if someone just pops them intentionally.

However, here are some symptoms that can tell if there is an underlying infection in your blister:

• More redness around your blister.
• The pain is getting worse rather than getting better over time.
• The blister swells more over time.
• When the fluid turns cloudy or looks like pus.
• Yellow crusts on the area.
• The area is becoming more tender.

Preventing a Blister

It might make you happy to know that there are ways to prevent a blister in the very first place. Blisters are painful little buggers. So, if you are finding a way to prevent them, it is better to keep them away than popping them to make things worse.

• Get well-fitting shoes that do not rub.
• Try out your shoes for a short time period before wearing them for a long time.
• Wear gloves if you think you are going to do a lot of manual labor.
• Wear clothes that fit you well to prevent any type of chafing.
• Be very careful while using tools that pinch.
• Use gloves to protect your hands while using strong pliers or pruners or in any other tight situations.

Conclusion

Is it ok to pop a blister? Certainly, it is not. Blisters are very painful bumps of clear liquid or puss on the skin that mainly come up due to excessive rubbing of the skin with one another or fabric.

While it appears very tempting for a pop, it is not at all safe to do so. Some blisters have infections in them, so there is a chance of worsening them if you pop them raw. So, keeping away from all your temptations, it is better to keep them as they are. With time, they will drain out and fall off, revealing the new skin. If they do not, you should visit a doctor for some medical guidance.

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