# Blisters



## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

So after work today I notice I have a pretty good blister on my finger. Now I have a friend that says don't pop blisters. That is the question, to pop or not to pop 
And why?


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

I'll chime in. I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV, but I believe the answer is do not pop a blister. Popping the blister can open you up to infection. If you can keep it intact, your body will re-absorb the liquid in the blister and form a callous.

If you pop the blister, you develop a sore that will not develop into a callous, and could potentially become infected.

At least that's what I've heard, mixed with my own thoughts...:dunno:


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

Oh, yeah, and I forgot to say, that's a very impressive blister you have there. The location will make it difficult to avoid popping, but try to keep it intact for as long as possible.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

........Ditto!



Ezmerelda said:


> I'll chime in. I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV, but I believe the answer is do not pop a blister. Popping the blister can open you up to infection. If you can keep it intact, your body will re-absorb the liquid in the blister and form a callous.
> 
> If you pop the blister, you develop a sore that will not develop into a callous, and could potentially become infected.
> 
> At least that's what I've heard, mixed with my own thoughts...:dunno:


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

OK. I'll play devil's advocate here. 

I'm one to lance them. Reason being; the work I do involves mostly physical activity involving the use of my hands. If I get a blister there is a very good good chance I will tear it open accidentally. If I lance it, I can put a bandage over the area to protect it until it's healed.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

It depends on where it is. As Joe pointed out if there is a good chance of it breaking on its own I lance. If it is in a place where I can baby it along for a few days I’ll let it go then lance it. The skin underneath rebuilds pretty fast and you are going to lose the separated skin anyway so hurry it along as best as you can. My technique was to put a small slice in it, drain, fill with Neosporin, massage them bandage. I don’t ever remember having troubles with one, getting infected that is. Now, a deep one would hurt like a bastard and slow you up but they do all eventually heal.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

If you drain it by poking a hole thru intact skin *beside* the blister and drain it from inside some times it will grow back to a callous more quickly, if you can keep from ripping it. mole skin applied over to helps to protect it from tearing.


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## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

Ezmerelda said:


> I'll chime in. I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV, but I believe the answer is do not pop a blister. Popping the blister can open you up to infection. If you can keep it intact, your body will re-absorb the liquid in the blister and form a callous.
> 
> If you pop the blister, you develop a sore that will not develop into a callous, and could potentially become infected.
> 
> At least that's what I've heard, mixed with my own thoughts...:dunno:


DING DING!
i dont pop blisters anymore, they heal faster. with this one, some gauze and electrical tape while im working, and its still fine. im an electrician, so i work with my hands quite a bit.

and thanks, i worked hard for it! LOL


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

my hands are pretty tough and already calloused, but if i was to get a blister, I'd poke a hole in it to drain it, then put a light coating of crazy glue over the whole thing to protect it.


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

Do you realize you are the only liberal I know who has a blister caused by work?
Where the Hell was your union steward when this was happening?
You may actually be a Conservative in Shepple clothing !
Come on over to the "right" side .


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

Woody said:


> I don't ever remember having troubles with one, getting infected that is.


As far as infection goes, I was thinking in a post-SHTF situation, infection would be more likely and easier to avoid if you could keep the blister intact for a while. Draining the blister through a small hole didn't even occur to me, but sounds like it would be effective, as long as you can keep the area clean...which brings me back to my original thought - in post SHTF situation, keeping clean might be hard to do, depending on the exact flavor and mixture of the S, and the velocity of the F...in that case, keeping it from popping would also be difficult.

Aw, heck, I'm my own devil's advocate! :gaah:

I'm plagued by the ability to see both sides to every argument, and find something with which I agree in both...:nuts:


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## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

BillM said:


> Do you realize you are the only liberal I know who has a blister caused by work?
> Where the Hell was your union steward when this was happening?
> You may actually be a Conservative in Shepple clothing !
> Come on over to the "right" side .


Do you actualy know any liberals?

Unions are great idea, ruined by a corporatist system, i am not union.

Not being a conservative does not a sheeple make. Food for thought.

Nah, always go left and you'll never go wrong


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## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

Ezmerelda said:


> I'm plagued by the ability to see both sides to every argument, and find something with which I agree in both...:nuts:


I have the same disease! I find treating with alcohol decreases the symptoms


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Note to self: buy more alcohol.


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

*You'r*



FatTire said:


> Do you actualy know any liberals?
> 
> Unions are great idea, ruined by a corporatist system, i am not union.
> 
> ...


Just having fun with you !

You are a good sport. :2thumb:


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

Two Rights don't make a Wrong....



but they do make a Left!


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Pop it ...

but only after the sun has gone down, then add a drop of lavender to it.

Why wait till the sun has gone down ... because Grams said so.


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## bahramthered (Mar 10, 2012)

I always pop my blisters. I use a small blade. When I get blisters I tend to get several across my finger and lose the first layer of skin. The instant they're drained they hurt less.

I've tried letting them heal themselves if their in other places but they never seem to and always pop. 

I do have to wonder about the infection logic because I've never noticed the lower layer of skin broken. 

oh and BillM, I'm a liberal too. Union too.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

I always pop them, then some topical antiseptic and a bandaid. Why? They drive me nuts and I pick at them until they pop anyway, so by popping them, then medicating and covering, I can control how the open skin is exposed to the elements. For the record, though, none of my blisters, or anyone that I know, have ever become infected.


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## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

Infection moves way up the risk ladder when you can't just go see a doc. 

I don't pop em, just tape em up when I'm working. I have popped blisters in the past that had broken skin underneath, never an infection though.


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## Whoisjohngall (May 21, 2012)

I actually have had infected blisters before, as a kid, and it was not fun. 

When I was in combat medicine school they taught us to lance them, specifically on the feet. Clean with alcohol and make a small cut on the lowest point, to facilitate drainage. If available, paint the blister with tincture if benzoin first, to help keep the blister intact. Cover the drained blister with mole skin or duct tape. Wash regularly with soap and water. 

The rationale for draining the blister was to decrease the incidence of infection since you could lance it cleanly rather than waiting for it to pop inside of a dirty boot. 

I still pop/debride burn blisters on patients, to reduce pain from the tension and to reduce scarring.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

I always treat foot blisters with needle and thread. The thread is to let it drain overnight. In morning remove thread, medicate, and duct tape or moleskin. It will work on hand too. Bad blisters will fill back up overnight if you just poke a small hole.


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