Blisters

---

Blisters

Soothe Those Bubbles of Pain

What do the following activities have in common?

* Dancing in sling-back heels

* Wearing a new pair of sandals for the first time

* Taking a day-long hike with your friends

* Raking a yard full of leaves

All can leave you with painful blisters.

"Most everyday blisters are caused by friction, and the foot is the most frequent site--usually because of shoes that don't fit, combined with an activity like dancing or running or tennis," says Wilma Bergfeld, M.D., head of clinical research in the Department of Dermatology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. The hand is the second-most common site of friction blisters, because of activities like raking and sweeping.

Despite the pain, blisters function as natural bandages for irritated skin, says dermatologist Karen E. Burke, M.D., Ph.D., an attending physician at Cabrini Medical Center in New York City and at Greensboro Specialty Surgical Center in North Carolina.

"The fluid sealed inside washes the irritated skin surface and keeps it moist so that the blister will heal quickly," says Dr. Bergfeld. "And if the blister is closed, it is less likely to get infected, since it is not exposed to the open air."

NATURE'S BANDAGE

"Ideally, a blister should be left intact so that nature can take its course in healing," says Dr. Burke.

If a blister does open, that's okay--you just have to give it extra care so that it doesn't get infected, says Dr. Bergfeld.

Here's what women doctors recommend you do to heal these bubbles of pain. (For practical ways to deal with blisters from poison ivy, see page 432.)

Pop it correctly. If a blister is large and uncomfortable, women doctors say that you can carefully prick the bubble with a sterilized needle to release fluid pressure. "Prick the part of the blister that is lowest on your body, so gravity helps drain fluid out of the little hole," suggests Sheryl Clark, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Cornell Medical Center and an assistant attending physician in medicine at the New York Hospital, both in New York City.

When To See A Doctor Sometimes even a tiny blister needs to be treated by a physician. Women doctors suggest that you get medical help for the following: * You develop a severe blister or blisters that are very painful and don't seem to be healing well. * A blister suddenly shows signs of infection--pain, swelling, redness, weeping or a yellow crust--and you have a fever. * You develop a wide-scale eruption of blisters. * Blisters continue to form over time without an obvious cause, such as friction or poison ivy. * You develop a single or repeated episodes of a cluster of tiny blisters, often with tingling, which may represent herpes simplex. * You develop blisters while pregnant.

Leave the roof on. If you pricked a blister, or if it has popped on its own, leave the top flap of skin in place. "This roof of tissue will cover and protect the sore so that it heals faster," says Dr. Clark.

Wash with liquid soap. Gently clean the blister with soap and water to eliminate bacteria that could cause infection. "Liquid soap is preferable to bar soap, which may contain bacteria from previous uses," says Dr. Bergfeld.

Fight the germs. If a blister is open, you must apply antimicrobial ointment, such as Bacitracin or Polysporin, to kill bacteria and prevent infection, says Dr. Bergfeld.

Cover it. After you apply ointment, cover the blister with a bandage to cushion it from pressure and keep it clean. "Gauze and surgical tape or a plain old adhesive bandage work fine," says Dr. Clark. The bandage also keeps ointment from ruining your clothes and helps absorb any fluid that leaks out of the blister.

Use a doughnut pad. If you want to protect a small blister from friction and pressure, cover it with a Dr. Scholl's doughnut-shaped pad, called a soft corn cushion, which has a hole in the middle, says Dr. Clark.

Protect with petroleum jelly. If you know that you're prone to blisters in a certain site, prevent future friction by applying a coating of plain petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline. "Vaseline is an excellent lubricant," says Dr. Clark. "It doesn't contain any irritating ingredients, and it helps you avoid friction by keeping skin moist so it doesn't chafe."