Should You Pop Blisters?

Blisters can be unsightly and painful -- luckily, it's usually OK to pop them. Learn when and how to do so safely in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/problems/treating/pop-blisters.htm

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of iHeart Radio. Hey,
brain Stuff, learn vogal bomb here. This one's a little
gross or bodily frank anyway, but it's probably happened to
all of us. Work in the yard without gloves or
donne a stiff new pair of shoes, and you're likely
to wind up with an unwanted bodily edition a blister.

(00:25):
There are a bunch of ways that blisters are caused,
including friction when something repeatedly rubs up against the skin,
as well as allergies and exposure to heat, cold, or
irritating chemicals. Blisters are annoying and unsightly bubbles of clear,
watery fluid called serum. Ever wondered where all that fluid
comes from anyway? Oh, when the skin is injured, nearby

(00:47):
tissues react by leaking serum, which is intended to act
as a natural protection for the skin. So a blister
is technically part of your body's defense mechanism against damage,
and they might look tempting to pop up, But considering that,
is it a good idea to do it? For the article,
this episode is based on How Stuff Works. Spoke by
email with dermatologist Dr Aram Ilius, who's based near Philadelphia.

(01:11):
She says she gets that question from patients all the time.
Quote the answer overall is yes. It is reasonable to
pop a blister for one big reason. The soreness or
tenderness that comes from blisters is from the pressure of
the fluid in the blister. Until this pressure is released,
it will not have a chance to heal. Also, if
you don't pop the blister, it might burst on its

(01:31):
own anyway from day to day activities. She said. If
this happens in an uncontrolled setting, it may put you
at a higher risk for infection. So how do you
pop a blister? How stuff works? Also spoke by email
with Dr Peterson Pierre of the Pierre Skincare Institute in
Thousand Oaks, California. He walked us through a few simple
steps to achieve the safest outcome possible. First, wash the

(01:55):
affected area with soap and water. Then, using a sterilized needle,
safety PI or pair of medical scissors, gently poked the blister.
Most of the fluid should leak out easily. If it doesn't,
it's not ready to be popped. Next, apply soft pressure
to ensure that all of the serum is released. Finally,
dress the area with a pressure bandage to prevent fluid

(02:15):
from reaccumulating in the blister. This also protects the skin
and helps the area heal. Although some doctors recommend applying
antibiotic cream, Pierre says to steer clear quote in fact,
products like neosporin can irritate the area. Vasseline or aquifer
with the bandage is sufficient to provide an environment conducive

(02:36):
to rapid healing. It's important to note, though, that during
the popping process and in the delicate days after, you
shouldn't peel off the thin, outermost layer of skin that
remains the hostuff works. Also spoke by email with Beverly
Hills based dermatologist doctor Zebra Shanehouse with Skin Safe Dermatology
and Skincare. She said, when you release the fluid underneath,

(02:58):
the tense blister will def eight and the overlying blister
skin will fall like a parachute into the eroded skin
beneath and act as a natural bandage. A new epidurmal
layer will grow and fill in underneath. For those of
you not in the frame of mind to pop, she notes,
the blisters often resolve on their own, provided you prevent

(03:18):
further trauma to the area, a meaning, for instance, not
wearing the shoes that caused the blister until it's healed,
and being careful to pick shoes that won't irritate the
blister while it heals. Padded bandages or adhesive pads like
moleskin can help. Oh and another important note, This advice
about popping blisters only applies to situations where you know

(03:39):
what caused the blister in the first place. Hilius said,
if you're developing blisters and you don't know why, it's
important to see a dermatologist as there are a number
of blistering skin diseases that are autoimmune in origin that
may need to be managed with other medications to treat
and prevent. Today's episode is based on the article should

(04:06):
you Pop your Blisters? On house to works dot Com
written by aleioh Hoyt. Brain Stuff is production of I
Heart Radio in partnership with house toff works dot Com,
and it's produced by Tyler Clay. For more podcasts from
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