What are blisters?
Blisters are small bags of fluid that appear on the skin after it’s been damaged.
Some people call them “water bubbles”.
They are filled with fluid that looks like water but they can bleed inside. They they are more common on your hands and feet.
Even though they are very bothersome, blisters protect your skin. They are a protective mechanism.
After some injury, the damaged skin remains on the surface of the blister, covering your flesh. Meanwhile, your blood carries the nutrients to create a new layer. If the healing is successful, the blister disappears, giving way to new skin underneath.
· How long does it take to heal?
After 5 days, the new skin is almost ready and the blister is healed.
What Causes Blisters?
The most common causes are:
· Friction. This is the most frequent. After very long walks, your feet suffer too much friction from shoes, causing skin injury and blisters.
· Sunburns. After a long exposure to the sun you will get some sunburns that will result in blisters.
· Chemical burns. They are caused by chemical products such as acids.
· Heat and scalds. When your skin gets in contact with very hot liquids.
· Severe frostbite. If you go somewhere with very low temperatures (below 0ºC) don’t be surprised if you get blisters. They can get pretty big and nasty (they sometimes bleed inside).
· Diseases such as contact dermatitis can also cause blisters.
· Certain skin infections such as chickenpox cause blisters, especially in children. Another one is herpes, which causes very typical blisters on your mouth called “cold sores”.
· Allergic reactions can cause blisters. In that case, we call it urticaria or hives.
- Should I cover my blister or let it breathe? To find out know how to treat your blister read this post.
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