Have you ever broken in a new pair of sneakers only to find a red, pulsating mass forming on the back of your ankle? This is a blister – a common occurrence that fills with fluid and resembles a ‘bubble’ on your skin. Your foot and hands are the body parts that see the worst of blisters. Just work in the garden without wearing a pair of gloves and you’ll want to know a couple of home remedies for blisters.
Home Remedies for Blisters
Causes and Symptoms
Friction is not the only cause of blisters, as injury to the skin and infection can lead to a single eruption or a cluster of blisters. Some spider bites can cause blisters to form on the skin, such as the brown recluse spider. Exposure to freezing temperatures or extreme cold can cause a blister on the skin. Get your skin caught in a tight squeeze, such as slamming your finger in a door, and a blood blister may emerge. Blisters can appear after the skin becomes burned due to exposure to electricity, chemicals or extreme heat. Other causes of blisters include:
- Chickenpox: Causes red bumps that turn into blisters before scabbing over.
- Shingles: These blisters look like chickenpox, but typically appear in a band on one side of the body.
- Cold Sores: Also known as fever blisters, cold sores are found on the lip and outer edge of the mouth.
- Bedbugs: Small pests that cause itchy blisters all over the body.
- Scabies: Mites burrow into the skin, which can lead to tiny, itchy blisters.
Use home remedies for blisters to speed up healing and prevent infection. Each day, your blisters should show signs of improvement. There is cause for alarm if blisters are red, swollen, hot, or increase in pain. A few blister home remedies to consider include:
a) Pin or Needle:
Sometimes, it is necessary to drain a blister to promote healing. Use alcohol to sterilize your pin or needle of choice to prevent the spread of infection. Another way to prepare a pin or needle is to hold over a match or flame. Make sure to allow your instrument to cool before making contact with the skin.
a) Band-Aid:
To ensure a speedy recovery, keeping blisters covered and protected is important. Choose a Band-Aid that offers flexible fabric. When a blister is too large for a Band-Aid to cover, use gauze pads kept in place with waterproof adhesive tape.
c) Listerine:
Take advantage of the antiseptic properties of Listerine by applying a couple of drops to blisters that have broken. This will disinfect the wound.
d) Aloe Vera Gel:
An aloe vera plant can come in handy for an individual battling blisters. Simply break open one of the leaves and apply the gel or juice that emerges to ease pain. A healing alternative to aloe vera is vitamin E oil or zinc ointment.
e) Air:
If you have kept your blister under wraps during the day, many doctors will suggest airing out affected body parts to encourage the healing process.
f) Baby Powder:
You don’t have to slip your foot into a tight shoe to experience a blister. Apply baby powder to the feet before wearing shoes or putting on socks, which protects blisters you already have and helps make sure new ones do not form.
g) Gloves:
When working in a garden or whittling away at a piece of wood, protect your hands with a pair of flexible gloves.
h) Aspirin:
When blisters produce unbearable pain or uncomfortable swelling, reach for the assistance of over-the-counter pain relievers found in your medicine cabinet, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
i) Ice Pack:
Reduce swelling and discomfort by applying an ice pack or cold compress to a blister. An alternative for an ice pack is a small bag of frozen vegetables.
j) Petroleum Jelly:
To avoid disrupting current blisters or to prevent new bubbles from forming, apply petroleum jelly or Vaseline all over your feet to avoid unnecessary friction.
k) Epsom Salt:
Since sweating further irritates inflamed blisters, it is important to keep your feet dry. Prepare a mixture of Epsom salt and warm water and soak your feet. Wait until the end of the day for this home remedy, which is done for five minutes.
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