Blood blister

A blood blister is a type of blister that forms when subdermal tissues and blood vessels are damaged without piercing the skin. It consists of a pool of lymph, blood and other bodily fluids trapped beneath the skin. If punctured, it suppurates a dark red fluid. Sometimes the fluids are cut off from the rest of the body and dry up, leaving behind dead cell material inside the blister with a texture like putty. Some blood blisters can be extremely painful due to bruising where the blister occurred.

Prevention

Common areas that suffer from blood blisters include the hands and feet.

Blisters can form after chaffing or pinching trauma has occurred. Keeping the skin of the feet and hands dry and firm reduces the risk of damage or separation of the skin layers. When the cause is abrasion, moleskin can be used to prevent blood blisters from forming. If blisters keep occurring in a particular area, soaking the area with methylated spirits may help by drying out the skin and help with the formation of callusesFact|date=December 2007Verify credibility|date=December 2007.

Blood blisters are commonly caused by accidents in which the skin is pinched by a tool, mechanism, or heavy weight without protective gear. The only prevention in these situations is to use tools carefully and wear appropriate protective gear. It may also be caused by frostbite.

Treatment

There are several methods of healing blood blisters. They include, but are not limited to:

* For immediate care: "Leave the blister alone. Elevate the injured area. Apply a cold pack. When pain subsides, apply padding or a splint to protect the injured area."cite web
url = http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/firstaid/blister.htm
title = "Blisters"
work = UltraMountainBiking.com
accessdate = 2007-11-24]
* Elevating the affected anatomy and applying pressure reduces blood leakage into the damaged area, cold reduces the inflammatory response.
* Soak the blister in epsom salts to reduce swelling.
* Keep the area cleanly bandaged, and replace the bandage daily or whenever necessary.

In some cases, it is advisable to visit a doctor to ensure that the blood blister is not a symptom of a more dangerous condition. Signs of this include redness around the wound, red streaks, swelling, drainage, fever, tender bumps in the groin or armpit upstream from the wound, or unexplained increase in pain or tenderness.

Refrain from irritating the affected area. If necessary, apply moleskin to the blister to keep using the area, but note that it will not heal as quickly - even with a moleskin cover, the blister can become worse.

If the blister breaks, quickly rinse the area and apply an antiseptic such as neosporin. It is not recommended to break a blister because it may often lead to infection.

People who are exposed to blistering but cannot interrupt their activities to allow for proper treatment, such as soldiers, bassists, or sportsmen on longer training periods or competitions, have developed a series of approaches to treating blisters. These are unadvisable, as they are likely to slow healing or cause further damage, especially if undertaken improperly.

* Especially on long marches a blister can cause the trooper to hobble which could cause problems in joints or muscles. It is advisable to continue walking as normally as possible "through the blister". It will either pop and necessitate treatment at the next stop, or flatten out and become less painful.
* At an overnight stop a disinfected, thin cotton thread can be stitched through the blister. This provides a drain and lets the fluid come out. The dead skin from the top of the blister will then stick to the soft flesh of the underside and form a temporary protection. Great care and attention is advised with this treatment and regular inspection of the blister is necessary to recognize any symptom of infection immediately.
* Special blister pads are available. The skin of the blister must be totally removed, the wound dried and disinfected. The pad can then be stuck directly onto the wound where it will protect from further abrasion. These pads have the best results when applied to healthy skin in known, blistering spots before the activity (marches etc) begins.

See also

* Blister
* Bleeding
* Bruise

References