Sometimes a person may encounter certain difficulties associated with the skin, namely the appearance of blisters. Before moving directly to the treatment of blisters, it is necessary to understand what they are and the root causes of their formation. A blister is a primary element that occurs mainly as a result of a limited acute inflammatory process of the upper layer of the skin. The blister itself does not pose a great threat to human life, but a damaged blister can cause infection. Therefore, it is important to know the basic rules of first aid, further treatment and preventive measures that will help avoid the appearance of blisters on the skin.
Why do blisters appear?
The formation of blisters on the skin is a fairly common phenomenon, especially in the summer. Almost all blisters differ in duration: some disappear after a few hours, others remain on the upper layer of the dermis for several more days. The main reason that contributes to the formation of blisters is an allergic reaction of the skin to exogenous irritants. Such irritants include insect bites, hives, and taxidermy. There are also other factors that lead to the formation of blisters on the skin: thermal burn or mechanical damage.
The process of blister formation itself is a direct reaction of the body to a certain irritant (natural or synthetic), which is a protective mechanism of the body. The most common reason for the appearance of such formations is an allergic reaction to an insect bite (mosquitoes or midges). This phenomenon is not uncommon in the summer season. It is also worth noting that their formation is directly related to the appearance of severe itching that occurs as a result of the bite. If you try not to scratch the area where the blister appears, then it will go away fairly quickly. Single such bubbles do not require special treatment.
There are also other types of blisters that are filled with clear liquid or cloudy content. Such bubbles appear as a result of prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. The appearance of such formations can be prevented if, immediately after a person has received a sunburn, a special cosmetic product (ointment, cream or lotion) is applied to the damaged areas. Also sometimes the cause can be touching a stinging plant, for example, nettle. Irritation and itching from such blisters is the maximum damage that such blisters cause.
Treatment of hematoma on the leg after a bruise
Small hematomas are treated conservatively in most cases. In case of severe bruises that lead to the formation of extensive internal hematomas, surgical intervention may be necessary - surgery to remove accumulated fluid, surgical restoration of blood vessels, etc.
Conservative treatment
Hematomas of mild and moderate severity are treated with medications that improve blood circulation, promote the resorption of bruises, relieve pain and swelling: gel Lyoton, Dolobene, Trombless, “Rescuer”, Troxevasin, heparin ointment, Ketonal, Fastum-gel, “Dikul”, etc. .
Sometimes physical therapy may be required to accelerate the regeneration process: electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, etc.
The victim is prescribed analgesics and vitamins. If necessary, three days after the injury, the leg is additionally lubricated with warming ointments and compresses are made. To relieve the limb, fixing bandages are used when walking.
Surgical methods of treatment
Methods of surgical treatment:
- stopping bleeding through surgery;
- puncture - “suction” of the contents of the hematoma with a syringe;
- surgical restoration of the anatomical integrity of a tendon or muscle;
- osteosynthesis and suture of the patella for hemarthrosis, drainage, etc.
The postoperative period requires long-term restoration of limb function. In case of hemarthrosis, a plaster splint is applied to immobilize the joint.
Chickenpox blisters
The main symptom of chickenpox is the appearance of blistering rashes. And only a few are aware of what the stages are, how they differ, and how long the itching lasts in this disease. In the initial period, the disease does not manifest itself in any way, but at this time the virus begins to actively spread throughout the body. The period of rash is considered the most severe stage of chickenpox progression. Typically, it lasts from five to seven days. The patient's skin begins to turn red and blisters appear.
The number of blisters, as a rule, varies from person to person. The formation of large blisters occurs within a few minutes, and several peaks of rash may occur per day. During the period when the rash appears, the patient experiences severe itching, so it is extremely important to ensure that the patient does not scratch the rash. Damage to the integrity of the blister can lead to serious consequences, the most minimal of which is a scar from ulcers.
The most serious complication of this disease is bacterial infection of the upper skin. In this case, a continuous focus of rash appears, which covers most of the body. This process can be extremely dangerous if hygiene and other instructions are not followed. A sick person is also susceptible to secondary infection. If you scratch the blisters during this period, bacteria may be introduced and subsequent pus will appear. If the integrity of the blister is damaged, then there is a high risk of spreading active microorganisms to other areas.
Treatment
In almost all cases of soft tissue bruises, there is no need for any special treatment measures. During the first days after injury, the patient is advised to apply cold to the injured area.
As soon as the swelling passes, it is possible to prescribe special warming alcohol compresses and ointments, thanks to which the blood circulation process significantly improves, while the resorption of the resulting hematoma is also accelerated.
In almost all cases, a soft tissue bruise is not a dangerous injury, but an exception may be those cases when there is prolonged compression of small vessels and nerves.
What to do with a blister
Blisters can appear on a person's skin due to many reasons. Burn blisters indicate deep damage to the layers of the epidermis. Only proper treatment, which is possible even at home, promotes faster healing of the bladder and reduces the risk of infection. Simple folk advice and recommendations will allow the victim to prevent serious consequences and significantly alleviate the person’s condition. With the right treatment, the blister will disappear within a week, maximum two. Improper care and lack of hygiene can lead to the accumulation of pus and the development of an inflammatory process.
Immediately after contact with a hot element or high temperature, it is necessary to place the affected area under cold water - this must be done until the bubble inflates. This action will help reduce the intensity of unpleasant manifestations and slightly alleviate the condition of the affected person. The affected area should be kept under cold water for at least ten minutes. After this, it is recommended to use compresses soaked in cold water or ice packs. After these steps, you need to treat the burn site.
Watery blisters on baby's hands
If rashes appear in a breastfed baby, then the mother should first of all reconsider her diet, since during breastfeeding she is inseparably connected with the baby. Many skin and intestinal disorders are caused by poor quality breast milk.
It is necessary to eliminate sweets, spicy and salty foods from the diet. Avoid fatty and canned foods, sparkling water, alcohol and caffeine. Eat less fruits and berries.
It won’t hurt to stick to a diet for a while - eat exclusively hypoallergenic foods: buckwheat, crackers, lettuce, green apples and lean turkey meat.
It is necessary to change the child's clothes and bedding. Non-natural fabrics are a common cause of rashes not only in infants, but also in older children. You need to wash children's clothes using hypoallergenic powder or laundry soap.
If the bubbles with liquid are caused by an allergy, they will quickly disappear. But if they do not go away for a long time or the situation worsens, it is necessary:
Watery blisters on a child's hand
Is it possible to puncture blisters?
Most practical advice boils down to the fact that puncturing blisters is strictly prohibited. This strong recommendation is given on the basis that puncturing or damaging the integrity of the blister can lead to secondary infection. However, quite often there are cases when there is a need to puncture or get rid of a blister. This occurs in cases where the bubble is in contact with shoes or clothing. Only in such a situation is it advisable to puncture the blister, but you need to know the rules of how this action is performed in order to avoid undesirable consequences.
To avoid spontaneous puncture of a blister, a person is recommended to puncture the blister themselves. To do this, you just need to take a sterile needle and perform an autopsy. Then it is very important to treat the damaged area with an ointment that contains antibiotics. Also, the affected person must subsequently constantly use sterile dressings and compresses to prevent infection.
Signs of bruise
At the site of the bruise, a slight swelling and short-term pain first appear. Later, depending on the volume of damaged tissue, the swelling increases significantly, and intense constant pain occurs at the site of the bruise. It is possible that in response to pain, muscle contraction develops, which leads to dysfunction of these muscles. The focus of the bruise may increase significantly compared to the initial one - an area of secondary damage appears. If the vessels passing through the site of injury are affected, a hematoma is formed - an accumulation of blood in the thick and loose spaces of soft tissue. When the integrity of small vessels is violated, pinpoint hemorrhages or continuous bruises appear.
The increase in pain and swelling continues during the first two days, then slow resorption of the lesion begins, which can last from two to three weeks. If there is a hematoma, then complete resorption takes up to a month or more
Soft tissue bruises in the abdomen, lower back, and chest deserve special attention
In such localizations, it is important to exclude damage to internal organs, which can lead to internal bleeding. Therefore, seeing a doctor in such a situation is very important.
Therefore, seeing a doctor in such a situation is very important.
Burst blister: first aid
If a blister accidentally opens, the person will definitely need first aid, which is designed to prevent infection. First aid consists of two important stages - disinfection and treatment of the wound with an antiseptic. At home you can do the following:
- A small crust that forms on the damaged area acts as a protective barrier. Therefore, under no circumstances should it be deleted.
- An important step in first aid is treating the wound with an antiseptic. It is better to buy them at the pharmacy, and not to use for these purposes whatever comes to hand first - alcohol, fatty cream or ointment.
- Then a bandage is applied to the affected area, previously moistened with an antiseptic.
- If you have an anesthetic spray or ointment at home, you can use these products after opening the blister.
For what cases are these methods suitable?
Read this paragraph carefully before putting the tips described in this article into practice!
Further we will talk only about abrasions, blisters and abrasions obtained mechanically, excluding any chemical or thermal (including those received as an unpleasant “addition”) damage to the skin. This also does not apply to deep serious wounds.
There are diseases that, in themselves, increase the risk of inflammation and other complications even in cases of minor damage to the skin:
- HIV of any type at any stage.
- Diabetes.
- Eczema, psoriasis.
- Cancer diseases.
If you suffer from one of these diseases, then practicing anything other than the first aid points presented here without the approval of a doctor, you risk ending up in a hospital bed even because of such an initially minor injury.
How to remove a blister
There are two ways to remove a blister: puncture it yourself (but only if sterility rules are followed) or eliminate it with medicinal medications. Most doctors do not recommend doing anything with blisters on your own, but rather using medications. The following products are suitable for these purposes: Panthenol, Betadine, Miramistin, iodine. You can also purchase special gel dressings or buy ointments (for example, Tetracycline ointment) at any pharmacy. Also, few people know what to apply to blisters with chickenpox. As a rule, rashes are lubricated with brilliant green. However, you can also use other drugs: Fukortsin, Calamine, Rivanol and potassium permanganate solution.
Let's sum it up
From all of the above, it turns out that gentle and correct methods only seem long and inconvenient. In fact, you will be back on track within a day. All that remains is to support the healing process, helping your own body, which will no longer cause any difficulties or inconveniences.
Methods that seem quick seem to allow you to keep up with the usual rhythm of life and treat wounds literally “on the go,” but in fact, they only postpone the solution to the problem, or even aggravate it. They complicate and increase the time required for treatment and care.
What not to do:
- Treat such wounds with harsh alcohol solutions. These products will clean the wound, but are least likely to promote healing, among others.
- During the entire treatment process, continue to use clothing or hygiene materials that caused abrasions and blisters.
- Apply a plaster, other bandages, compresses to an untreated, dirty wound. Especially if foreign inclusions are visible to the naked eye on its surface: sand, particles of earth, splinters. Extensive inflammation, suppuration, ending in the doctor’s office - this is definitely not our style.
- Apply the patch with the adhesive surface to open injuries. This is especially true for shoes: a sticky pellet that moves with every step will not help, will not even bring temporary relief, but is guaranteed to worsen the situation.
- Postpone treatment measures.
- Leave everything as is, even if the damage is minor, and you are in no hurry and are going to spend a couple of days at home.
Learn to take care of your health, take care of your skin - and everything will be fine!
How to get rid of blisters using folk remedies
Sometimes you may not have any medications on hand to help with blisters. In this case, an alternative option may be folk advice and remedies that can alleviate the condition of the injured person. To avoid the risk of infection, you can replace the antiseptic with cologne. After the procedures, it is allowed to apply bandages with sea buckthorn oil, aloe leaves, and rosehip oil. However, you should be careful with hives blisters: some herbs can worsen the allergic reaction.