Is it possible to pierce (burst) a burn blister and what to do if the blister swells? Is it necessary to pierce or open burn blisters?

First aid for burns

Blisters can occur either immediately after a burn or after some time. In this case, you must act carefully so as not to break the bubble. First aid for burns with blisters :

Stop exposure to high temperatures on the skin (remove clothing that has been exposed to hot water, steam, hot fat, etc.);
Cool the affected area. To do this, use a cold compress (clean cloth is soaked in cold water and applied) or a local cool bath. Pouring cold water from a tap onto a burn wound is prohibited! This will lead to hypothermia and tissue necrosis;
Gently dry the skin using wetting movements;
Treat the burn with an antiseptic without alcohol (Miramistin, Chlorhexidine);
If there is an aerosol for burns in the first aid kit (for example, Panthenol), then spray it evenly on the site of injury;
Protect the wound from contamination by applying a loose aseptic dressing. It should not tighten or cause discomfort;
In case of severe burning and pain, you need to take an analgesic, which is in your home medicine cabinet. This will prevent the development of painful shock;
If there are blisters, a doctor’s consultation is required, so you should call an ambulance or go to the emergency room yourself.

How to provide first aid correctly?

If you receive a burn, you should immediately try to cool the area of damage as much as possible. For these purposes, you need to keep the painful area under the pressure of cold water for 10-20 minutes, but try not to overcool the skin. Ice packs or just ice wrapped in a clean cloth are also suitable as cooling agents.

The burn site is washed with soap and water, a solution of manganese (low concentration) or furatsilin.

Let us determine the most important areas of assistance for a burn:

Cooling the affected area.
Treatment of the wound with a bacterial agent (chlorhexidine).
Applying an anti-burn agent to the blister and bandaging it.
Taking measures to prevent or eliminate burn shock in humans.
In the event of a complex incident, it is mandatory to go to a medical facility.

Important! There is no need to try to pierce, cut or rip blisters that have formed at the site of the injury - this is dangerous due to the development of infection or inflammation.

Why does a blister appear after a burn?

Blisters or bubbles filled with liquid form with burns of 2 and 3 degrees of severity. Why is this happening? A burn occurs due to exposure of the skin to aggressive agents (high temperature, electric current, chemicals, ultraviolet radiation).

In this case, the upper layer of the epidermis dies, and the body’s defense mechanisms turn on:

Detachment of dead tissue from healthy tissue occurs;
Filling the space between healthy and exfoliated tissues with lymph. It is always directed to where there is damage and inflammation.

The upper wall of the blister is made up of non-viable cells. However, they are necessary for the optimal course of regeneration (restoration) processes.

The liquid that forms in the bubble prevents infection of healthy cells. That is why you cannot open blisters yourself.

Advantages and disadvantages

Is it possible to pop blisters from burns? Yes, but such manipulation has no advantages. An exception is the situation when the resulting blister limits a person’s physical activity or there is a risk of involuntary injury in unsterile conditions. In these cases, you can pierce the bubble.

risk of infection;
increased pain and swelling of the damaged area;
trapped bacteria and dust can provoke suppuration processes;
in serious cases, tissue death may occur;
a puncture will require a longer recovery process.

Therefore, there are quite a lot of unfavorable complications from this procedure. Before carrying out this manipulation, you need to take all this into account and decide once again whether you need to pierce or not. Sometimes it is better to consult a doctor and find out whether it is possible to puncture a burn blister.

It is also worth remembering that the listed complications can develop not only due to accidental damage, but also with the intervention of a professional. This happens when recommendations are ignored.

Severity of burn injury

The following types of burn injuries are classified according to severity::

Light burn (1st degree). The clinical picture can include redness (hyperemia), slight swelling of soft tissues and pain. All symptoms go away quite quickly. Recovery takes an average of 5 days;
Burn of moderate (second) severity. On the affected skin, in addition to hyperemia, single and small blisters are visualized, pain is pronounced, and swelling. Healing lasts up to 10 – 14 days;
Severe burn (3rd degree). The lesions are deep, affecting muscle tissue. Symptoms: intense, unbearable pain, large blisters filled with dark liquid (mixed with blood);
Extremely severe burn (4th degree). Soft tissues are affected, right down to the bones. Extensive wounds with ruptured blisters are visualized (blisters form, but immediately burst), severe swelling, severe pain, which can provoke shock.

Piercing procedure

It is not recommended to disturb inflamed skin in the following cases:

For lesions of the dermis of the third degree and higher.
If the burns cover more than 10% of the body surface.
When it is proven that the patient is diabetic and tissue regeneration will take a longer period.
When more than one skin lesion is detected.
When formations are detected in young children and the elderly.
When blisters have formed on the face or groin area.
When blisters are caused by a chemical burn.
When some changes occurred on the surface of the skin and the bubble filled with pus.
If at the time of the procedure there is no disinfectant at hand, and access to fresh air is limited.

In these cases, self-medication is unacceptable for the patient. The doctor must decide whether to open the bubble or not. After the initial examination, he will prescribe the necessary procedures. For each case they are strictly individual. It is worth remembering that if the bubble is opened, recovery will take a longer time. If healing occurs naturally without surgery, this period can be significantly reduced.

What not to do if you have a burn with blisters

Often, when you receive a burn injury and a blister appears, the question arises: is it necessary and is it possible to pierce, open, pierce or burst blisters from a burn? Doctors strongly do not recommend doing this.

In case of burn injuries with blisters, you should be careful and know what not to do, as well as what actions can only lead to aggravation of the pathological process. If you have a burn with blisters on your finger, hand, or other parts of the body, you should not do the following:

Pierce, open burn blisters , because they protect the delicate tissues that are under the exfoliated skin and fluid. If a blister from a burn is punctured, an infection may enter the wound and suppuration may begin. Also, you should not put your hands in the wound, if a spontaneous opening of the blister from a burn occurs, it must be treated with antiseptic solutions and apply an ointment that has antibacterial properties;
Apply tight bandages . They disrupt blood circulation in damaged tissues and can tear off burned skin;
Treat the wound with alcohol antiseptics . You should also be careful with various folk remedies. It is prohibited to use it for processing urine (in other words, urine);
You cannot smear a fresh wound with oils , fats and ointments based on them. This will lead to clogging of pores and the formation of a greenhouse effect.

When is it advisable to get a puncture?

It has been emphasized more than once that it is appropriate to puncture blisters only in extraordinary cases. Doctors often do not advise touching the burn area, but it makes sense to eliminate the bubble when it is localized in places subject to pressure or often comes into contact with other objects (shoes, clothing).

Therefore, it is possible to lance and remove fluid from a blister on the feet and hands, as this really makes life difficult for the victim. However, it is unacceptable to pierce a burn blister on your own and it is best to pierce it in a hospital setting or at a clinic doctor. Contacting a specialist will help minimize the likelihood of complications.

Treatment at home

Treatment for burns with blisters can be done either in a hospital setting or on an outpatient basis (at home). However, in any case, a doctor’s examination and adequate treatment are required. Treatment at home consists of strictly following medical prescriptions. Namely, use those medications and carry out only those procedures that have been discussed with a specialist and approved by him. Otherwise, complications of varying severity may arise.

Medicines

In the treatment of burns with blisters, various medications are used that help:

Relieve pain syndrome;
Reduce inflammatory manifestations (swelling, discomfort, local hyperthermia, hyperemia);
Strengthen regeneration processes in damaged tissues;
Prevent the formation of extensive scars.

Wounds are treated using non-irritating antiseptics:

Miramistin (a universal remedy that also has antibacterial properties). The drug is available in the form of a solution, which is sprayed onto the wound before applying the ointment;
Chlorhexidine . It is effective against many pathogenic microorganisms and fungi;
Furacilin solution . You can buy it ready-made at the pharmacy or make it yourself from Furacilin tablets and boiled water. Damaged tissues are washed with the solution.

Sprays and ointments for burns with blisters, which have an anti-inflammatory and regenerating effect:

Panthenol in various dosage forms (aerosol, ointment, cream). The drug is applied to the wound under a bandage, the aerosol is used independently. The frequency of use depends on the area and severity of the lesion;
Bepanten. An analogue of Panthenol, it copes well with the restoration of burned tissues. Use up to 3 times a day;
Levomekol. An ointment with antibacterial and wound-healing effects, applied under the bandage.

Traditional methods

Doctors do not recommend using folk remedies for burns with blisters in the treatment. This can lead to wound infection and slower recovery processes. Burns with blisters are quite serious and involve deep soft tissue damage. But traditional methods are not able to cope with this.

Folk remedies for burns can only play a supporting role, as an addition to the main treatment.

But this addition is not required with a well-designed treatment plan. In this case, you can drink herbal decoctions that have an anti-inflammatory, restorative and calming effect on the body:

Chamomile tea;
Tea with lemon balm and mint;
Rose hip decoction;
Collection of soothing plants (valerian, lemon balm, motherwort, hawthorn).

As a first aid for cooling, you can use cold cabbage leaves or grated potatoes. But they can be used if there is no violation of the integrity of the skin and the risk of opening a blister.

What could be the consequences?

About 150 species of various microorganisms live on healthy human skin, some quickly turn from harmless to pathogenic. When opening a bladder on your own, there is a high risk of infection, penetration of infection into the wound - microbes living in the skin, sweat or sebaceous glands. By piercing the skin, the victim opens an easy path to their goal.

An inflamed burn will delay healing for months. Blisters that are not punctured, on the contrary, disappear in 1-2 weeks. In addition to redness, the infection causes severe pain, and the body’s possible reaction to it is inflammation of the lymph nodes. In this case, you must immediately consult a doctor, since the next likely development of events may be a deadly disease - blood poisoning (sepsis). Its first symptoms are high fever, vomiting, and severe dizziness.

Stages of healing of burn wounds

Healing of burn blisters takes a long time (from 2 weeks or more). How long the recovery process will take depends on :

The severity of the burn injury;
Damage area;
General condition of the body;
Patient's age.

The healing process is divided into 3 stages:

The formation of a fluid-filled bubble due to the rejection of dead cells of the upper layer of the epidermis;
Granulation . The processes of formation of new skin cells are launched. At the same time, the blister undergoes changes. It becomes sluggish, and the exfoliated skin becomes rougher and dries out over time. On palpation, a rough, rough area of skin is noted at the burn site;
Epithelization. Old damaged cells are replaced with new ones. That is, a new upper layer of the epidermis is formed, which is replaced by exfoliated tissue. The dead tissue gradually falls off, revealing new pink skin underneath. Gradually, the color of the skin evens out somewhat. However, with more severe burns, cosmetic defects remain noticeable.

How long does it take for sunburn blisters to go away?

Typically, diagnosing blisters from the sun is not difficult - it is easy to associate the time a person spent under the scorching rays and the characteristic marks from their exposure. But some people have a disease called photodermatitis - this is an inadequate, allergic reaction to ultraviolet rays.

To distinguish between these two conditions, you need to remember the following:

photodermatitis is a problem in the functioning of the immune system, and blisters are a consequence of the destruction of skin cells by sunlight;
with photodermatitis, the skin becomes thickened, swollen and clearly pigmented, and blisters with sunburn do not show such changes;
blisters are always large in size with liquid contents inside; with photodermatitis, small blisters may appear (painless, no burning sensation).

Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, so it is recommended that if a problem arises, seek qualified medical help.

This rule is especially important to follow if blisters form on the child’s body or face - his immune system is imperfect, and complications may develop

Even doctors do not make predictions about the speed of recovery, because the process depends on several factors - the age of the victim, the level of his immune system, the therapeutic measures taken, the exclusion of sunlight from life. But on average, blisters last for 7 days, after which they “deflate” and disappear. Then, over another 10–15 days, the skin is restored.

Blisters after sunburn are a severe reaction of the body to the death of skin cells. You cannot let the situation take its course; you need to use effective medications and not rely on folk remedies.

The sun's rays have a detrimental effect on skin cells - they are literally destroyed and this, in principle, is a normal reaction. The beginning of this process is accompanied by pronounced redness of the dermis - in this case, people try to hide from the sun in the shade, and parents quickly send their children home. But this symptom is quite insidious, because it is impossible to visually determine how deeply the dermal cells were affected, and often after a few days blisters appear on the body and face.

And this is already a sign that the body has not coped with the problem on its own, although the recovery process does not stop.

Doctors believe that blisters on the skin after exposure to the sun are evidence that all systems are working to the limit, they are at their limit and they definitely need help.

This stage of sunburn is dangerous because inside the blister there is a thin, pink skin - it constantly gets wet and represents a “gate” for infection. Contact with even ordinary dust provokes the development of an inflammatory process, which significantly lengthens the recovery period of the skin.

In addition, a scar may remain at the site of the burn under the blister, a scar that can only be removed through plastic surgery.

What to do if a burn blister bursts

When the burn blister bursts on its own, measures must be taken to prevent infection from entering the wound. Necessary actions in case of a burst blister from a burn:

If the bubble was large , then it is necessary to remove dead tissue that interferes with further treatment of the wound. To do this, you should use sterile scissors (they can be boiled and treated with medical alcohol);
Treat the resulting wound with antiseptic solutions that do not contain alcohol or acids. Processing is carried out in compliance with the rules of asepsis and antisepsis (hands and all materials must be clean, sterile and it is better to wear sterile gloves);
Apply an ointment that has antibacterial properties to the wound (for example, Levomycetin, Methyluracil, Tetracycline and others). An aseptic bandage is applied over the ointment. Only sterile dressings are taken;
Consult a doctor if, after opening the bladder, there is increased pain, swelling, hyperemia, and an increase in local and general temperature. These are signs of a wound infection.

Getting rid of a blistering burn scar is not easy. Scars usually occur with burn injuries of 2nd degree or more severe. Preparations based on dexpanthenol (Panthenol, Pantoderm, Dexpanthenol and others) will help reduce the severity of a burn scar in degree 2 and completely remove it.

Medication therapy

The use of pharmacological agents during treatment has a more pronounced effect. Thanks to the use of special ointments, you can get rid of pathological symptoms quite quickly. If complex treatment is carried out, complete restoration of the skin can be achieved after one to two weeks.

Mild sunburn can be treated by applying a cloth soaked in cold water to the affected area. To relieve pain, swimming in a cool shower is perfect. After this, you can lubricate the skin with hydrocortisone, which is a hormone of the adrenal cortex. The drug is not prescribed to children under two years of age.

Acetaminophen should only be used after reaching the age of twenty, as its use can cause serious complications.

The use of these drugs must be carried out in strict compliance with the dosage indicated in the instructions. If you violate the indicated treatment regimen, you can provoke intoxication of internal organs and other negative consequences.

When is it necessary to see a doctor?

The formation of blisters indicates deep damage to the soft tissues, that is, not only the upper layer of the epidermis is involved. This is why it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Urgent hospitalization is required in the following cases:

Large burn area;
Deep tissue damage (burn of 3rd and 4th degree of severity);
Signs or risk of shock;
Burns in children, elderly people and pregnant women;
Burns of mucous membranes.

Surgeons treat burns with blisters. The patient can independently go to the emergency room or call an ambulance (which will take him to the emergency room or surgical department). In large cities there are burn centers that specialize in treating burns of varying severity.

In what cases is a puncture necessary?

The need to puncture a blister depends on its location on the body. There are places where a large blister will constantly interfere and restrict movement. These include:

Hands;
feet;
neck area;
popliteal and elbow bends;
shoulders, back.

If you have received a second-degree burn in one of these places, and the blister is constantly in the way, being squeezed by clothing, clinging or preventing you from walking, it will be easier and safer to puncture it than to wait until it bursts on its own, unable to withstand the mechanical impact.

After all, the number of pathogenic microorganisms on your clothes, shoes or furnishings is always higher than on a sterilized thin needle .

Important! The formation of blisters is a protective reaction of the body, so if it does not interfere, there is no need to pierce it. Even if the blister is causing some discomfort, waiting a day or two will help prevent infection and make the burn easier to heal later.

Possible complications

Complications can arise in case of improper treatment or delay in seeking medical help. Complications of burns with blisters :

Attachment of a secondary infection . This often happens when blisters are opened and the rules of asepsis and antisepsis are not followed when treating and dressing the wound;
Poor circulation at the burn site . With deep burns, extensive colloidal scars are formed that interfere with normal blood flow in the surrounding tissues. In severe cases, this leads to necrosis;
Sepsis is a general infection of the body. The infection spreads through the bloodstream throughout the body, causing polished failure (severe nonspecific stress reaction of the body);
Impaired functioning of organs . This often occurs with burns to the eyes, respiratory tract, mouth, esophagus and stomach. In this case, the person may become disabled.

How to properly pop a bubble

To open the bladder, instruments are prepared that have been previously sterilized.

After this, they begin to act according to the following rules:

Treat the affected area with cold running water. This will reduce temperature, pain, and inflammation.
Apply Panthenol, Bepanten.
Applying a sterile dressing. Use gauze or cling film. The tissue should not be squeezed; the fluid should circulate freely.
Antibacterial treatment. A solution of hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine, alcohol, and other means will do. This will prevent the spread of bacteria inside the opened wound.
A hole is pierced with a previously prepared needle, slightly squeezing out the serous substance from it.
It is forbidden to remove superficial areas of skin on the wound that have been subjected to high temperatures. It serves as a protection between external environmental factors and internal tissues.
Antiseptic treatment is repeated and a sterile bandage is applied. It should be dry. The fabrics are not compressed.

Within 3-5 days, the affected area should heal completely. During this period, it is important to use wound-healing ointments that accelerate the regenerative process. Solcoseryl and Korneregel are used.

When an infectious agent penetrates, suppuration will begin. In this case, seek help from an infectious disease specialist, traumatologist, or therapist. They will prescribe therapeutic procedures to prevent complications.

Treatment of the wound

After the fluid is released from the bladder, a bandage is applied to it, which is soaked in an antiseptic solution. It needs to be changed every day. If special ointments are used after this, the bandage must be changed at least 3 times a day. Despite the use of sterile materials, there is a risk of accumulation and proliferation of various bacteria. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the frequency of changing the dressing.

If, after performing a puncture, blood flows from the wound, then it is worth using Chlorhexidine and other analogues that have antiseptic properties. Today, there are a large number of products that are used to treat burns, including blisters. Among them are Bepanten, Calendula and others. Before performing manipulations, you should thoroughly wash and disinfect your hands.

How to anoint a burst bubble

If the blister bursts on its own after a burn, then it will be necessary to provide conditions so that secondary infection does not occur in the wound. Antiseptics are used precisely for this purpose. The most accessible and effective means are:

aerosol Panthenol;
Betadine ointment;
Miramistin spray;
Chlorhexidine solution;
hydrogen peroxide concentration 3%;
iodine agents - Iodovidone and Iodopirone.

When using liquids containing alcohol and iodine, the pain becomes more intense. Follow-up treatment is necessary to speed up wound healing and prevent infection.

A sterile bandage with the following ointments is applied to the affected area:

Levomycytin.
Tetracycline.
Erythromycin.
syntomycin emulsion.

Now on sale there are modern, highly effective products that create a protective film on the wound - they are called gel dressings:

Apollo PAK;
Apollo PAA;
Collachite FA.

The protective film of the listed products prevents infection and stimulates cell regeneration at the burn site.