Blisters - Home Treatment
A small, unbroken blister less than 1 in. (2.5 cm) across, even a blood blister, will usually heal on its own.
Do not try to break the blister. Just leave it alone.
Leave the blister uncovered unless something rubs against it. If you do cover it:
Put on a loose bandage. Secure the bandage so the tape does not touch the blister. Do not wrap tape completely around a hand, arm, foot, or leg because it could cut off the blood supply if the limb swells. If the tape is too tight, you may develop symptoms below the level of the tape, such as numbness, tingling, pain, or cool and pale or swollen skin.
If the blister is in an area where pressure is applied, such as on the bottom of your foot, protect it with a doughnut-shaped moleskin padcamera. Leave the area over the blister open.
Do not wear the shoes or do the activity that caused a friction blister until the blister heals.
Home treatment may help decrease pain, prevent infection, and help heal large or broken blisters.
Wash your hands with soap and water before touching blisters. Blisters can easily become infected.
Most large blisters will break on their own and then heal. If you have a large blister, you may want to drain it depending on where it is. Clean a needle with rubbing alcohol or soap and water, then use it to gently puncture the edge of the blister. Press the fluid in the blister toward the hole you made. Wash the blister after you have drained it, and pat it dry with clean gauze.
Do not remove the flap of skin covering the blister unless it tears or gets dirty or pus forms under it. If the blister has just a small puncture or break, leave the flap of skin on and gently smooth it flat over the tender skin underneath.
Apply an antibiotic ointment, such as polymyxin B or bacitracin, if you are not allergic to it. The ointment will prevent the bandage from sticking to the blister and may help prevent infection. Do not use alcohol or iodine on the blister because these may delay healing. Do not use an ointment if you know you are allergic to it.
Loosely apply a bandage or gauze. Secure the bandage so the tape does not touch the blister. Do not wrap tape completely around a hand, arm, foot, or leg because it could cut off the blood supply if the limb swells. If the tape is too tight, you may develop numbness, tingling, pain, or cool and pale or swollen skin below the level of the tape.
If the skin under the bandage begins to itch or develops a rash, stop using the antibiotic ointment.
Change the bandage every day and any time it gets wet or dirty. You can soak the bandage in cool water just before removing it to make it less painful to take off.
Avoid wearing the shoes or doing the activity that caused the blister until the blister heals.