How to Treat a Blister (And When to Pop One)
Leave the roof of skin in place, cover the blister, and get the pressure off it. The American Academy of Dermatology says to avoid popping or draining a blister, as this could lead to infection, and that most blisters heal on their own in one to two weeks. If the blister is large and very painful, the AAD says it may be necessary to drain it to reduce discomfort: sterilize a small needle using rubbing alcohol, carefully pierce one edge, let some of the fluid drain, then wash the area with soap and water, apply petroleum jelly, and do not remove the roof of the blister.
Blisters are small pockets of clear fluid under a layer of skin, per the NHS, and they develop to protect damaged skin and help it heal. Below: burst blisters, blood blisters, blister bandages, and how to prevent blisters on the next pair of new shoes.
How to Treat a Blister, Step by Step
- Stop the rubbing. The AAD says to stop your activity immediately if you experience pain or discomfort, or if your skin turns red.
- Gently wash it. The NHS says to keep the blister as clean as possible, gently wash the skin and pat it dry. Mild soap and water.
- Leave it closed. The NHS is direct: do not burst a blister yourself. That unbroken skin over the clear fluid inside is doing real work.
- Cover the blister. The AAD says to loosely cover the blister, sides brought in so the middle sits a little raised. The NHS says to cover blisters with a soft plaster or padded dressing.
- Pad the pressure point. To protect blisters on pressure areas such as the bottom of your feet, the AAD says to cut padding into a donut shape and place it around the blister.
- Stay off it. The AAD says not to resume the activity that caused your blister until it has healed. The NHS says the same about the shoes.
Should You Pop a Blister?
No, with one exception. HealthyChildren.org, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, gives both at once: most blisters should not be opened because it increases the risk of infection, however large or severely painful blisters often need to be drained.
The intact top layer is the point. The AAD says not to remove the roof of the blister, as this will protect the raw skin underneath as it heals. Peel that natural barrier off early and you have made an open wound where your shoe rubs.
How to drain a large or painful blister
Wash the skin with warm water and soap, then clean a needle or straight pin with rubbing alcohol. The AAP says to press the clear fluid to one side to create a bulge, pass the needle sideways through it making 2 puncture holes, then press the fluid out. Leave the roof in place and cover it.
On ointment the sources split. The AAP says to use an antibiotic ointment twice per day after cleansing. For general wound care the AAD says that as long as the wound is cleaned daily, anti-bacterial ointments are not necessary. The covering matters more than the tube.
What to Do With a Burst Blister
The NHS says to wash your hands before touching a burst blister, and to let the fluid drain before covering it. Two things it rules out: do not peel the skin off a burst blister, and do not pick at the edges of the remaining skin.
The AAP adds the trim: let it drain, leave the roof in place to protect the raw skin underneath, trim any loose flaps with a fine scissors, then wash it, apply antibiotic ointment and cover it.
A pad left on a weeping blister for days can dry onto it. Do not rip it off. Our guide on a bandage stuck to a wound covers the soak-and-lift method.
Blood Blisters Look Worse Than They Are
Blood blisters may look red or black and are filled with blood instead of clear fluid, per the NHS, and they appear when blood vessels in the skin have also been damaged. The AAP says blood blisters usually come from pinched skin, a finger caught in a hinge or a door, and the verdict is short: a blood blister is not harmful, no treatment is needed, and it will slowly dry up and peel off over 1 to 2 weeks.
How Long Do Blisters Take to Heal?
One to two weeks. The NHS says blisters often heal on their own within a week, without a GP visit. The AAD says most blisters heal on their own in one to two weeks. The one variable you control is how much you keep rubbing it. Several days on an unprotected heel resets the clock every morning.
Blister Bandages: What Actually Goes Over One
"Blister bandages" covers three products doing three different jobs. Picking the wrong one is why people decide none work.
Hydrocolloid bandages and blister cushions
The gel patches sold as blister bandages or blister cushions. The NHS is specific: a hydrocolloid dressing, which it calls a moist dressing, can protect the blister, help reduce pain and speed up healing. For open, weeping or burst blisters, this is the category to buy.
Moleskin and felt donuts
Still the best way to take load off a pressure point. The AAP describes a donut made from moleskin: cut a piece larger than the blister, cut a hole the size of the blister in the center, then place it over the top.
Fabric adhesive bandages
A woven fabric strip is a cover, not a cushion. It keeps small blisters clean, holds a sock off damaged skin, and stops the surrounding skin taking further damage from shoe friction. It does not build the moist healing environment hydrocolloid does.
| Cover | What it does | Best for | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrocolloid blister bandage | Seals the blister under a moist gel layer | Open, weeping or burst blisters | NHS: can protect the blister, help reduce pain and speed up healing |
| Moleskin or felt donut | Lifts pressure off the blister entirely | Foot blisters you still have to walk on | AAP: a donut of moleskin, hole cut to the size of the blister |
| Fabric adhesive bandage | Covers and keeps the area clean | Small blisters, and the cuts and scrapes around them | AAD: loosely cover the blister, middle raised a little |
| Tape over the hot spot | Kills the friction before a blister forms | Prevention on hikes, runs and skate sessions | AAP: taping treats hot spots for friction blisters |
Where World of Hurt Fits, and Where It Does Not
Straight answer, because you can get the other kind anywhere: World of Hurt does not make a hydrocolloid blister patch. For an open or draining blister, the dressing the NHS names is the right tool and we do not sell it.
What we make is the flexible woven fabric bandage for everything else that happens the same afternoon. Breathable, latex-free, sterile in the wrapper, a non-stick absorbent pad, and a wider patent-pending surfboard shape with a 4-sided seal so it does not peel off inside a sock. Best bandages that stay on. Road rash from the bail, the split knuckle from a cleat, the scrape you got walking the blister off. For which strip suits which injury, read our guide to the different types of bandages or the complete guide to bandages.
The 74 designs come from students at Otis Design Lab at Otis College of Art and Design. The 36-count mix carries 9 styles at the standard 3/4 x 3 in. size, and the All Mixed Up 100-count box carries 20 styles across 3 sizes. FSA and HSA eligible, sold on Amazon and a growing number of retailers. Browse the bandage collection, or take the sports-built Send It mix.
How to Prevent Blisters
Foot blisters start with shoes, especially new shoes
The NHS advice for anyone who often gets friction blisters starts with two lines: wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes, and wear new shoes for short periods of time until they are comfortable. The AAP says stiff new hiking boots want a few laps of the house and some short walks first.
Socks and sweaty feet
The NHS says to wear thick socks during exercise, such as moisture-wicking sports socks, and to change them frequently if you get sweaty feet. The AAD says if one pair does not help, try two. The AAP is blunter: no cotton socks, because they stay damp.
Foot powder, lubricant and tape
The AAD says to apply powder or petroleum jelly to problem areas because it helps reduce friction when your skin rubs together or rubs against clothing. Foot powder works on that principle. Where a lubricant is not enough, the AAP moves to tape, using moleskin cut slightly larger than the pressure point. For hands, the NHS says to wear protective gloves for exercise or tools at work.
Stop at the hot spot
The line that does most to prevent blisters: the AAD says to stop your activity immediately if you experience pain or discomfort, or if your skin turns red. The hot spot is the warning. The white bubble is the bill.
Signs of an Infected Blister
The NHS describes an infected blister as hot and filled with green or yellow pus, and notes the surrounding skin may look red, though that can be hard to see on brown or black skin. Its instruction is not soft: do not ignore an infected blister, because without treatment it could lead to a skin or blood infection. The AAD adds that redness, pus, or rising pain or swelling means an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist.
When to Stop and Call a Professional
HealthyChildren.org, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, says to call the doctor now for a fever with spreading redness, for widespread blisters, or when blisters are on the face and the cause is not clear.
The NHS routes more to urgent advice: a blister that is very painful or keeps coming back, one in an unusual place such as your eyelids or mouth, several blisters that have appeared for no reason, and any blister caused by a burn or scald, sunburn, or an allergic reaction. A GP might burst a large or painful blister with a sterilized needle, and may prescribe antibiotics.
Blisters That Are Not From Friction
Not every blister is a shoe problem. The NHS lists conditions that can cause blisters: chickenpox, a childhood illness that causes itchy spots; cold sores, caused by a virus; blisters from a burn, sunburn or an allergic reaction; genital herpes, a sexually transmitted infection that most commonly affects the genitals; scabies, a skin condition caused by tiny mites; and hand, foot and mouth disease, a viral infection that usually affects young children. A GP can advise if blisters are caused by a medical condition. Blisters with no friction story are a conversation, not another patch.
FAQ
How do you treat a blister?
Keep it clean, leave the roof of skin in place, cover it, and take the pressure off. The NHS says to gently wash the skin, pat it dry, cover blisters with a soft plaster or padded dressing, and never burst one yourself.
Should you pop a blister?
Not normally. HealthyChildren.org, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, says most blisters should not be opened because it increases the risk of infection, however large or severely painful blisters often need to be drained. Sterilize the needle with rubbing alcohol and leave the roof on.
What do you do with a burst blister?
The NHS says to wash your hands first, let the fluid drain before covering it, and never peel the skin off or pick at the edges of the remaining skin. Loose flaps can be trimmed with a fine scissors, per the AAP.
Do hydrocolloid blister bandages actually work?
The NHS says a hydrocolloid dressing, which is a moist dressing, can protect the blister, help reduce pain and speed up healing. Ordinary bandages cover and keep the area clean but do not cushion. For blisters, hydrocolloid is the category to buy.
How do you stop new shoes giving you blisters?
Wear comfortable shoes and break new ones in short bursts. The NHS says to wear new shoes for short periods of time until they are comfortable, and the AAP says to break stiff new boots in around the house before a long hike. Add moisture-wicking socks and tape old blister spots.
Do World of Hurt bandages work on blisters?
They cover a small blister and hold a sock off it, and they are built for the minor cuts and scrapes that turn up the same day. They are not hydrocolloid blister patches.
Cover the Scrape, Skip the Limp
Blisters heal on their own once you stop rubbing them and cover them. The scrapes around them are what we handle. Start with how to treat a cut or scrape, then how long to keep a bandage on. If your strips quit halfway through a session, read the best bandages that stay on through sweat. Skaters, the kit list is in our skateboarding first aid guide. Life Hurts. Heal Loud.
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