Blister Bummers

Blisters are a common problem for everyone, especially in the summer. Those who play sports tend to get them. After a couple of months and years of wear and tear (AKA friction and/or pressure) from blisters on your feet the skin becomes thicker and develops callus. This can lead to infections.

At this point it still is possible to develop blisters. Using lotion on the feet or even on hands will make them softer, but will also make them more prone to blistering.

What specific ways you can develop callus is by weight lifting without gloves. This can cause callus on your upper palms. Shoes, as another example, can affect the feet with callus. String instruments are known to cause callus on the players fingers. However, callus isn't necessarily bad. Thicker skin prevents blisters and help alleviate pain. For the string instrument player callus helps alleviate the pain from the tension of the strings and make playing easier. For dancers dancing barefoot can make performing turns less difficult.

A person that has callus can still develop blisters. Blisters in general are small pockets of fluid with the upper layers of the skin. They can either be filled with blood (AKA blood blisters) or with pus (infection). The most common blisters are filled with a clear fluid called serum that resembles water. Serum is the part of the blood that remain after red bloodcells and clotting agents have been removed.

Blisters form because of the outer layer of skin had become damaged. Fluid collects underneath, cushioning the tissue underneath to protect it from further damage and allowing it to heal.

A blood blister usually forms when a small blood vessel close to the surface of the skin breaks and blood leaks into a tear between the layers of skin. This can happen if the skin is crushed, pinched or squeezed really tightly.

When you encounter having a blister do not pop it. But if they are painful and you feel you just have to pop them, be sure to use a needle that has been sterilized in flame. Drain the fluid in the blister and leave the top layer of skin intact. This protects the area underneath from infection. If the top layer of skin does come off, clean any exposed skin with soap and water, and apply antibacterial ointment and a nonstick bandage.