How to Pop a Blister

Co-authored by Laura Marusinec, MD and Eric McClure

Last Updated: August 31, 2021 References Approved

As tempting as it may be to pop that blister, you should definitely weigh the risks and benefits first. If your goal is to get rid of it, you’re normally going to be better off leaving it alone. However, there are a few cases where bursting that bubble might be a reasonable option. Luckily, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about that annoying little blister so that you can determine if popping it is the right move for you.

Question 1 of 7:

Is it ever a good idea to pop a blister?

1
Not usually— let the blister heal naturally, instead. A blister is your body’s natural response to irritation or injury. It will go away on its own once your skin heals.^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} Popping a blister may lead to an infection and slow the healing time, so it’s best to leave it alone.^{[2]
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Research source}
- As annoying or embarrassing as it may be, rest assured that your blister isn’t going to be there forever. In most cases, it’s going to reduce in size and disappear over the course of a few days.^{[3]
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2
It may be okay to pop it if it’s really painful or it’s going to pop anyway. If the blister is in a location where it’s highly probable that you’re going to pop it on accident, or the blister is causing you persistent pain, popping it yourself may be the ideal option. In most cases, if you’re careful and do this safely, you can pop the blister at home.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- If it’s mild pain and you can live with it for a bit, you’re probably better off leaving the blister alone.
- If you’ve got a blister on the bottom of your foot, on your hand, or on your ankle and you can’t skip shoes or wear sandals for a few days, it’s probably going to pop anyway.
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3
You should let a sunburn or burn blister heal naturally, even if it hurts. The one exception when it comes to popping painful blisters is with burns. If you get sunburn or you burn yourself on accident and a blister develops, do not pop it.^{[5]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} This will only lead to more pain, and it may increase your risk of skin cancer.^{[6]
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Research source}
- In the meantime (or if the blister breaks), clean the area with mild soap and water. Then, apply an antibiotic ointment and cover the skin with a nonstick gauze bandage.^{[7]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source} The same applies to burn blisters.^{[8]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}

Question 2 of 7:

What precautions should I take before popping a blister?

1
Call your doctor before you go through with it to make sure it’s safe. There are a handful of conditions where it’s usually not a good idea to pop blisters. Hemophiliacs, diabetics, and people with a compromised immune system typically shouldn’t do this, but it really depends on your personal situation. Call your primary care doctor and ask them before you break the needle out, just to be safe.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
2
If possible, see a doctor and have them do it for you. If your doctor gives you the green light to do it at home, you can. However, it’s usually best to have a trained medical professional do this if possible. This process involves puncturing your skin with a sterilized needle, and if you don’t sterilize the needle properly or you aren’t careful with the needle, you might injure yourself.^{[10]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}

Question 3 of 7:

How do I pop a blister safely?

1
Wash your hands, clean the area, and apply iodine to the skin. Use soap and water to scrub your hands and clean the blistered skin. Pour some iodine in a sterile cotton pad and work it gently into the blister.^{[11]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} This will reduce the odds that your popped blister becomes infected.
- Wash your hands and the affected skin for at least 20 seconds to ensure that it’s completely clean.^{[12]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source}
- You can use rubbing alcohol if you don’t have any iodine on hand.
2
Sterilize your needle and puncture the edge of the blister. Grab a clean needle and sterilize it by wiping it down thoroughly with rubbing alcohol. Adjust your body so that the blister is visible and steady. Then, slide the needle into the blister just above the point where it meets the undamaged skin around it. Keep the tip of the needle pointed slightly away from your body to avoid puncturing yourself. Use a clean cloth or paper towel to soak up any fluid that comes out.^{[13]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- You don’t need to push the needle all the way through the blister. Just insert the needle far enough that fluid starts coming out and then pull it out carefully.
- If you can’t reach the blister, you may need to enlist some help for this bit. Just make sure that whoever is helping you out has a steady hand.
3
Apply petroleum jelly to the skin and cover popped blister with gauze. Once you’ve drained the fluid, do not pick or peel at the dead skin. Rinse the area off with warm water, dry it gently, and work some petroleum jelly into your skin to protect the blister while it heals. Place a sterile, nonstick gauze pad on top of the area and secure it in place with a bandage or medical tape.^{[14]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Check the skin every day and swap out your dressings every morning. After a few days, carefully remove the dead skin with sterilized tweezers and scissors. Then, continue to apply petroleum jelly and cover the skin until it heals completely.

Question 4 of 7:

Do blisters heal faster if you pop them?

No, it’s likely going to take longer to heal if you pop it. If left alone, most blisters will heal in 3-7 days. However, it’s going to take much longer for your blister to heal if you pop it. On top of that, you’ll have to change your dressings out daily so it’s going to be a lot more work if you pop it as well.^{[15]
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- You may be able to speed up the healing process if you don’t touch the blister, you keep it uncovered, and you don’t continue the activity that caused the blister to appear in the first place. In other words, if you developed blisters after 3 days of jogging, take the week off!

Question 5 of 7:

How can I speed up the healing of a blister?

Cover the blister with a hydrocolloid dressing. A hydrocolloid dressing is a prepackaged moist bandage designed to protect damaged skin. You can pick these up at your local pharmacy, although you may need to ask the pharmacist to retrieve them for you. Simply rinse and dry your blister carefully, and then apply the adhesive bandage to your skin to cover the blister entirely. This may speed up the healing process a bit and it could reduce any pain you experience.^{[16]
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Trustworthy Source
National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source}
- You can leave the dressing in place for up to 5 days, which should enough time for your blister to heal.^{[17]
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  Research source} If it isn’t, swap the dressing out for a fresh one.
- If the dressing starts leaking or the blister pops underneath, peel it off gently, clean the blister again, and reapply the dressing.^{[18]
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  Research source}

Question 6 of 7:

What is the fluid in a blister?

It depends on what caused it, but it’s plasma, blood, serum, or pus. The fluid that accumulates under a blister depends on where the blister is located, and what caused it in the first place.^{[19]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} If the fluid is clear (which is usually the case) it’s serum or plasma. These liquids are released when you injure or irritate your skin. It’s just your body’s natural way of making sure further injury doesn’t occur.^{[20]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- Blood will fill the blister if the blood vessels under the skin are damaged. Blood blisters look scary, but they aren’t uniquely dangerous.^{[21]
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  Trustworthy Source
  National Health Service (UK)
  Public healthcare system of the UK
  Go to source}
- Pus-filled blisters (if the pus isn’t yellow or green) are often a sign of impetigo, a type of bacterial infection. This infection normally goes away after roughly 3 weeks, but you can see a doctor to get antibiotics if you want to put an end to the infection quickly.^{[22]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}

Question 7 of 7:

How do I know if a popped blister is infected?

1
It’s probably infected if yellow or green pus comes out. Yellow or green pus is often a big sign that your blister is infected. If you think that your blister is slightly green or yellow, or you pop it and a liquid of that color comes out, go see your doctor. You really shouldn’t leave an infection of this sort untreated, and it will likely to lead to more blisters in the future if you don’t do anything.^{[23]
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Research source}
2
If your blister hurts or feels like it burns, it could be a sign of an infection. If the skin around your blister is uniquely painful when you aren’t putting pressure on it, or the skin feels like it burns, it might be infected. Again, it’s best if you see a doctor if this is the case. If you’re in active pain when you don’t touch the blister, get it checked out.^{[24]
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Research source}
- Pain is definitely subjective, but if you’ve ever had a blister before, you should know how it feels. If anything seems off about the sensation, or the pain is unique or persistent, see a doctor just to be safe.

Expert Q&A

Question

What happens if the skin underneath is tender when I peel the blister off?

Laura Marusinec, MD
Board Certified Pediatrician
Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care.

Laura Marusinec, MD

Board Certified Pediatrician

Expert Answer

The best thing is not to peel of the blister or the skin of a blister. But if you have, then apply an ointment like Vaseline or an antibiotic ointment to the area and cover with a soft bandage. You can also take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen if the area is sore.
Question

Is a regular blister different from a gymnastics blister?

Laura Marusinec, MD
Board Certified Pediatrician
Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care.

Laura Marusinec, MD

Board Certified Pediatrician

Expert Answer

A gymnastics blister is usually caused by friction. These tend to have less fluid in them, and aren't usually infected. The best thing is to try to prevent these from happening by watching your technique and using proper precautions. Consider trying hand grips, special protective creams, using chalk, or tape.

Warnings

If you get blisters out of nowhere (i.e. nothing was rubbing against your skin), see a doctor. There are a handful of medical conditions that can cause blisters to develop randomly.^{[26]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}

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See a doctor if you develop multiple blisters in more than one location, or if your blisters are in an odd location, like your eyelids, mouth, or genitals.^{[27]
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