How to treat a blister at home: pop it or leave it

Under 10 minutes. Costs a few cents.

Try this first (costs nothing): take the shoe off, wash the area gently with soap and water, pat it dry and leave the blister whole. The skin on top is a clean cover. Your body is already healing underneath.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have diabetes, poor circulation or numb feet, or you are unsure, ask a doctor or pharmacist before treating a blister yourself.

Should I pop a blister?

Usually no. The NHS says to leave a blister alone where possible, because the skin over it protects it from infection. Most small blisters dry up in a few days.

Use this rule:

• Small and not painful: leave it. Cover it.
• Large, tight and in the way of walking: you can drain it. See the steps below.
• Already burst: keep it clean and covered. Do not peel the loose skin off.
• Looks infected or came from a burn: do not touch it. See a doctor.

Ruling: leave it unless it stops you walking.

Cover it the right way

1. Wash your hands and the skin around the blister with soap and water.
2. Pat dry.
3. Cover it with a soft pad or a plaster. A hydrocolloid blister pad is made for this. It cushions the area and stays on for a few days.
4. Cut a doughnut shape from a thick foam pad and put it around the blister if it presses. This lifts the shoe off the sore spot.
5. Change the cover if it gets wet or dirty.

Keep the area dry when you can. Wear a clean, dry sock and a shoe that does not touch the spot. If the shoes caused it, see what to do about new shoes rubbing your heel.

If you must drain it

Only do this if the blister is big, painful and in a place you cannot avoid pressure. Draining opens a door for germs, so be careful.

1. Wash your hands well.
2. Clean the blister with soap and water.
3. Clean a needle with rubbing alcohol. Do not use a flame.
4. Make a small hole at the edge. Let the fluid drain out.
5. Leave the skin flap in place. Do not peel it off.
6. Cover with a clean dressing.
7. Check it each day.

Never drain a blister on a burn, near the eye, or if you are unwell. Do not use the same needle twice.

What helps it heal

• Rest it. If you can wear other shoes for a few days, do.
• Keep it clean and covered.
• Do not pick. The loose skin falls off on its own.
• Watch for infection: more pain, spreading redness, warmth, pus or a fever.

Stop the next one

Blisters come from friction, heat and damp. Fix those three.

• Fit. A shoe that slides or pinches is the usual cause.
• Socks. Choose socks that fit well and wick damp. Cotton holds sweat on long walks.
• Break shoes in. Short sessions first, not a full day.
• Pre-cover hot spots. A pad or plaster on a known rub spot before you leave the house.
• Dry feet. Change damp socks. Powder helps some people, but it can cake, so keep it thin.

If your feet feel sore generally and not just at one spot, see sore feet after a day standing.

Blisters from other causes

Friction from shoes is the common cause, but blisters can come from other things.

• Burns and sunburn. Cool the skin, cover it and see a doctor or pharmacist for anything larger than a small patch. Do not drain these.
• Cold sores and rashes. Blisters that cluster, tingle or appear with a rash are not friction blisters. A pharmacist or doctor should look.
• Chemical contact. If a cleaner, plant or product caused it, rinse with water and get advice.

The NHS blister page lists these in more detail, and it is worth a read if your blister has no clear cause.

A worked example

Say you walked two miles in new shoes and have a coin-sized blister on the back of the heel, unbroken, and sore when you walk. Here is a sensible plan.

1. Take the shoes off and wash and dry the foot.
2. Leave the blister whole and cover it with a cushioned pad.
3. Wear soft shoes or sandals with no back edge for a few days.
4. Check it each morning. If it is smaller, the pad is working.
5. If it bursts, wash, dry and cover it again.

The point is to protect the skin while the body does the work. Draining is the exception, not the plan.

When to see someone

See a doctor, pharmacist or nurse if the blister:

• looks infected, or you have a fever
• is very large, or you have lots of blisters
• keeps coming back in the same place for no clear reason
• appears with a burn, a rash or a sunburn
• is on a foot with diabetes or poor feeling