Thursday, July 1, 2010

How Do Blisters Form







Blisters most commonly form on the foot or on part of the body that is subject to repetitive pressure and friction. They can also form in an area that has been pinched.


The excess/repetitive friction creates a build-up of heat. This is often referred to as a "hot spot" because it feels warm to the touch and is painful. The heat causes a separation between the top layers of your skin, also known as the epidermis. The heat build-up process can take as little as two minutes or as long as two hours.


The gap between the two layers of your epidermis quickly fills with fluid. The water comes from surrounding tissue and irritates the skin. You will likely feel a stinging, burning and itching sensation and, at this point, there is no way to avoid getting a blister.


As with all fluids in your body, the blister liquid is sterile, so it is not harmful to your body. However, if the blister breaks, then you become susceptible to infection, which can lead to several types of diseases.


If you notice that your blister is black in color, this is known as a blood blister. It is the same as a regular blister, only the skin was slightly more damaged, which caused blood to seep in between the layers of separated skin.


As with all fluids in your body, the fluid inside the blister is sterile. If the blister breaks during activity, that natural sterility is lost and infection is possible.


Healing


Blisters heal only with time. Keep the area clean, dry and covered with a Band-Aid to prevent infection. It will go away on its own within one to three weeks as long as pressure/friction does not continue.

Tags: between layers, your body, between layers your, blister breaks, fluids your, fluids your body