Blisters Health Video

Blisters occur when layers of skin separate and take on fluid under the surface. Learn about blisters from a doctor in this video on skin care.

Take Action

Rinse blisters with hydrogen peroxide
Pierce surface with a hot needle to release fluid
Leave the blister roof intact to prevent infection
Use hydrogen peroxide two days a week
Contact a dermatologist for persistent blisters

About this Author

Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, the author of the book Six Weeks to Sensational Skin, is a board certified dermatologist who has made numerous appearances on television shows such as Good Morning America. She holds a degree from Hunter College in New York, an M.D. from Downstate University at SUNY, and did her residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Ciraldo has been a board-certified dermatologist since 1982, and is currently a voluntary professor at the University of Miami, where she runs a clinic in cosmetic dermatology.

DR. LORETTA CIRALDO MD, FAAD: Hi. I am Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, a Voluntary Professor of Dermatology at University of Miami School of Medicine and a practicing dermatologist for nearly 30 years. Now, many people asked me about what to do if they get a blister, and I think that there are kind of two important things to remember with blisters: First, how to treat them, and secondly how to prevent more from forming. As far as treatment goes, what I love to recommend is that if you do have a blister, especially a newly formed blister that is uncomfortable, that you will just rinse the surface with hydrogen peroxide and then take a needle which you have made red hot and try to slightly pierce through the surface of the blister to release the fluid. This will typically rid you of any pain that could be associated with the blister, but you want to leave that blister roof on because it's actually protecting you from getting the blister infected. We going to caution you to do not put on any antibiotic ointments that contain neomycin, which is a topical antibiotic ingredient, especially if the blisters are on your legs or feet; it can actually cause allergy many times if applied to a blister. So you can keep the blister clean after you have pierced it by applying peroxide to the surface a couple of times a day. And typically, a blister will then form the roof will form into a callus that will be shed anywhere from as soon as a week after the blister has formed up to several weeks. The second thing is think about why you're getting a blister. If you got a sudden onset of new blisters, please see your dermatologist because this could represent allergy or something at the other end of the spectrum, like a case of a problem we called herpes zoster, all of which there is really good treatment for, and good luck to you.