Skin Infections and Blisters

Care of blisters : Home treatment may help decrease pain, prevent infection, and help the skin heal.

Small, unbroken blisters less than 1 in. across] usually heal on their own.

• Do not try to break the blisters. Just leave them alone.
• Do not cover the blisters unless something such as clothing is rubbing against them. If you do cover them, apply a loose bandage. Secure the bandage so the tape does not touch the blisters. Do not wrap tape completely around a hand, arm, foot, or leg, because it could cut off the blood supply if the limb swells. If the tape is too tight, you may develop symptoms below the level of the tape, such as numbness, tingling, pain, or cool and pale or swollen skin.
• Avoid wearing clothes or shoes or doing activities that rub or irritate the blisters until they have healed.

Large or broken blisters usually heal without problems. Most large blisters will break on their own and then heal.

• Wash your hands with soap and water before touching blisters. Blisters can easily become infected.
• If you have a large blister, you may want to drain it, depending on where it is. If you decide to drain it:
  • Clean a needle with rubbing alcohol or soap and water, then use it to gently puncture the edge of the blister.
  • Press the fluid in the blister toward the hole you made.
  • Wash the blister after you have drained it, and pat it dry with clean gauze.
• Do not remove the flap of skin covering the blister unless it tears or gets dirty or pus forms under it. If the blister has just a small puncture or break, leave the flap of skin on, and gently smooth it flat over the tender skin underneath.
• Apply an antibiotic ointment, such as polymixin B or bacitracin, if you are not allergic to it. The ointment will prevent the bandage from sticking to the blister and may help prevent infection. Do not use alcohol or iodine on the blister, because these may delay healing. Do not use an ointment if you know you are allergic to it.
• Loosely apply a bandage or gauze. Secure the bandage so the tape does not touch the blister. Do not wrap tape completely around a hand, arm, foot, or leg, because it could cut off the blood supply if the limb swells. If the tape is too tight, you may develop numbness, tingling, pain, or cool and pale or swollen skin below the level of the tape.
• If the skin under the bandage begins to itch or develops a rash, stop using the antibiotic ointment.
• Change the bandage every day and anytime it gets wet or dirty. You can soak the bandage in cool water just before removing it to make it less painful to take off.
• Avoid wearing clothes or shoes or doing activities that rub or irritate the blisters until they have healed.

Watch for a skin infection while your blister is healing. Signs of infection include:

• Increased pain, swelling, redness, or warmth around the blister.
• Red streaks extending away from the blister.
• Drainage of pus from the blister.
• Swollen lymph nodes in your neck, armpit, or groin.
• Fever.

Helpful Hints to Heal Acne

While we all wish to have perfect skin, some days are more important than others - whether it’s a job interview, an important date, or a social gathering where you may be introduced to many new people, looking our best during these special occasions is usually a priority. While acne should be the last thing on our minds, many times the additional stress brought on by these very important occasions can result in just that – unwanted acne.

If you have ever awakened to a big day only to find a BIG SPOT where it shouldn’t be, read the below tips to help prevent and heal acne more regularly to help avoid those nasty last minute acne issues.

Acne Tip #1

Drink plenty of water – plain and simple. This is probably one of the best ways to prevent future acne. Doctors recommend this easy exercise to remember – whatever your body weight is in pounds, divide that number by two to get the number of ounces of water you should consume for optimal skin flushing and overall health. Add a slice of lemon juice to further enhance the cleansing effects. Your goal is to flush all the toxins in your body and cleanse your skin from inside out. This will also help your body run smoothly by cleaning out unnecessary toxins that help build bacteria onto your skin.

Acne Tip #2

Resist the urge to pop - popping your pimples incorrectly is something you don’t want to do. There are dermatologist recommendations how to do this properly, but most folks want the offending item removed much earlier than it is safe to do so. While it can be a quick fix to your acne, the incorrect action could result in a scar that could become very noticeable if you make a habit of popping. Even worse, most dermatologists tell us the majority of the plugged oil creating the acne goes back into the underlying skin layer, which will reform as more acne later. If you really need to pop, try to follow a safe procedure.

Acne Tip #3

Change your bed linens regularly –changing your linens weekly is ideal. Repeatedly placing your skin on the surface of a pillow or sheet will allow bacteria and oil to build up, creating an environment for further outbreaks.

Following these simple actions can help tremendously when it comes to having acne free skin.