How Long Does It Take For A Blister To Heal And Why? How to Prevent & Treat It

logo by Editorial Staff | Updated on August 5th, 2022

1 to 2 weeks is the exact answer.


What exactly are blisters?

Blisters are microscopic pockets of fluid that develop in the skin’s top layers after injury. Blisters can appear everywhere on the body. However, they are most commonly found on the hands and feet.

A close-up view on the underside of a human foot. Details of the dead skin from a large healing blister. Hurt or injured feet after a long walk.

Fluid accumulates beneath the injured skin, cushioning the tissue beneath. This prevents additional injury to the tissue and helps it to recuperate.

Most blisters contain a clear fluid (serum), but they can also include blood (blood blisters) or pus if they become irritated or infected.

Blisters are caused by what?

The following factors can produce blisters:

  • friction to the skin
  • heat – for example, from sunburn or a scald
  • contact with chemicals, such as detergent
  • medical conditions, such as chickenpox and impetigo
  • burns
  • sunburns
  • frostbite
  • eczema
  • allergic reactions
  • exposure to poison ivy, oak, or sumac
  • viral infections, such as herpes, shingles, or chickenpox
  • bacterial infections

How Long Does It Take To Heal A Blister?

Cause Of BlisterTime Taken To Heal
Injuries/IrritationsOne or two weeks
Skin InfectionsSeveral weeks

Blisters are widely grouped into two groups based on the source and the length of time it takes to heal. Blisters generated by traumas and blisters induced by skin diseases fall into two groups.

Blisters caused by injuries or irritations to the human skin are more common. It is usual for most of these blisters to heal within a fortnight. A blister might heal in a matter of weeks or months. They recover naturally and do not require medical treatment.

Blisters produced by skin infections, on the other hand, can be serious. They are frequently painful and need quick medical treatment from a physician. Furthermore, these blisters might take up to a month to cure.

Blisters are unpleasant. It itches you and tempts you to pop or poke it.

However, if you do so, you risk spreading the infection to other surrounding skin areas. Then it repeats itself like a cycle. The more you poke it, the more it will spread and the longer it will take to cure.

A bandage can be used to prevent itching. The blister must be covered with a sterile covering and allowed to heal on its own. This type of coating promotes quick natural healing. As the fluid is reabsorbed, your skin will gradually level out. Your skin may recover within a week if the appropriate technique is followed.

The soles and palms’ skin

The skin on the soles of the feet (plantar) and palms of the hands (palmar) differs from the skin on other regions of the body, such as the arms and legs. Plantar and palmar skin is thicker, has more sweat glands, no hair, somewhat different layers, and is more resistant to shear pressures overall.

Blister damage can be seen on this skin up to 6 weeks after the blister was originally suffered. It’s crucial to understand this because I’ve had folks tell me that their new blister prevention technique isn’t working after 3 weeks since their skin still doesn’t appear normal.

The truth is that they only see the injured skin as it works its way to the surface before flaking away as dead skin cells.

On your feet.

But it’s not like you’ll be unable to walk because of your blister. Within an unbroken blister, the blister fluid may reabsorb in as little as a day or two. It may just take 3 days for the roof of your ripped blister to meld back onto your blister, making it no longer weepy.

And, owing to a hydrocolloid blister plaster, it may take a week or ten days for your deroofed blister to have new skin repaired over the top.

Why Does a Blister Take So Long to Heal?

The most common causes of blisters include skin friction, sunlight, and medical diseases such as chickenpox. Similarly, wearing ill-fitting shoes can cause foot blisters.

The blister is your body’s reaction to these unfavorable conditions. As a result, serum fills the damaged area, making it seem puffy.

The collected fluid cushions the skin’s inner layers. Contrary to popular belief, blisters are beneficial in preserving the inner layers of your skin from further harm.

The fluids’ cushioning of the dermal skin causes it to recover and repair fast.

It should be remembered that the blister should never burst under any circumstances. Bursting it may result in skin infections, inflicting further injury and slowing the healing process. These skin infections are excruciatingly painful, and a doctor must treat them.

However, if the blister does burst, you must proceed with caution. Allow the fluid to drain while taking care not to pull the dead skin off the skin. Peeling off the skin may enlarge the afflicted region.

Cover the blister with a sterile, dry dressing as well. This would aid in the healing process. However, many people rupture the blisters without taking any measures, causing the healing process to be prolonged.

Another factor contributing to poor skin healing is the use of ill-fitting shoes. Shoes that fit properly should be chosen as overshoes that are too big or too small. In addition, rather than using low-quality shocks, you might go for nylon or moisture-wicking shocks.

As a result, blisters are very vulnerable to injury and infections. The skin should be treated with the highest care and attention to heal as quickly as possible. The breaking of blisters and the speed with which they must be dealt with may complicate the procedure even more.

What causes blisters to take longer to heal?

  • Not lowering skin shear – Healing cannot begin with any momentum unless the pressures that created the blister are removed on day one. Remember, it is these pressures that, when repeated, generate blisters.
  • Another blister develops in the same location – Just though you do everything correctly for two, three, or four weeks does not mean the task is over. If you remove your blister-prevention measures before it has entirely healed and expose it to new blister-causing stimuli, it will re-blister.
  • Calluses – The thicker your skin, the longer it will take to regenerate to the same thickness as the surrounding skin. If your callous is thick, its existence is most likely harming the blister base. Maintain a low level of callouses.

Blisters: How to Prevent and Treat Them

Dermatologists recommend the following precautions to avoid chafing, which can lead to blisters:

  • Take care of your feet. Wear nylon or moisture-wicking socks to prevent blisters on your feet. If wearing one pair of socks isn’t enough to protect your skin, consider wearing two pairs. You should also make certain that your shoes are correctly fitted. Shoes should be neither too tight nor too loose.
  • Dress appropriately. Wear moisture-wicking, loose-fitting clothing when exercising. Cotton garments should be avoided because they absorb sweat and moisture, which can cause friction and chafing.
  • Consider using soft bandages. Consider applying sticky moleskin or other soft bandages on troublesome regions such as the feet or thighs. Check that the bandages are tightly fastened.
  • Powder or petroleum jelly might be used to treat problem areas. This helps to minimize friction when your skin scrapes against one other or clothes.
  • If you feel pain or discomfort, or if your skin goes red, stop what you’re doing right away. Otherwise, you risk getting a blister.

If you acquire a blister, try to be patient and let it alone. The majority of blisters heal on their own within one to two weeks. Continue the activity that created the blister until it has healed.

When should you see a doctor?

Blisters, whether drained or not, are prone to infection. Infections that go untreated can be unpleasant and necessitate the use of antibiotics. Furthermore, some blisters are generated by anything other than friction.

Consult your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:

  • The blister swells and fills with yellow or green pus.
  • To the touch, the region is red, inflamed, or heated.
  • The discomfort worsens rather than improves.
  • Your blisters have appeared in unexpected areas, such as your lips or eyes.
  • Your blister keeps reappearing.
  • You are experiencing allergic symptoms.

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Editorial Staff

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