Big Blood Blister to pop or not to pop?

Question

So this morning I was soaking my feet to get all the dead skin off and my feet peal alot and on the pad of my right foot I noticed a little brownish dot and it was kind of weird but I ignored it. Then after I had a 3 hour soccer practice when I took off my cleats and stuff it was HUGE its almost the size of a dime and it is a little tender but it doesn't hurt that bad. I have soccer practice tomorrow too so I am worried that If I pop it it will be really sore but if I dont it will get bigger and be really sore. And I dont want it to pop on its own because then it would hurt alot worse. What should I do? If I pop it I will do it right before I go to sleep because that's what everyone says to do but what do you think? To pop or not to pop?

Answer 1

Unless it's large enough that it's likely to rupture on its own, do not pop it. Open blisters are gateways for infections. To prevent it from hurting and/or rupturing during soccer practice, go to your local drugstore/pharmacy and buy some corn pads. They're shaped like an O. It surrounds the blister, with the open center over the blister, so that when you step, the pad is contacting the ground and the blister is not. I don't know if I explained that well, but look at the box and you'll get the idea.

Answer 2

Its best not to pop it!

Most blisters heal naturally and do not require medical attention. As new skin grows beneath the blister, the fluid contained within it will be slowly reabsorbed by the body and the skin on top will dry and peel off.

The unbroken skin over a blister provides a natural barrier to infection. This means that you should try to keep blisters intact and unbroken in order to avoid infection. Try not to pierce a blister with a needle, but allow it to break on its own once the skin underneath has healed. If the blister is in a place (such as a hand or foot) that makes it extra painful, follow these steps:

1. Wash your hands and the blister with soap and water, and sterilize the blister with rubbing alcohol.

2. Sterilize a pin with rubbing alcohol.

3. Make small pinpricks on the edge of the blister and drain the fluid through these.

4. Cover the blister with first-aid ointment and a sterile bandage.[1]

Cover small blisters with an adhesive dressing. Larger blisters should be covered with a gauze pad or dressing that you can then tape in place. If you have a blister in a position that is causing you pain or that makes it likely to burst (such as on the sole of your foot), its important to cover it with a soft dressing to pad and protect it. Then change the dressing daily.

If a blister bursts, don't peel off the dead skin on top of the blister. Gently press the area to get rid of all the fluid inside, and then cover the blister and the area around it with a dry, sterile dressing to protect it from infection until it heals.

Blood blisters should also be left to heal naturally. As with other blisters, if a blood blister bursts it is important to keep the area clean and dry, and protect it with a sterile dressing to prevent infection.

Blood blisters are often painful, and you may wish to apply an ice pack to the area immediately after the injury that caused it. You should apply the ice pack for between 10 and 30 minutes. The ice should not touch your skin directly as this may cause a cold burn, so place a towel over the injured part first.

Even when popped as described above, a blister can become infected, Staph aureus infections being most common. Blisters that have become infected can be treated with antibiotics prescribed by your GP. Blisters caused by a medical condition are treated by treating the underlying condition.

A common treatment utilized by medics in the U.S. Army is to drain the fluid from a blister and to inject the same amount of compound tincture of benzoin, to help seal the space created by the blister, to serve as a local antiseptic, and to prevent further abrasion or loss of skin

Answer 3

Just poke it a bit with a clean, sterilized pin.  You just need to let the blood out - it shouldn't even hurt.  Then let it dry out overnight.  

Answer 4

Do not pop as it needs to grow to it full size and take the natural healing process. It may reoccur if u pop it out now.