We’ve all seen them, and unfortunately most of us have had one.
Those painful, pockets of goo that form because some over exercised, over caffeinated, happy
to be living life, outdoors-man decides to include you in their daily torture fest that
is a hike up mount agony!
So what exactly is going on here that causes the formation of a blister?
Let’s start off with the anatomy involved.
For the most part, there are three layers of tissue that surround our bones and organs.
The first layer is called the epidermis.
This is the outer most layer of the skin.
The second, or middle layer, is called the dermis.
The third layer is called the subcutis, also known as the subcutaneous.
Together, these three layers make up the largest organ in the body, our skin!
The epidermis itself has 4-5 layers.
Most areas of the skin have four.
In regions such as the fingertips, palms of your hands and soles of your feet, where the
skin is exposed to greater friction forces, there are five.
Starting from the deepest layer and working out, there is the Stratum Basale, the Stratum
Spinosum, the Stratum Granulosum, the Stratum Lucidum and the Stratum Corneum.
The Stratum Lucidum is that extra friction induced layer that helps make your skin thick
in those areas that require it.
Friction blisters are just that, the result of friction.
What’s going on under the surface is that repeated rubbing over one area of your skin
will create forces that cause mechanical fatigue of the epidermis.
This fatigue causes a split in the epidermis that usually resides at the layer of the Stratum
Spinosum.
When these cells separate, hydrostatic pressure allows a plasma-like blister fluid to form
in this space.
This fluid is similar to blood plasma in that it has the same electrolyte concentration,
but with a much lower protein level.
Should you continue the sadistic massage of your skin, the outer 3 layers of your puss
pocket will break open, your salty fluid will leak out, and this portion of your epidermis
will slough off.
The resulting exposure to the last layer of the epidermis and the dermis itself (where
your nerves are) is the red area that hurts like hell should you want to poke it with
a stick!
The recovery of your exposed blister will begin after approximately 6 hours, as the
remaining cells under your blister begin the process of healing.
24 hours into your rehabilitation, the cells are dividing like a mid-1990’s Microsoft
stock.
One day later, around 48 hours in to the restoration of your epidermis, a new Granular layer (Stratum
Granulosum) can be seen.
After approximately 5 days, this surge of cellular growth begins to slow down and a
shiny new Stratum Corneum layer begins to show itself.
Your new skin is ready!
Most blisters caused by friction do not require a doctor’s care.
If the blister doesn’t pop, new skin will form underneath the affected area and the
fluid is simply absorbed.
Try not to puncture a blister unless it is large, painful, or likely to be further irritated.
The fluid-filled blister keeps the underlying skin clean, which prevents infection and promotes
healing.
Should you need to burst your bubble, it might behoove you to follow a few simple techniques.
Use a sterilized needle or razor blade (to sterilize it, put the point or edge in a flame
until it is red hot, or rinse it in alcohol).
Wash the area thoroughly, then make a small hole and gently squeeze out the clear fluid.
If the fluid is white or yellow, the blister may be infected and needs medical attention.
Do not remove the skin over a broken blister.
The new skin underneath will benefit from this protective layer.
Look for signs of infection to develop.
These include pus drainage, red or warm skin surrounding the blister, or red streaks leading
away from the blister.