Blisters look like small bubbles on the skin, which usually contain clear fluid, but can sometimes be filled with pus or blood.
Cause
The commonest cause of a water blister is friction, for example new shoes rubbing against the back of the heel. Blisters also characteristically appear with chickenpox. Burns, including sunburn, can also cause blistering of the skin, as can insect bites. Impetigo can be a more serious cause of blisters.
Treatment
Avoid bursting the blister as this can lead to infection. The liquid inside a blister is usually sterile, as long as the thin covering of skin is still intact. If the blister does burst, apply a small pad of foam with a hole cut in the centre, to prevent further pressure on the area, which can be quite painful. Dab with antiseptic solution twice a day, and keep the wound as clean as possible. It should dry up in a few days, and the skin will then peel. Make sure your child wears open shoes, or shoes which do not press on the blister.
• if the blister is filled with greenish fluid, or the surrounding skin is reddish as this may mean that the blister is infected;
• if your child has multiple blisters and a fever or is unwell.
Prevention
Make sure that your child wears well-fitting shoes, that are neither too tight nor too loose. If your child has new shoes, put sticking plaster such as Bandaids on the back of the heels for the first week until he ‘breaks in’ the shoes.
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