Getting Blisters from Infections

Learn about the Causes of Blisters by Addressing Various Factors

May 14, 2009 Naheed Ali

Blisters are very common among people. Read on to find out how to deal with blisters properly.

Certain factors such as infection, may produce either a single blister or groups of blisters. Infections and inflammatory diseases like contact dermatitis can cause blisters.

Causes of Blisters

Chickenpox (varicella) is a frequent contagious condition that is produced by a form of herpes. Chickenpox blisters start out as reddish bumps that change into blisters and then eventually scab over. It is most contagious from two to three days prior to when a rash emerges until all the blisters have crusted over.

Below are a few more causes of blisters.

Shingles, often observed in older patients, is created by the same virus that brings on chickenpox. Shingles blisters appear similar to varicella, but they generally grow in a band on the left or right side of the body.
Cold sores, occasionally referred to as fever blisters, are groups of tiny blisters on the lip and outer margin of the mouth. They are brought about by herpes simplex. Cold sore-type blisters that appear in the genital regions could be produced by a genital herpes infections.
Impetigo is a bacterial dermatological (skin) infection. It has blisters that often appear on the face and burst and turn crusty (honey-colored crusts).
Infected hair follicles (also called folliculitis) produce purple or red, sensitive regions that convert to blisters at or close to the base hair strands.
A scabies problem, which happens whenever mites burrow inside the skin, could render tiny, itchy blisters that frequently appear in a thin line or curved track.
Bedbugs which could cause small, itchy blisters anywhere on the skin.
Contact dermatitis happens when the skin comes into contact with something in the environment that brings on an allergy. Contact with specific plants, like poison ivy, oak trees, and sumac, can take place indirectly, but can still cause blisters.

Blisters can also arise from an illness that causes the body to attack its own skin (autoimmune disorder).

Prevention of Blisters

A few of the most ordinary kinds of blisters may be prevented. Below are some useful methods used in preventing and dealing with blisters. In order to prevent blisters caused by rubbing (called friction blisters):

Avoid using shoes that are too tight or that rub your feet excessively. Well-fitted footgear has a wide toe area with a lot of room for the toes and the ball of the foot. You need to be able to wiggle your toes inside your shoes. Foot size can vary half a size from the morning to night, so buy footwear the end of the day, when your feet are enlarged the most.

Moreover:

Try to use gloves to protect your hands whenever you're performing heavy tasks or yard work.
Avoid contact with any shrubs or other things that are known to bring about blistery skin rashes.
Avoid coming into contact with people who have infection that are known to result in blisters.

Using the above tips, a person can protect his or her skin from blisters and possibly avoid getting blisters altogether. Knowing what to do whenever someone gets blisters also helps manage the blisters properly.