Blisters are small, fluid-filled bubbles or bumps on the surface layer of the skin. Blisters are caused by second-degree burns to the skin. If you have blisters from a burn, learn how to treat it here.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Using Home Treatments
Step 1. Drain the blisters with cold water
The first step you can take to treat a blister is to rinse the burned area with cold or lukewarm water. You can also use a cold water bath or apply a towel soaked in cold water to the burn. Continue to cool the burned area with water for 10-15 minutes.
Be sure to use fairly cold water, but not ice water
Step 2. Apply honey
You can apply a thin layer of honey to the blister. Honey has antibiotic and antiseptic properties which are known to help heal burns. Gently apply a thin layer of honey on the burned area.
Local wild honey is a great option. Another good option is medicinal honey like Manuka honey
Step 3. Protect the blister with a bandage
Areas of skin that are blistered from burns should be protected with a sterile bandage, if possible. However, leave some room for the blisters. Make a gap in the bandage or burn cloth. This protection will prevent the blister from bursting, becoming irritated, or becoming infected.
If bandages or gauze aren't available, try using a clean towel or cloth instead
Step 4. Avoid home remedies commonly used to treat burns
Many people believe that you should use a variety of home remedies for burns. Some think you should apply butter, egg white, oil spray, or apply ice to the burn. However, do not use these materials on a burn with a blister because it can cause infection or damage the tissue.
Instead, use a burn cream or ointment, or honey, or just not use any ointment
Step 5. Don't pop the blister
You should not force open the burn blister, for at least the first 3-4 days. Use a shield to keep this wound intact. To remove the bandage without rupturing the blister, you can soak it in warm water.
- Change the bandage daily, and every time you change the bandage, apply an antibiotic ointment or honey to the wound.
- If the burn is too painful or infected, try to gently pop the blister. Make sure to always wash your hands first and then clean the area around the wound with alcohol or an iodine solution to kill bacteria on the surface of the skin. Puncture the bottom of the blister near its base with a needle that has been sterilized with alcohol. Let the fluid from inside the wound drain out. Use a cotton ball to absorb the fluid or pus. Try as much as possible to maintain a layer of skin on it.
Method 2 of 3: Using Medical Treatment
Step 1. Use over-the-counter medications
Pain relievers can help reduce pain from a scald burn. Even if you've run cold water on the wound and put a bandage on, you may still feel pain or stabbing pain. Over-the-counter pain relievers can help reduce problems like these. You may need to use this medicine immediately after you experience a blistering burn rather than waiting for it to start to hurt.
Try ibuprofen (Ifen or Motrin), naproxen sodium (Aleve), or paracetamol (Panadol). Be sure to follow the recommended dosage for use
Step 2. Apply burn cream
When you have a blistering burn, you can apply an antibiotic cream or moisturizing lotion to the burn to help prevent infection. Gently apply a thin layer of cream or lotion. If you plan to protect the wound with a bandage or gauze, don't use a water-based cream.
Commonly used burn creams include Bacitracin or Neosporin. You can also use an ointment such as petroleum jelly, or try using aloe vera lotion or gel
Step 3. Visit a doctor
If the burn blisters until it becomes infected, you are strongly advised to see a doctor. If the burn is filled with something other than clear fluid, it's likely infected.
- See a doctor if you have a fever, find a scratch on the skin around the wound, or if the blister is very red and swollen. Because it could be a sign of infection.
- Blister burns in toddlers or the elderly should always be seen by a doctor to reduce the risk of infection and scar formation.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding Burns
Step 1. Identify the cause of the scald burn
Blisters can occur anywhere on the body. Common causes of scald burns, also known as second degree burns, are:
- Touch with hot objects
- Fire
- Steam or hot liquids such as cooking oil
- Electric shock
- Chemical exposure
Step 2. Determine if you have a first-degree burn
Blisters can occur anywhere on the burned skin. The type of burn you experience is determined by its severity. First-degree burns affect the outermost layer of the skin, causing it to appear red and swollen.
- First-degree burns are painful, but are considered minor. Usually, these burns are not accompanied by blisters, but they may cause peeling of the skin.
- First-degree burns are usually dry and only take 3-5 days to heal.
Step 3. Determine if you have a second degree burn
Second-degree burns are the next level of severity. These burns are considered minor as long as they are no more than 7 cm in size. Second-degree burns affect the surface layer of the skin as well as some of the layers below it. These sores are often accompanied by blisters.
- Second-degree burns cause pain and are often accompanied by red or pink blisters. These sores may appear swollen or have a bag filled with clear or wet fluid.
- If severe, second-degree burns may be dry and accompanied by decreased sensation of taste in the surrounding area. If pressed, the surrounding skin layer will not turn white or take a very long time to turn white.
- Second-degree burns usually heal within 2-3 weeks.
- Burns with blisters larger than 7 cm should seek treatment in the emergency department or be examined by a doctor as soon as possible. In addition, if these injuries occur on the hands, feet, face, groin, major joints, or buttocks, immediately visit a doctor or emergency room. Seniors and children should seek emergency care if they have a second-degree burn because complications are more common with them.
Step 4. Seek medical attention for third degree burns
The most severe burns are third degree burns. Third-degree burns are considered as severe burns because the skin layer of the sufferer is destroyed and requires immediate treatment in the emergency department. These burns affect the deepest layers of the skin and cause the skin to turn white and black.
- The burned area may be black or white. These sores may also be dry and rough.
- These sores are often painless at first because of nerve damage.
Step 5. Count the number of blisters
One or more blisters are usually not a serious problem. You can treat it yourself at home unless you have a single blister with a severe second-degree burn or third-degree burn. However, if you have lots of blisters all over your body, see a doctor immediately.
