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Blisters often heal on their own within a week. They can be painful while they heal, but you will not usually need to see a GP.
There are things you can do to protect a blister and help stop it getting infected.
keep the blister as clean as possible – gently wash the skin and pat it dry
cover blisters with a soft plaster or padded dressing
wash your hands before touching a burst blister
allow the fluid in a burst blister to drain before covering it with a plaster or dressing
do not burst a blister yourself
do not peel the skin off a burst blister
do not pick at the edges of the remaining skin
do not wear the shoes or use the equipment that caused your blister until it heals
To protect your blister from becoming infected, a pharmacist can recommend a plaster or dressing to cover it while it heals.
A hydrocolloid dressing (a moist dressing) can protect the blister, help reduce pain and speed up healing.
An infected blister can be hot and filled with green or yellow pus. The surrounding skin may look red, but this can be hard to see on brown or black skin.
Do not ignore an infected blister. Without treatment it could lead to a skin or blood infection.
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
A GP might burst a large or painful blister using a sterilised needle. If your blister is infected, they may prescribe antibiotics.
They can also offer treatment and advice if blisters are caused by a medical condition.
Conditions that can cause blisters include:
Blisters develop to protect damaged skin and help it heal. They're mostly caused by friction, burns and skin reactions, such as an allergic reaction.
Blood blisters appear when blood vessels in the skin have also been damaged.
If you often get friction blisters on your feet or hands:
