What do the different colors of the blisters mean?

People who often exercise must have experienced the troubles of blisters, but the blisters will also have different colors in different situations. The color and consistency of the blister fluid range from thin and colorless to viscous yellow, and then to various shades One color of pink, red, deep purple, and black. Each color will tell you something specific about the blister. This article will tell you what the different colors inside the blisters mean, and how to prevent blisters from forming.

How do blisters form?

Most of the blisters on the feet are caused by the separation between the epidermis and the dermis due to external force. At this time, the interstitial fluid seeps out, forming blisters. The interstitial fluid is the water in the plasma. Glucose and other substances pass through the capillaries and enter the interstitial space The fluid that belongs to the internal environment of the cell. This kind of blister is a kind of self-protection of the body, the purpose is to insulate the heat, and the exudation of tissue fluid can also protect the dermis and prevent the high temperature from stimulating the dermis.

What do normal blisters look like?

Normal healthy blisters contain a thin, watery fluid that is colorless or yellowish. If the blister is blood, the fluid in the blister will be pink or red. However, pink, and red don't mean your blisters are infected. This means damage to small blood vessels and blood leaking into the blisters. And these blisters are normal.

What do other colored blisters mean?

Yellow or green blisters: Infected blisters are the worst blisters when the pus in the blister is yellow (sometimes green) and the fluid is thicker. It consists of dead white blood cells and bacteria along with tissue debris and serum. The presence of this colored pus means your blister is infected.

Pink, red , or purple blisters: When blister damage involves more pinpoint pressure, blood vessels that are slightly deeper than normal blisters may be damaged. As a result, blood enters the blister and mixes with normal fluid. The more blood that gets in, the redder it will be. Then, over time, the blood dries up and becomes darker and darker, turning dark purple or even black.

Black blisters: Black blisters indicate that the blood in the blisters has dried completely. It is no longer a fluid, it will have a fine and brittle crystalline structure. This will take about 6 weeks to reach the surface and eventually fall off.

How to prevent blisters?

Prevention of blisters Although choosing the right running shoes and socks can reduce the risk of blisters, for many long-distance runners, blisters on the feet are still unavoidable. Therefore, it is recommended to put blister plaster on the parts that are prone to blisters. It is made of water Made of colloidal material, it is soft and has ultra-thin and wear-resistant properties. It is self-adhesive, and it is not easy to fall off even if you exercise.

How to prevent blister infection?

If it is a small blister that is relatively shallow, small in size, and will not affect walking, and the diameter of the blister does not exceed 5 mm, do not break it. Usually, the body usually absorbs the body fluids of the small blisters by itself. If you are worried that the blisters will be accidentally broken by walking and cause severe pain, you can put on blister plaster to reduce friction, and it can provide the wound with a slightly acidic airtight space that is conducive to wound healing. If the blister is large enough to affect walking, and the diameter of the blister is greater than 5 mm, the blister can be broken. Pay special attention to disinfection when breaking the blisters. It is recommended to follow the following 3 steps to avoid infection.

The correct way to break blisters:

1. Disinfect the blisters and surrounding skin with normal saline.

2. Prick a small hole in the blister with a sterile needle to allow the fluid inside to drain. If there is no sterilized needle, boiling it with boiling hot water can also be used for disinfection; if it is inconvenient in the field, you can use fire to sterilize the needle at a high temperature.

3. After the liquid has flowed out completely, paste blister plaster on the blister site. Note that the blistered skin does not need to be removed, which can protect the wound from infection.

For more information on Innomed® blister plaster, refer to the previous articles. If you have customized needs, you are welcome to contact us; we will serve you wholeheartedly.

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Editor: kiki Jia

Date: December 19, 2022