1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of iHeart Radio. Hey, 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 1: brain Stuff, learn vogal bomb here. This one's a little 3 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: gross or bodily frank anyway, but it's probably happened to 4 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: all of us. Work in the yard without gloves or 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: donne a stiff new pair of shoes, and you're likely 6 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,479 Speaker 1: to wind up with an unwanted bodily edition a blister. 7 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: There are a bunch of ways that blisters are caused, 8 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: including friction when something repeatedly rubs up against the skin, 9 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: as well as allergies and exposure to heat, cold, or 10 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: irritating chemicals. Blisters are annoying and unsightly bubbles of clear, 11 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 1: watery fluid called serum. Ever wondered where all that fluid 12 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: comes from anyway? Oh, when the skin is injured, nearby 13 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: tissues react by leaking serum, which is intended to act 14 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: as a natural protection for the skin. So a blister 15 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: is technically part of your body's defense mechanism against damage, 16 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: and they might look tempting to pop up, But considering that, 17 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: is it a good idea to do it? For the article, 18 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: this episode is based on How Stuff Works. Spoke by 19 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: email with dermatologist Dr Aram Ilius, who's based near Philadelphia. 20 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:13,960 Speaker 1: She says she gets that question from patients all the time. 21 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: Quote the answer overall is yes. It is reasonable to 22 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: pop a blister for one big reason. The soreness or 23 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 1: tenderness that comes from blisters is from the pressure of 24 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: the fluid in the blister. Until this pressure is released, 25 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: it will not have a chance to heal. Also, if 26 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: you don't pop the blister, it might burst on its 27 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: own anyway from day to day activities. She said. If 28 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 1: this happens in an uncontrolled setting, it may put you 29 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: at a higher risk for infection. So how do you 30 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: pop a blister? How stuff works? Also spoke by email 31 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: with Dr Peterson Pierre of the Pierre Skincare Institute in 32 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: Thousand Oaks, California. He walked us through a few simple 33 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: steps to achieve the safest outcome possible. First, wash the 34 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: affected area with soap and water. Then, using a sterilized needle, 35 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: safety PI or pair of medical scissors, gently poked the blister. 36 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: Most of the fluid should leak out easily. If it doesn't, 37 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: it's not ready to be popped. Next, apply soft pressure 38 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 1: to ensure that all of the serum is released. Finally, 39 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: dress the area with a pressure bandage to prevent fluid 40 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: from reaccumulating in the blister. This also protects the skin 41 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: and helps the area heal. Although some doctors recommend applying 42 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: antibiotic cream, Pierre says to steer clear quote in fact, 43 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:32,679 Speaker 1: products like neosporin can irritate the area. Vasseline or aquifer 44 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: with the bandage is sufficient to provide an environment conducive 45 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: to rapid healing. It's important to note, though, that during 46 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: the popping process and in the delicate days after, you 47 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: shouldn't peel off the thin, outermost layer of skin that 48 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: remains the hostuff works. Also spoke by email with Beverly 49 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:54,359 Speaker 1: Hills based dermatologist doctor Zebra Shanehouse with Skin Safe Dermatology 50 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 1: and Skincare. She said, when you release the fluid underneath, 51 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: the tense blister will def eight and the overlying blister 52 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: skin will fall like a parachute into the eroded skin 53 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: beneath and act as a natural bandage. A new epidurmal 54 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: layer will grow and fill in underneath. For those of 55 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: you not in the frame of mind to pop, she notes, 56 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: the blisters often resolve on their own, provided you prevent 57 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 1: further trauma to the area, a meaning, for instance, not 58 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 1: wearing the shoes that caused the blister until it's healed, 59 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: and being careful to pick shoes that won't irritate the 60 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: blister while it heals. Padded bandages or adhesive pads like 61 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: moleskin can help. Oh and another important note, This advice 62 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: about popping blisters only applies to situations where you know 63 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: what caused the blister in the first place. Hilius said, 64 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: if you're developing blisters and you don't know why, it's 65 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: important to see a dermatologist as there are a number 66 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: of blistering skin diseases that are autoimmune in origin that 67 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: may need to be managed with other medications to treat 68 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: and prevent. Today's episode is based on the article should 69 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: you Pop your Blisters? On house to works dot Com 70 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: written by aleioh Hoyt. Brain Stuff is production of I 71 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: Heart Radio in partnership with house toff works dot Com, 72 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: and it's produced by Tyler Clay. For more podcasts from 73 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 74 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.