A blood blister is a type of blister that develops when blood vessels are damaged near the surface of the skin. Blood blisters form after a pinching or bruising injury that does not actually break the skin. Since the blood cannot escape through an open wound, it collects beneath a bubble under the surface of the skin. Blood blisters are very similar to friction blisters and usually heal on their own within a week. However, if you want to get rid of a blood blister faster, you can try the following steps:

• After washing your hands, gently wash the blood blister with mild soap and water.
• Apply an antibacterial cream or ointment onto the blood blister.
• Place a bandage or gauze over the blood blister to protect the area.
• Change your bandage at least once a day.
• Keep the area clean and dry.
• If you experience pain, you may want to apply an ice pack to the area. You can also try an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Advil®) .

It is important to avoid popping a blood blister or peeling away the skin around it. The skin over the blood blister protects deeper layers of your skin from getting infected. If a blood blister breaks, it should be treated with antiseptic ointment to prevent infection. It is important to leave the skin over a blood blister intact. Here are some dos and donts for treating a blood blister:

Dos:

• Elevate and ice your blister to reduce swelling and minimize its size.
• Keep the blood blister protected as it heals. You may want to wrap it in a protective layer, such as a bandage.
• If the blister hurts, you can apply ice wrapped in a towel to it.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease the pain.

Donts:

• Lance your blood blister.
• Wear shoes that can worsen your blood blister.
• Peel away skin as it heals, as this could open up the wound to infection.
• Pop the blister.

If you cannot explain the origin of the blood blister, or if the pressure from the blood blister is painful and it needs to be drained, you should visit your doctor as it may require additional treatment.