Tiny fluid-filled sacs or blisters that can appear on your skin are called Vesicles. The liquid inside these sacs may be transparent, white, yellow, or mixed with blood. These vesicles are fluid-filled lesions less than 5 mm (1/2 cm). Again, if the fluid-filled lesion is bigger than 0.5 mm, it’s called a bulla. Overall, Blisters are either vesicles or bulla, depending on their size.
Moreover, Blisters can be a symptom of a medical problem or a sign of tissue injury.
What Causes Skin Vesicles?
Skin vesicles develop when fluid evolves trapped under the epidermis, the top layer of your skin. Several different health conditions can cause skin vesicles. Some of these conditions could be minor, like contact dermatitis or cold sores, and don’t require medical attention.
But other causes can be more serious, and signal a complicated medical issue that needs steady treatment. These issues include bacterial or viral infection, autoimmune disease, sensitivity or allergy to medication, and others.
Causes of acute (short-lasting) skin vesicles include:
- Papular urticaria, a reaction from insect bites or stings, can be a cause.
- Dermatitis or eczema can be a cause.
- Contact dermatitis, like from poison ivy or poison oak or reactions from skin care products, can be a cause.
- Burns, like radiation, sun, or chemicals, can be the cause.
- A medicine reaction, like a fixed drug eruption or drug hypersensitivity syndrome, can be the cause.
- Bacterial infections, like impetigo, a skin condition caused by infection with strep or staph bacteria, can be a cause.
- Viral infections, like chickenpox, shingles, or hand, foot, and mouth disease, can be a cause.
- Trauma to the skin can be a cause.
- Herpes or cold sores can be a cause.
What are the symptoms of skin vesicles?
Vesicles can be recognized by a doctor based on their bubble-like appearance. It mainly evolves on the skin’s surface and causes it to swell with liquid. The skin around a blister keeps the fluid contained.
Some blister-like lesions can rupture easily and this causes fluid to leak from the blister. When the liquid dries, it may turn yellow or crusty.
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Symptoms that may appear with a blistering rash include:
- Itching
- Tenderness
- Warmth on the affected skin
- Pain
- Possible oozing
- Fever
- Chills
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Joint pain
- Muscle weakness or aches
How are skin vesicles diagnosed?
You should have a meeting with a doctor if there are vesicles on your skin. During the meeting, they’ll ask you about your recent health record and about your medical conditions that might be related to the vesicles, like other symptoms, including fever, colds, itching, or pain.
The doctor may also ask if you’ve traveled recently or had possible contact with toxin ivy or sumac. They might also want to know if you’ve started any new medications or had you made changes to existing ones. Finally, the doctor may ask if you have any family or personal history of autoimmune diseases.
They may also examine your skin, and after that doctor may be able to diagnose the cause of your vesicles based on this information.
If your doctor is unsure about a diagnosis, they may suggest more tests. They may also take a sample of fluid from the vesicle to send to a lab so that they can analyze it properly.
How are skin vesicles treated?
Speak with a doctor regarding the best treatment options to reduce your symptoms.
Well, treatment for your vesicles relies on the cause. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications may be enough to treat vesicles resulting from an allergic response, dermatitis, poison ivy, or cold sores. Many of these treatments are topical lotions that can soothe the skin.
What home treatments are effective against skin vesicles?
Well, people often prefer home remedies before consulting with a doctor, and home treatments, including alternative remedies, can often be effective for treating vesicles or blisters.
If you want to treat your skin vesicles at home only, you should care for an open or torn blister by washing the area with soap and water and then applying petroleum jelly. Moreover, an OTC antibiotic ointment should be used to help prevent infection, and the area should be covered with a clean, loose bandage to protect it.
Again, Popping a vesicle isn’t generally advised as this can leave the area open to infection and make it take longer to heal. Until the vesicle becomes large and exceptionally painful, leaving it unattended is best. However, most blisters heal on their own in 1 to 2 weeks.
How can you prevent skin vesicles?
You can help prevent blisters by avoiding allergy triggers if you know you have allergies already.
- You should not share cups, straws, or lip products because herpes and cold sores are contagious. This precaution may also help stop you from detecting other viral illnesses.
- In hot or damp weather, try not to wear tight-fitting clothes that rub uncomfortably on the skin.
- Opt for clothes that breathe, like cotton. You should wear appropriate clothing for sports or physical activity, like socks with extra padding to prevent friction.
- If you experience pain or redness, stop the activity, moisture-wicking clothing can also be helpful.
- You should keep your skin clean, maintain good hygiene, and avoid irritants that could trouble your skin.
- Use unscented products, as those with scents, can irritate sensitive skin more.
- Antibacterial soaps can also prevent infections.
Shower immediately after working out as it will help you to prevent it.
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