Blood blisters differ from normal blisters because unlike the latter, they are packed with blood and body fluids that have accumulated under the surface of the skin. More importantly, these blood blisters occur without the perforation of the skin. The rupture of the blood blister, a dark thick fluid is released. These blood blisters are characterized by skin discoloration and pain. They are also very tender to touch, and will usually vary in size, from as tiny as a pin-head to as large as a coin.
There are a number of reasons why blood blisters develop. Extended exposure to powerful chemical compounds predisposes one to the development of blood blisters at the point of contact. Trauma to any part of the skin may also cause the damage of the tissue beneath the skin, leading to the formation of the blisters. For the most part, blood blisters will clear on their own. With the help of the following natural remedies, you can always speed up healing of the blisters. The progress of healing using the remedies below will vary from one individual to another.
1. Ice Cubes:
Time Required: 15 Min
What You Need: Half cup of ice cubes, plastic bag, and a clean washcloth.
Difficulty: Easy
Using ice is perhaps the most popular most effective home remedy for the treatment of blood blisters. The ice’s low temperature cause narrowing of the blood vessels in the affected region. This in turn causes a reduction of the amount of blood supplied to the blister, thus stopping bleeding internally.
The ice cubes are also effective in preventing further swelling, effectively reducing the pain of the blisters. In the absence of ice cubes, you can use a plastic bag containing frozen peas, or even a spoon placed in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. The underlying concept is to introduce extremely low temperatures at the point where the blood blister has formed.
NOTE: The use of a washcloth wrap is to prevent frostbite that results when ice comes in direct contact with the skin.
Directions:
- Transfer the ice cubes to a plastic bag and place the bag on the washcloth.
- Wrap the bag using a washcloth and place on the site of the blood blister for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the wrap when it starts to melt and repeat the procedure thrice daily until the blood blister starts to subside.
2. Cucumber:
Time Required: 15 Min
What You Need: Fresh cucumber or a glass of fresh cucumber juice.
Difficulty: Easy
Cucumber is a handy remedy for many skin conditions, and this is not any different as far as blood blister treatment is concerned. Cucumber has been shown to contain silica which comes in handy in this treatment. Silica is categorized as a rare mineral that is effective in improving the functionality of the skin’s connective tissues. When cucumber slices are placed on the blood blister, they work as an anti-inflammatory, and decrease the rate of swelling.
Directions:
- Place the cucumber in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes before proceeding to cut it up into thick slices.
- Put the cucumber slices on top of the blood blister and press gently for about 5 minutes. When the slices start to feel warm, cut a few more slices and repeat the procedure. Use this remedy thrice daily until the blood blister disappears.
- Alternatively, grate the cucumber and blend it to get fresh juice which you can sip through out the day. This works best if the blood blister is not severe.
3. Sandalwood Powder:
Time Required: 20 Min
What You Need: A tablespoon of sandalwood powder, a few drops of rose or plain water, q-tip, and cold water to rinse.
Difficulty: Easy
Sandalwood powder is an effective and diverse home remedy for a wide array of skin conditions. In the treatment of blood blisters, sandalwood effectively absorbs heat from the inflammation of the area around the blister. This reduces pain, and quickens the process of healing. This paste is rather easy to create, and works best when the procedure is repeated at least twice daily.
Directions:
- Place the sandalwood powder in a small bowl and add a few drops of the rose water to create a paste.
- Depending on the consistency of the paste, you can always add a few drops of water so that the paste created is both thick and consistent.
- Apply the paste on the blood blister using a q-tip, and let the paste dry on its own.
- After about 15 minutes, rinse the area around the blood blister. Cold water also soothes the affected area. Repeat this remedy thrice daily for best results.
4. Aloe Vera Gel:
Time Required: 20 Min
What You Need: Freshly cut aloe vera leaf, cotton wool, 3 drops of Vitamin E oil, and cold water to rinse.
Difficulty: Easy
Aloe Vera is a diverse home remedy, and one of its most important uses is the treatment of blood blisters. The gel from the freshly cut leaf of the plant is a potent anti inflammatory, and this helps reduce the pain associated with the blisters. In addition, this home remedy is loved for its super cooling properties that reduce the blister’s swelling. Vitamin E oil is added due to its efficiency in improving the condition of the skin.
Directions:
- Trap the gel-like substance that is produced from the point where the leaf has been cut.
- Mix 3 drops of the gel with an equivalent amount of the Vitamin E oil.
- Using a ball of cotton wool, dab some of the viscous mixture onto the blood blister.
- Allow the mixture to sit on the blood blister for about 15 minutes.
- Blot the excess mixture and rinse with cold water. Use this remedy thrice daily or until you notice that the condition of the blood blister has improved.
5. Epsom Salts:
Time Required: 15 Min
What You Need: 3 Teaspoons of Epsom salt, 2 cups of warm water, cotton wool, and a clean washcloth.
Difficulty: Easy
Epsom salt is a compound that consists of magnesium and sulphate salts. These salts make the compound an effective home remedy as the respective salts penetrate the skin with relative ease. The Magnesium plays a critical role in the reduction of inflammation of the blood blister, while the sulfates help in the elimination of toxic elements. This dual action hastens the healing process of the blood blisters. In the absence of Epsom salts, regular table salt has been shown to be an ideal substitute.
Directions:
- Dissolve three teaspoons of Epsom salt in the two cups of warm water, and stir to dissolve.
- Drizzle some of the solution containing the salts over the blood blister.
- Follow this up by soaking a piece of cotton wool in the solution and dabbing it on the blood blister. Repeat this three times to ensure that the salts’ efficiency is harnessed effectively.
- Dry the blood blister using a clean washcloth. You can use this remedy thrice daily for the natural treatment of blood blisters, or until you note that the blister has healed.
6. Raw Turmeric:
Time Required: 15 Min
What You Need: Organic turmeric, rose water, a teaspoon of honey, a piece of cotton wool, and cold water to rinse.
Difficulty: Easy
Raw turmeric is an excellent home remedy when you need to treat infections on the skin and other conditions such as burns and blisters. When used for the natural treatment of blood blisters, the antiseptic properties of this condiment ensures that the blood blister is not infected. In addition to this, turmeric has a cooling effect on the skin, allowing the area around the blood blister to cool and thus preventing inflammation.
Directions:
- Take half a teaspoon of raw organic honey and add to it a tablespoon of organic turmeric. This is done to create a thick paste.
- Apply the paste on the blood blister as well as the skin surrounding it. You may use a piece of cotton wool for this purpose.
- Let the paste sit on the blister for about 10 minutes. If you are not rushed, you could let the paste sit until the paste dries out.
- Rinse the skin using cold water and pat dry. Repeat this procedure thrice daily for best results.
7. Black Teabag:
Time Required: 25 Min
What You Need: 1 tea bag and a cup of hot water.
Difficulty: Easy
Used teabags are one of the most effective natural home remedies for blood blisters. This remedy requires you to make use of a black teabag. The caffeine contained in the teabag allows for the constriction of blood vessels in and around the blood blister, thereby reducing the amount of bleeding. The logic behind this is that the skin has pores which allow for the active compounds in the tea to seep through and hasten healing of the blood blister.
Directions:
- Suspend the teabag in the cup and pour the hot water on it.
- Allow it to steep for about 5 minutes, just like you would when preparing a cup of tea.
- Place the tea bag on a spoon and transfer it to the refrigerator. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the cup of tea as the tea bag cools. Note that you should not use the tea bag while it is still hot as this could worsen the condition of the blood blister.
- Once cooled, take the tea bag and place it on the blood blister, applying some bit of pressure to help the skin soak in the active ingredients from the tea bag.
- Alternatively, hold it in place using gauze, and let it stay for another 10 minutes.
- Discard the tea bag after this procedure. Use this remedy up to 4 times daily until the blood blister heals completely.
8. Garlic:
Time Required: 30 Min
What You Need: Garlic oil, some cotton wool or 4 cloves of fresh garlic (minced), a cup of hot water, a ball of cotton wool, and lemon juice to rinse.
Difficulty: Easy
Garlic presents one of the most effective home remedies for blood blisters. The best thing about it is that it is not only ideal for this home treatment, it also has few side effects (save for people who are allergic to it). The most important compound in garlic is the allin oil and the host of sulfurous compounds. The latter is one of the reasons why garlic is used to treat blood blisters.
These sulfur compounds are excellent anti-oxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation at the location of the blood blister. The allin oil on the other hand, is known to be antimicrobial, and since blood blisters have the capacity to become infectious, the use of garlic as a home remedy is quite handy.
Directions:
There are two methods you can use to prepare garlic for use as a home remedy. The first is rather straight forward, and uses garlic oil. The second involves the preparation of garlic tea.
Method 1 – Garlic Oil:
- Using a ball of cotton wool, apply the garlic oil to the blood blister and the surrounding area. Massage gently to enhance the absorption of the oil’s active compounds.
- Let the garlic oil sit on the blister for about 20 minutes.
- Wash off the garlic oil and pat the blood blister dry.
NOTE: If you are concerned about the lingering smell of garlic oil, you can always use lemon juice to rinse as it masks the smell of the garlic. If you would like, you can prepare your own garlic oil at home. Simply place the 5 crushed cloves of garlic in half a cup of olive oil and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Let the mixture cool before applying as described in steps 1-3.
Method 2 – Garlic Tea:
- Place the minced garlic from 4 cloves in the cup of hot water and stir.
- Allow the mixture to cool to moderate temperature before soaking a ball of cotton wool in the garlic tea.
- Dab the soaked cotton wool on the blood blister and let it sit on the blister for a couple of minutes.
- Rinse with lemon juice to gte rid of the characteristic smell of garlic.
Other viable home remedies include Tea Tree oil, Witch Hazel and Ginger. Avoid breaking the skin around the blood blister for whatever reason as this only creates the risk for greater infection.
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