Sunburn blisters form as small bumps on the skin. They are usually white or transparent in appearance and filled with fluid, which can contain lymph, serum, plasma, blood, or pus.
The liquid inside a sunburn blister is typically clear and watery and leaks in from neighboring tissues. If you leave your sunburn blisters alone, this liquid can actually provide protection to the skin and help with healing, which is why it's so important to not pop or pick at your blisters.
Most blisters are filled with a clear fluid (serum). This cushions the tissue underneath. It protects the tissue from further damage and allows it to heal. Blisters may be filled with blood (blood blisters) or pus if they become inflamed or infected.
Leave blisters alone.
An intact blister can help the skin heal. If a blister does break, trim off the dead skin with a clean, small scissors. Gently clean the area with mild soap and water. Then apply an antibiotic ointment to the wound and cover it with a nonstick bandage.
Second-degree burns (also known as partial thickness burns) involve the epidermis and part of the dermis layer of skin. The burn site appears red, blistered, and may be swollen and painful.
A sun blister should start to feel better in about two days. It usually takes about a week for sunburn and sun blisters to fade. You may notice darker or lighter spots on the skin after the blister is gone. Even though the blister will heal, skin damage from sunburn is long-lasting.
Serous drainage, or blood serum, is a type of fluid that comes out of a wound with tissue damage. It's normal for your wound to leak small amounts of this clear fluid.
2) YELLOW / GREEN - Pus
It consists of dead white blood cells and bacteria with tissue debris and serum. The presence of pus means your blister is infected. Normal blister fluid is thin and colourless, whereas the liquid contents of an infected blister is thicker and yellow (pus).
If a blister isn't too painful, try to keep it from breaking open. Unbroken skin over a blister may provide a natural barrier to bacteria, and it decreases the risk of infection. Cover the blister with a bandage or moleskin. Moleskin is a durable fabric that can help protect blisters in high-friction areas.
“Blistering is a sign of severe sunburn. UV light damages the skin surface, and if you have enough damage, a liquid called serum leaks to the surface of the skin,” Allison Larson, MD, board-certified dermatologist and chair of dermatology for MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, tells SELF.
Apply Aloe
Aloe is a tried-and-true remedy that will soothe your sunburn almost instantaneously. This succulent is known for its moisturizing, cooling and anti-inflammatory effects, providing the much-needed relief you are after.
Symptoms of sun poisoning last longer and are more severe. They start with a red rash and can progress to blisters, severe pain, swelling, and fever. Blisters indicate a second-degree burn and can result in severe complications, including: dehydration from loss of fluids and electrolytes.
Causes of fluid retention
Burns – including sunburn. The skin retains fluid and swells in response to burn injuries.
Hell's Itch is an inciting dermatologic reaction that can occur after sun exposure and is often characterized by symptoms such as intense pain, itching, paresthesia, and suicidal ideation.
Expert opinion is divided over the management of blisters that are caused by burns. But it's recommended that you should not burst any blisters yourself. If your burn has caused a blister, you should get medical attention.
Purulent Drainage. Purulent drainage refers to thick, milky discharge that comes out of a wound. It usually means you have infection, so it's important to get prompt medical care. Treatment can prevent cellulitis (skin infection), osteomyelitis (bone infection) and other serious conditions like sepsis.
A wound that's healing can produce a clear or pink fluid. An infected wound can produce a yellowish, bad-smelling fluid called pus. When fluid seeps from a wound, it is called wound drainage.
About eczema
Sometimes, tiny blisters containing clear fluid can form and the affected areas of skin can weep. Weeping is a sign that the dermatitis has become infected, usually with the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus ('golden staph'). Eczema is not contagious.
In most cases, you're best off letting a blister heal on its own. But the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says you can drain a blister if it is “very large and painful.” Popping or draining a blister can lead to infection, so if you absolutely must do it, take care to keep it clean.
First-degree burns affect the outer (superficial) layer of the skin and don't always blister. Second-degree burns affect the outer and underlying layers of the skin and usually blister right away. Third-degree burns affect the deepest layers of the skin and may or may not include blisters.
Don't pop or pick them.
If they get peeled off, the skin can get infected.
Purpura is common in older people. It is called solar purpura because it occurs most often on areas that are exposed to the sun. The bruises bother some people because of how they look. But they aren't serious.
For a Blister That Has Not Popped
Try not to pop or drain it. Leave it uncovered or cover loosely with a bandage. Try not to put pressure on the area. If the blister is in a pressure area such as the bottom of the foot, put a donut-shaped moleskin on it.