We know the pain behind that “Ouch!” every time your finger gets pinched on the door frame or jammed in a drawer.
This accidental injury or bruise may lead to an unsightly blood blister on your finger.
Blood blisters are fleshy – red bumps or bubbles on your skin with fluid and blood at their center. When unfortunately you pinch your finger on a door or a drawer, the pressure ruptures the tissues and blood vessels underneath your skin.
Very soon lymph and blood accumulates beneath the surface and forms a pocket or raised piece of skin. We call this a blood blister. (1)
The difference between a friction blister and blood blister is what lies inside them. A friction blister contains only transparent fluid. Whereas, a blood blister has less fluid and more blood mixed in its pocket or raised piece of skin.
A blood blister is dark red or purple since it contains blood. You may get blood blisters on any part of your body that comes under pressure.
Some of the common areas where you may form a blood blister are: in the mouth, on the hands, close to the joints of your hands, on the heels, and the toes. (2)
Blood blisters are harmless, and they heal by themselves within a few weeks. But why should you wait till then with these ugly blisters on your skin?
There are some amazing home ingredients at your arm’s length to naturally get rid of blood blisters. In this article, you’ll learn all about these natural blood blister remedies in detail. (3)
Inside this article:
- 12 home remedies for blood blisters
- Additional Tips and Precautions for Blood Blisters
Top 12 Natural Remedies for Blood Blisters
1. Ice Packs
An ice wrap on the injured skin is the first aid that can prevent developing a blood blister. A blood blister may show up in 24 hours. Pressing an ice cube or using a cold compress on the injured areas can reduce the blood flow to the potential inflammation and blood blisters.
An ice wrap can constrict the damaged blood vessels and prevent internal bleeding. Thus, the process brings quick ease to the pain and redness of the swelling. (4)
You’ll need:
- Ice cubes
- Washcloth
How to do:
- Wrap the ice cubes in the washcloth.
- Place the cold compress on the blisters for some time.
- Repeat the process 3-4 times daily for a speedy remedy
- Massage lip balm or petroleum jelly on the blisters after the treatment.
Note: Avoid pressing an ice cube directly on the skin. It may lead to ice burning on your skin.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
The good old apple cider vinegar is a ‘cure all’ for home remedies. ACV is fermented apple juice with acetic acid. It is high in anti-inflammatory properties. ACV is a potent healing agent for all sorts of flu, sores, cardiac problems, and diabetes. (5)
The acetic acid of apple cider vinegar can quicken your recovery from blood blisters. It can soothe the pain and reduce the swellings of the blisters.
You’ll need:
- Cotton ball
- Water 4 tbsp.
- ACV 2 tbsp.
How to do
- Add the ACV to water and make a solution
- dab a cotton ball in the solution
- Press the soaked cotton ball onto the blisters
- Press it for 10 minutes
- Wash it off using warm water
- Repeat the process twice daily
3. Garlic Oil or Garlic Paste
Garlic cloves are power packs of antifungal and antibacterial properties. Garlic essential oil comes from garlic cloves. The accilin component in garlic oil and garlic paste can effectively treat the blood blisters. (6)
You’ll need:
- Garlic cloves 4
How to do:
- Smash the cloves into a fine garlic paste
- Apply the paste on your blisters as a layer
- Allow it to stay on the blisters for 15 minutes
- Wash off with water
- Repeat the process thrice in a day until there’s a good result
4. Tea Bags
Tea is not just a great drink to start off your day. It has some exceptional medicinal values too.
The astringent in tea can soothe inflammations and quicken your recovery from blood blisters. Apart from anti-inflammatory compounds tea has phytonutrients, catechins, tannic acids, and flavonoids to reduce swelling and regenerate the damaged tissues. (7)
Follow the process below and use tea bags to cure blood blisters.
You’ll need:
- Tea bag
- Warm water
How to do:
- Soak a tea bag on warm water for few minutes.
- Now remove it from the water and allow it to cool off.
- Place the tea bag on your blood blister for some time
- Redo the process several times a day.
Note: You can keep the tea bag in a refrigerator and use it for blood blister treatment. It’ll give you more soothing experience.
5. Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe Vera is popular for its therapeutic benefits. It is evident that aloe vera abounds in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. These components are ideal for speedy remedy of blood blisters.
A cooling layer of Aloe Vera gel on the swelled up blisters can bring you great relief from the pain. (8)
You’ll need:
- Warm water
- Aloe Vera Gel
How to do:
- Slit open the Aloe Vera leaf to get the gel
- Take some gel at your fingertips and apply it gently on the blisters
- Allow some time for the gel to dry off on the bumps
- Wash it off using warm water
6. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree essential oil comes from the tea tree plant. It has a pale yellow color and Camphoreous odor. (9)
The antiseptic and anti-bacterial components of tea tree oil are ideal for drying out the blood blisters in the quickest possible time. (10)
You’ll need:
- Tea tree oil 8 drops
- Olive oil 4 drops
- Cotton ball
How to do:
- Add 8 drops of tea tree oil to 4 drops of olive oil and make a solution
- Dip a cotton ball in the solution and apply it on the blisters.
- Let the oil solution dry on the bumps.
- Repeat the process twice a day for a week.
Note: Avoid tea tree oil treatment if you are pregnant or a breastfeeding mother.
7. Sandalwood Paste
Sandalwood or Santalum album has a sacred connotation in The Indian subcontinent.
This yellow aromatic wood can retain its fragrance for a very long time. Sandalwood has more to offer apart from it sweet woodsy scent. It has remarkable medicinal properties for healthy skin.
Sandalwood paste can suck in the heat from the blood blisters and reduce pain and swelling. Its anti-inflammatory properties can prevent inflammation and regenerate the skin in the affected place. (11)
You’ll need:
- Sandalwood powder 3 tbsp.
- Raw honey 3 tbsp. or
- Rose water 2 tbsp.
How to do:
- Add sandalwood powder with raw honey or rosewater and blend them well.
- Cover your blood bumps with the paste
- Let it dry on the skin
- Wash off with water
- Repeat the process 3 times daily.
8. Turmeric Powder
The quick to reach kitchen ingredient turmeric powder has exceptional medicinal values. The health benefits of this herbal root come from its most active compound- curcumin 1.
Curcumin 1 has strong anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial potency against four different types of infections. (12) Turmeric paste can work wonder on your blood blister pains and swelling. It can dry out the blisters in no time.
You’ll need:
- Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
- Water- few drops
- Bandage or medical tape
How to use it:
- Add water to the turmeric powder and make a thick paste
- Apply the paste on your blisters and close it with a medical tape or bandage
- Leave it for 30 minutes before you wash it off with water
- Repeat the process thrice a day until your swellings reduce and dry off.
9. Cucumber
This process is cool as a cucumber. Cucumber is a great hydrating agent since it has 95% water and silica minerals in it. If you apply a cooling cucumber paste on your blood blisters can ease the pain and swellings of the inflammations.
Cucumber consists of anti-inflammatory flavonols such as fisetin, and cyclooxygenase 2. These compounds can fight the pro-inflammatory enzymes and heal your blisters. (13)
You’ll need:
- Freshly sliced cucumber pieces
How to do:
- Apply the fresh and cool cucumber slices on your blood blisters.
- Leave the slices on the blisters for 10 minutes, and later you can change them with fresh ones.
- Redo this simple trick 3 or 4 times a day to see good results soon.
10.Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is a time-tested medicinal plant full of antioxidants and astringent. It can effectively treat skin problems like; acne, sores, blisters and even skin cancer. Today you can buy witch hazel extract in pharmacy.
A topical use of witch hazel extract can help you soothe your blood blisters and reduce inflammations. (14)
You’ll need:
- Witch hazel extracts 4-6 drops
- Cotton ball
How to do:
- Soak a cotton ball with witch hazel extracts.
- Apply it to the blood blisters and allow it to dry out naturally.
- Repeat the process thrice daily.
11. Epsom Salt
Epsom salt or magnesium sulfate has a plethora of health benefits. This extraordinary mineral can reduce any aches and pains in an instant. (15)
It is high in anti-inflammatory properties to heal skin disorders and especially the likes of blood blisters. Epsom salt solution can naturally pop out the blisters and heal them.
You’ll need:
- Epsom salt 1 teaspoon
- Water 3 teaspoons
How to do:
- Dilute the salt in the water and soak your blisters with it
- Let the solution air dry on the blisters
- Repeat the treatment thrice daily for a week
12. Ginger Extracts
Ginger is an inseparable ingredient in Indian cuisine. This traditional herbal spice comes from Zingiberaceae family. Ginger has a complex phytochemistry which is the reason for its exceptional medical value.
Ginger contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties that can reduce the inflammation of the blisters and lower the pains and swellings. (16)
You’ll need:
- Fresh ginger juice 2-4 tablespoon
- Cotton ball
How to do:
- Dab the cotton ball on the ginger juice and press it on your blood bumps.
- Allow the juice to get absorbed into the skin and dry off naturally.
- Redo this simple treatment 3-4 times a day for a speedy recovery from blood blisters.
Additional Tips and Precautions
-
- Precautions and a little awareness can save you from getting your fingers injured the next time you close a door or drawer.
- Avoid fiddling with blood blisters and don’t try to pop them out manually. If you do so, it may lead to a serious form of infections. (17)
- To keep the surface skin of the blister intact, you can wrap it with a cotton gauze or medical bandage. The process will allow the blisters to dry out naturally and without any scars afterward.
- Regularly cleanse the blisters with cool water to keep off pollutants and irritants away from them.
- Mouthwash is a good form of antiseptic. Once the blisters pop out naturally, you can use your mouthwash to disinfect the skin area.
- You should sacrifice spicy and salty foods for a while when suffering from blood blisters. These types of food items can irritate the blisters and prolong the healing time.
- Citrus fruits such as lemon, grapes, orange, etc. can worsen your blisters and cause a lot of discomforts. So try to avoid them when you are down with a blood blister.
- Keep off alcohol consumption and smoking to lower the heat of the body. In this way, you will recover from blisters in the shortest possible time.
Bottom Line
Blood blisters are simple problems that you develop from unfortunate mild injuries. You can effectively get rid of them following the above mentioned natural remedies.
Share with us your experience of using any of the home remedies discussed above to get rid of blood blisters. Stay safe!
