Recurring Blisters on feet

I am 27  year old female and  have had these blisters on feet since i was 16. They start up small then getting bigger as the liquid fills up. At that point the pressure is too much then it bursts.  After it drains and the skin is peeled, you can see a tiny hole that seems to lead into the flesh. The blisters are painless and do not stop me from walking around but the few times that it has gotten infected, it has caused me great pain. I normally have these blisters 2-3 times a year a for a period of about one a half weeks. I have been to the doctors office many times but they are not able to give me a reason for them.

Would anyone know what may be the cause. A food allergic reaction perhaps?

I noticed that someone had asked the same question in September of 1999 on this forum. The way he describes the blisters is exactly how i get them.


Please advise if you have any idea as to what is causing my blisters.

[SinginSassy]

do they itch??

[styles0612]

I have the same thing and have gone to the dermatologist and regular doctor and they have just given me cream to put on it but it has one foot looking like its infected, cant wear flip flops and usually comes during the warm season along with once or twice other times of the year, I too want to know what it is and how to get rid of it. I see the reply from the question asked in 1999 but again can I get a treatment, what do I do when they flare up, as u stated when you leave them alone they fill up till they burst, then what?, If you pop them when they are small they just reoccur and leave a mark on your foot. And its only one foot the left foot. Pretty crazy huh..ur not alone..

[RJ233]

My son has a similiar problem. Left foot, deep blisters, but his are filled with pus. He takes a syringe and draws the pus out of them and it is quite a bit. Then uses the syringe to put in peroxide. He has to do it a couple times until it finally clears up. His does hurt, I guess because they start out infected. They are deep under the thick skin of the foot. We can't figure out what is causing them. Strange, I agree.  

[folksvagen]

I have these strange blisters as well.  Also only on my left arch and usually during warmer weather.  I too want to learn what they are and how to treat.  Sometimes they itch and are occasionally hurt. Any insight would be much appreciated.

[remedyseeker]

So strange! I have this same thing going on. I've had a blister here and there over the last couple of years but have really had a lot of them as of late. I am 31 years old and it only affects my left foot. I don't leave them alone so I don't know if they'll burst. I can't! They itch too much! I must pop them and stick some neosporin and a bandaid on the hole. I haven't gone to the doctor yet. I have several and the neosporin has helped the holes clear up after popping. Nothing seems to help the itch though. I tried cortisone and lotrimin spray for Athletes Foot. No luck. The best thing to stop the itch is to pop the blister and then it burns a little, which is more bearable than the itch. Please let me know if you have found an explanation and/or a remedy. Thank you!

[lizzy_chan]

i also have this problem the blisters are tiny about the size of a pin head but they get bigger over time, they are filled with clear liquid, it started off on just my feet then it spread to my hands it only happens when the season become warmer they only hurt if i pop them you can see that they go quite deep but they don't itch if i pop them, their not a threat to my health which is why there's probably no treatment for it besides creams that only provide a temporary solution if it even works that is. i have been to the doctors many times and none have given me a working solution just a way to waste my money on expensive creams. the only thing that seems to help is when the seasons become cool again but i don't want to spend all my summers trying to hide my hands and feet because of the blisters. it's only nearing the end of winter and already they've shown up again.

[douno]

Wow, we all have the same issue so it has to be something the doctors can figure out. Small bumps on the foot that are filled with clear liquid, itch when it's filled, but okay after you pop them or they pop alone and they reoccur.  There has to be a reason why this is happening, maybe they should test the liquid in the bump to see what they come up with.  It can't be as cut and dry as a cream that doesn't really work. That means it's still undiagnosed.  Wow a doctor needs to help.

[turnkit]

I have the same problem, but it's only on my RIGHT foot.  On the underside of the foot in the arch.

For a while I thought they only occurred, or occurred more severely when I wasn't getting enough sleep and when I would take an aspirin to go to sleep.  But now even though I would stop taking aspirin at all they still show up... especially when I am not getting enough rest.

Curious if everyone who said "me too" here is a typical Westerner and is also sleep deprived a lot of the time.

[psichek]

My blisters formed on the bottom of both feet after applying foot lotion and then taking a power walk.  Now my right foot is okay, but the left still has recurring blistering in areas not exposed to pressure.  Podiatrist didn't have an answer (except to apply cortisone cream).  Food allergy?  Sunflower seeds?  Excessive foot sweating?

[augur]

I get these too from time to time.  We used to call them sweat blisters.  Pretty deep under the skin, right foot only in the arch.  Mine don't itch, just kind of annoying.  I usually just pop them and clean the area with rubbing alchohol.  Here is an article on what they may well be:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyshidrosis

[berry114]

Its amazing.  Its the same thing, recurring certain seasons of the year and drs dont know what it is.  Its so frustrating.  I've been struggling with this for 4 years now.  I first got it after camping.  My dr said its not Athletes foot, which I thot it was for years, but he also couldnt tell me what it is.  There has to be a solution, I really dont feel like going thru this again.

[njsaintsfan]

I too "suffer" from these blisters that you are all speaking of as do one of my four sisters and my father as well. The rest of the family do not get them. I have been told they are a form of cellulitis and are not a fungal infection. If you do use an antifungal and they disappear its more than likely because time has simply passed and they would have dried up on there own anyway. I have noticed that popping them may cause them to become infected since an open wound in a moist sock is not always the ideal environment for healing. Whats also strange is for as deep as they can be sometimes, they don't scar my feet. Anyway, I don't think they are anything to be alarmed by. I know they are not contagious because my wife would have gotten them by now and I can deal with the couple of flare ups a few times a year.

[C8ntM8kit91]

hello quick question does any here have migraine and take certain pills for them? because i too have these so-called blisters in between two of my toes, one on the left foot, and one of the right...and im starting to notice that since last year ive been taking excedrin migraine medicine and there maybe a allergic reaction to it?

[Kkennedy]

I have been getting clusters of small fluid filled blisters on my toes since June of last year, no itching or pain, just annoying and ugly and they take several weeks to heal. When the blisters pop or dry up, I can peel them off and they leave a small hole.  I have tried antifungals and they do nothing. I also get them throughout the year. I get them on both feet, but mostly on my big toe or the outer edge of my foot.  It is very strange.  I also get cold sores and have wondered if it is the same virus although they do not hurt

[Rach2011]

I also get migraines, but I have 3 blisters occuring on the same place on my right arch. They dry out, the skin flakes off and then blister again. In this process it is itchy until the blister occurs then it burns until I pop it. I have been using an anitfungal cream the Dr prescribed for 6 weeks now- religiously, NO CHANGE.

I dont how ever take anything to prevent my migraines, only take drugs when I have a migraine coming on- and that is over the counter drugs as all the others seemed to make the nausiness worse.

I dont know if there is a link to these blisters and migraines??

[Robbiebhoy]

I have the same thing came online to cheek it out and I am amazed at the numbers of people who have the same thing yet no one knows what the cause is or what they are, there's something strange if it is more common than you think yet unknown really to the medical profession, my problem is with my right foot and it appears to be a pus type liquid.

[Robbiebhoy]

I have the same thing came online to cheek it out and I am amazed at the numbers of people who have the same thing yet no one knows what the cause is or what they are, there's something strange if it is more common than you think yet unknown really to the medical profession, my problem is with my right foot and it appears to be a pus type liquid.

[twilkes74]

I too have these blisters on the side of my right foot. They just continue to come and go, I pop them, because they itch like all get out, then it burns.then I see the hole. My skin is very scaly, and the blisters have begun to start showing up in the sole of my right foot as well. I have multiple sclerosis, and I do know that these blisters have nothing to do with that. I take Imitrex for migraines and  neurotin for leg pains. I would really like to know if this is a form of eczema and what I can do about this because it is very painful to touch and the skin is very scaly and red. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

[jz481]

I have the same thing....identical to everyones postings. I too have had for years and have been searching for answers. I have found that once you pop them, soak your feet in epsom salts...seem to help them dry up quickly. I believe it is eczema, if you search the web you'll find identical pictures of what you have....unfortunately, no cure. ..for they do not know what causes it.
I have read that hgh (from gnc) in some cases has eliminated outbreaks. this is just something i have came across over the years.

[roylflash74]

Holy Crap atleast we r not alone my wife and i both get them on our hands and feet.  I wish i knew something to do.  We share  in your pain.  I also wodered if it wasnt some sort of exema (eczema)?

[taybay79]

I too get these, and also have flaky skin... it is either dyshidrosis eczema or a form of athlete's foot.. Athlete's foot is most commonly recognized as flkay itchy burning skin... however it can infect the sole. When it does, you see the very bumps being described in these posts. A sports medicine doctor would be able to recognize and diagnose this very easily. However, treatments of antifungals may or may not help. HERE... is a link for an at home treatment that seems to do the trick! I am going to find this stuff and try it out myself tomorrow. Hope this helps. (I would also change out your shoes, as they may be carrying the fungus) http://www.healthyoates.com/2009/11/30/easy-natural-remedy-for-athletes-foot/

[teresa242]

I have the same problem as the rest of you above comments.  small blisters on right foot, however mine itch real bad sometimes.  The only relief I get is to use Hydrocortisone Cream.  Anti-fungal creams do nothing.  Epsom salt helps a lot too.

[winner820]

I too have had this annoying problem and I have all ways been very aware of this unpleasant looking foot problem, mainly in the summer.
Mine however becomes worse depending on how much sleep I get, how much sport I have done, if I have been eating well and how well I have been cleaning my feet.
It was groups of liquid filled spots that would pop by themselves and once they had popped and dried out they would then make the skin in these areas peel and go very flaky.
But, I think I have finally gotten rid of the problem and I will tell you how.

First of all I cleaned my feet twice a day using an antibacterial soap and when the skin on my feet was soft, I removed the softened callus skin every day for one week. Then allow them to be as dry as possible at all other times.
In the second week in addition to this treatment, (when my feet were very dry) I would rub in some zinc cream or sudacrem to the infected areas.
Finally I threw out most of my shoes (trainers being the worst) and bought some new ones.
I haven't had this problem for 8 months now and feel so much happier to wear flip flops or walk around in bear feet.
I think it was a bacterial infection that had infected deep under the thick skin and flared up when my immune system was weak and didn't help when my feet sweat a lot. I did find popping them help as it speeded up the time it took to disappear.
Let me know how you get on....

[mwilk]

I too have this same blistering problem on my feet. I get these deep seated blisters in the arches of my feet and also on the outside of my heels. I only usually get a few at a time and once they go away, I will sometimes go months before getting more. From what I found online, it appears it is Dyshidrosis, although the pictures I saw were quite worse than mine, the description still sounds the same. Unfortunately, it sounds like there are no known exact causes or treatments. There are about a ton of possible causes and treatments for that particular cause. Look it up.

[gats]

have blisters on the feet they come and go. Not painful but they keep on paling making my feet look ugly.

[Sic4toolong]

I have also had the same issues since I was young, except they were on my hands. None of my GPs have given me any answers and only advised me to use OTC hydrocortisone creams. Last Dec they spread though and got worse! By Feb I had them on my scalp, feet and legs.  They all start out just clear filled but quickly fill with puss, itch like crazy, sting when popped, and cause a lot of peeling around the site. They are very deep, and are everywhere on my feet and hands, legs and scalp now. The Dermatologist I went to in Feb didn't give me much info at 1st. I think the definitions are really too broad and its only through several visits, watching how the creams work, or not, can a definite diagnoses be given. During my 2nd visit I was persistant for a name, to be given a diagnoses, and I was given one. A combination of Eczema/Psoriasis is what she said. After many more visits the diagnosis changed to Pustular Psoriasis. None of the treatment plans we tried have worked to keep it under control. So its like a cycle of getting better and breaking out again. This is the 1stce I was young that these little blisters changed my skin to hard, scaly, thick skin everywhere they are, except my legs. I have many other health problems and recently seen a rheumatologist, having been referred by my new GP, and found I have PSA- Psoriatic Arthritis, and until my insides are under control, the external pustular psoriasis couldn't be, they closely affect one another. So at this time, its trial and error til we find what meds will work best for me, as I continue with the external treatment plan that I was already on. I would suggest going to a Dermatologist and being persistant on getting answers. If you go to WebMD and start searching, there are many different things it could be that's causing the same little bumps. But I would bet that some of you have a really mild case of what I have, since mine is categorized as moderate to severe, and my next step is Humira (sp). Good luck to you all and God Bless! <3  

[Sic4toolong]

I would also like to add that salt water works great, like the beach, or epsom salt soaks in hot water! The dry, itchy, scaly, red and painful sites that I have now are nothing compared to how mine were for years. And as many of you have noted already, lack of sleep, stress, and many other factors all affect the condition, including the weather. I too am sleep deprived, have ad major life changing events happening, some very traumatic so my mental health also plays a role, stressed out, and I believe some medications may also make them worse. Most people find that either summer or winter the pumps improve. So far since mine have taken a turn f worse, I haven't had that relief since last year. I am currently reading a book that has some great info called "Healing Psoriasis - The Natural Alternative" By John O. A. Pagano, D.C.. It is all natural and from what I have read here, dehydration and toxin levels that we hold in our bodies is the #1 cause! He also states that it can be 100% cured with changing of our eating habits as well as other daily living factors. Funny that I now have this book because I was saying to ALL my dr's that I felt my body was highly toxic and the only way my body could relieve itself with my liver n kidneys over loaded, was through my skin, hence the pustular blisters. The skin isn't equipped to handle such a process, but if there were other issues of infection, this is exactly the way our skin would handle removing the excess toxins. Anyways, I hope this added info helps, if anyone else decides to get the book to read also, let me know, I also bought the cookbook too! :) would love to share info and ideas with you!

[reivax]

Had anyone taken any kind of penicillin before getting the blisters. My husband had gotten a serious case of posion ivy before he started getting the same blisters as described above. We used the penicillin to dry out the posion and now he has the blisters on his feet.

[MaryeCodd]

I have had small itchy water blisters all over the bottoms of both of my feet. I have gone to the Dr. in the past and they have prescribed me athletes foot medication that always made it worse. In between my toes itch all the time too and the only way for me to relieve the itch is to use the rough part of a sock and rub it back and forth between all my toes which then makes them RAW and bloody and they still itch. I have popped the little blisters and just left them alone but they still always itch. Now I have raw bloody spots on the bottom of my foot where I have dug in with my fingernails and scratched. Please help if you know of anything I can do... :(

[tindascott]

I have the same problem..... It flared up when I came to Scotland from Africa, it might be triggered by change of weather. It starts up as tiny blisters on the left foot and of late I have been getting these huge blisters under my toes. The blisters are painless and I always burst them then clean them up with some antiseptic. It's worrying though because they keep on recurring.

[Dang_it]

WOW.
I thought I was the only one with this.
I don't know what it is BUT.
I have Oral lichen planus along with blisters on my feet mostly the right foot.
I got a blister on my right foot (not in an area that might be caused by rubbing or pressure) so I went to my dermatologist, she drained the blister and prescribed Diprolene AF, (not sure if it helps but I use it).
While I was having an occurrence of blisters my Oral lichen planus flared up, so I went to my Dr. and got a script for Prednisolone, it is a 6 day decreasing regimen of a steroid.
(Please note, steroids are not to be taken lightly, see your Dr.)
At the end of the steroid regimen the Oral lichen planus cleared up AND so did the blisters.
I now have the blisters recurring on my right foot again (3 weeks after ending the steroid regimen).

So I will wait for a flareup of the Oral lichen planus, and take the steroids as prescribed by the Dr. and report back if it clears the blisters or not.
Probably be a month or so.

I will report back, Promise.

[Salsachick]

I just started to get this a couple of months ago. I had three little ones on my pinky toe, when the podiatrist could not diagnose the, he chemically cauterized them and they were gone. The I got a another one near the ball of my foot and a small one on the side of my big toe. They all start out very itchy, then grow larger with clear fluid. I just went to a derm yesterday, he sent a sample of the little one for a work up and lanced the big one. Still no diagnosis, will report back once I hear any thing.

BTW, I have no prior history of migraines, eczema or psoriasis. I am a bit sleep deprived, but nothing major.

[Salsachick]

By the way, all this is only on my right foot.

[SunnyLeo]

That is so weird! Its my left too that's infected! Im 26 now and I've had this since i was 5yrs old! I've been going to doctors nothing has helped, i get it every spring/summer n know since last year its starting to spread to my hands :(... Help!

[jmrc89]

i have it to deep in the skin i pop them because they itch so bad and it happens in warm weather and im a flip flop person i have been to doctor they say athlete feet but its not. no one has an answer! whats going on?

[leftfootdisease]

This is odd, I'm 41 and only recently started to get these, left foot only, start small then get bigger. I started swimming 3 times a week a few months ago and the blisters started about a month later so maybe a link?
  Anyway, odd that everyone gets it left foot only, maybe its left food disease or something or maybe the right foot holds the remedy but refuses to share with the left lol.

[leftfootdisease]

This is odd, I'm 41 and only recently started to get these, left foot only, start small then get bigger. I started swimming 3 times a week a few months ago and the blisters started about a month later so maybe a link?
  Anyway, odd that everyone gets it left foot only, maybe its left food disease or something or maybe the right foot holds the remedy but refuses to share with the left lol.

[Sirjackman]

Wow,,  omg   !!  reading your story feel's as though I wrote it.  Gonna get that book  ty  ty

[edstar156]

I have a HUGE blister that keeps occuring in the arch of my right foot. I can tell as soon as it is about to start because it gets red, very hot , and itchy. It will come of in a matter of a couple of hours. By the next day it is totally filled with fuid. The one I have now is atleast an inch and a half in diameter all the way around. It can be both painful and itcy. I am having some allergy issues at the moment and stress as well. Probably a lack of sleep also. I have had this thing twice in the last two months. Help!

[Salsachick]

As a follow up, I just wanted to inform you that I had the dermatologist do bacterial AND fungal cultures of the fluid in the blister. Even though the podiatrist, my primary physician and the dermatologist all did not think it was a fungal infection (they also thought it might be excema or some sort of allergy), it turned out to be a FUNGAL INFECTION. Please look up Vesicular Athletes Foot (also called Jungle Rot, eww!!) - it is the least common type of AF. If you do not clean or rid yourself of potentially infected shoes, you will reinfect yourself and others, along with your sheets, the bathroom mats, carpets, etc. For curing, the doc game me funal medication pill and cream to be used after soaking foot in boro powder 2x a day for few days. This will dry out the blisters and get the skin ready to absorb the cream. Also, white vinegar & water soaks really help too!! The itch is gone and helps to dry out the area. I was all cured in 2 weeks. Please get yourself cultured...I had to almost demand it!!!

[Chelvam]

Started to get this troublesome blisters, on both feet usually on the rim of the foot before touching ground. Also between the small toes. Finally got down to seeing a doctor who conservatively started with Dermasone, Mycoban and Saerogenta-A.....none of which worked. Got referred to a skin specialist who did a culture of the blister's fluid and affected skin.
When she asked me whether I was doing anything different from before, I told him that I was messing around with my pond. She gave me potassium permanganate solution to give my feet a good soak. Then to apply Fobancort cream on the affected areas. Told me that I was not sweet sixteen and my skin was drying out. That creates cracks where fungi love to call home. To solve dry skin I had to apply White Soft Parraffin BP Ointment. (this stuff is 'oily'. So I walked around with a pair of socks. The blisters were busted within a week........the problem did return when I got lazy with the paraffin application .........(life long chore). But getting back to the treatment regimen busted the fungi again.

[RojStacky]

It could be Pompholyx a type of eczema.The cause can be metals such as nickel or cobalt in food or on the skin, antibiotic called neomycin, perfumes, emotional stress.Foods rich in nickel ie canned foods,foods cooked in nickel-plated utensils, herring, oysters,asparagus and beans may be the cause.I was given Hydrocortison cream 1.0% to rub in the area 3 times a day for a fortnight. I get it on my hands and feet and occasionally on my neck if i use after shave. Stopped eating beans to see if thats the cause.

[RaiinDEllore]

I just recently started getting these about a year ago. Some things:

1. They're only on the left food, right between the balls, just above the arch
2. I have a history of Athlete's foot on the same foot, though it hasn't flared in years
3. The pustules are relatively small, about the size of a sewing pin head, maybe a bit smaller
4. They itch something positively FIERCE
5. The skin all over that area is dried, cracking and flaking very badly, all across the top of my foot and even up between most of my toes
5. Water soaks seem to make it worse, though regular moisturizing with a pure organic cocoa or shae butter "lotion" seems to keep the cracking from being worse than it is (though I'm sure if I didn't use the moisturizer my foot WOULD probably look worse than this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dyshidrosis_sole.jpg)
6. There hasn't been any infections when popping them
7. It started showing up after I got a pair of flip-flops that had a sponge like sole. The shoes themselves seem to irritate it even more when I wear them, but I stopped wearing them for 6 months and saw no improvement either way, so Idk.

They're really annoying and so far none of the things I've tried (some of which has come from this thread from other's suggestions) has really helped. I'd really like to figure out what it is or what's causing it, if anyone has any ideas.

[RaiinDEllore]

Also, it seems like I've had the same 3 blisters this whole time. They've never filled with very much liquid and never popped on their own. The skin in the area of my foot where they formed was too thick for me to pop by scratching (as I can usually do with other blisters that form) and I actually broke down and had to get a pair of fingernail/toenail clippers to break the skin over the liquid.

[Nat_boo]

Does anyone still read this? I have the exact same problem!