Recurring Blisters on feet

[green4life]

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.

[Mister_C]

My blisters happen when having lots of sugar, especially Pepsi. not much with Coke but to me, Pepsi is the culprit. Used to itch like crazy before (before i realised what the cause was) but now i cut down when it occurs.
When i does occur, i try to drink lots of water as i feel its better to "clean' up the sugar *** I am not a diabetic and really dont want to be.

[bugoff]

I have similar problems and a host of others related to dermatology and I found I have a under lying issue of GOUT. I know it is mainly known for causing foot pain, which I also had. So I bought a uric acid blood tester for $80.00(Shop by how much test strips cost not how much meter costs, as test strips are pricey $30.00 for 25 test strips. And you are going to do a lot of testing if you want to get well.). I test the foods that spike uric acid in my blood and sure enough I have been managing my levels and symptoms' are slowly going away. There are some foods that lower uric acid like watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, and red apples. But really you have test them on you and make a list. the internet has list of foods of to eat and don't eat, but as I mentioned before the only way of knowing is by testing. the way I test a food is I eat a single whole food( natural food, not processed as it contains too much stuff to properly test) in the morning, since I am fasted (Breakfast= meaning breaking your fast) then I test my blood to see how high it spikes or lowers my uric acid levels. So list established I eat a combination of foods that raise my levels with foods that lower my levels to maintain a healthy level. The meter looks and test identical to a glucose meter and as in my meter it can also test for glucose using a separate glucose strips. I am sure there are blood tests that test for gout, but I don't have insurance so went on own to find my issue.

[timothysloan]

This is an old thread, but I wanted to post my findings. I am a 37 year old male who had these sores for fifteen years. Medical testing found nothing. No herpes, no athletes foot, etc. I also got mouth sores (ulcers) frequently. Completely unconnected, i started trying to lose weight. I cut out processed sugars and acidic sugar drinks (soda, sweet ice tea, lemonade, etc). Sores in both locations went away. I didnt notice at first until i fell off the wagon so to speak and had candy bars and a few cans of soda. I woke up the next day with the foot sores again. So i started experimenting with having sugar in my diet and fasting from it. Soda and processed refined sugars bring these on everytime. And if i bite my lip while on sugar, the mouth ulcers return. My theory? Sugar or acid in carbonated drinks makes the body acidic and it breaks out. Cant tell you why on the feet, but if this is happening to you, first step is cut out ALL sugary drinks, ALL carbonated drinks, ALL sugary junk food. It  has worked for me. Recurrent abdominal pain (that couldnt be diagnosed by specialists) also stopped.

[1960Summer]

Dr. Robson,
I have experienced spontaneous eruption of blisters on my toes on either foot for about the past 8 years. I am 53 years old. I tend to wear sandals or flip flops all summer long unless I'm exercising. The blisters initially are filled with a clear fluid and as the pressure builds, they become painful. There is absolutely no itching. That's when I usually pierce them with a clean needle to release the pressure. Clear fluid continues to weep over several days. Then, it transitions to a serosanguinous/bloody drainage. At this point, the underlying skin becomes bright red and extremely tender. These blisters form on the tops of my toes and are often directly adjacent to the nail but do not involve the nail in any way. It takes weeks for them to heal. Healing involves the formation of something like a scab which. ones off eventually leaving behind a very dark red area of skin who h then takes several more weeks to finally return to normal. I've been seen by several family physicians in my PCP practice. They're stymied. I saw my dermatologist several years ago. He prescribed a strong steroid cream to be used for only one week in an attempt to help "dry" them up. I honestly could not discern if it made a significant difference. He mentioned that it might be an autoimmune issue who h would require a biopsy to diagnose. Unfortunately, he returned to his native country shortly after my visit. Each summer I try to determine the causative agent. I used to think it was exposure to a rust colored presumably fungus that appears on our grass when it is very dry. I've been hypervigilant this summer with cleaning my flip flops and toes after walking in the yard. I try to limit that as much as possible. I've had three outbreaks this summer. Interestingly, each was associated with water or dampness. The first time occurred after I power washed our pool area pavers.  I was wearing socks n flip flops knowing my feet would get soaked. The second time was after I power washed the back of our house. I wore rubber gardening shoes thinking that would protect me, but it didn't. More recently I was at the beach and was digging my toes down far enough to encounter damp sand never thinking this would be an issue. Now I have terrible large blisters on the first three toes of my right foot and two small blisters on the very tips of  my 4th and 5th toes. My family do for has prescribed Mycolog ointment. My toes almost look necrotic. I could not get an appointment even food this at my local dermatology office until mid-September. I'M documenting my toes with pictures until then.  I was a registered nurse for 20 years in acute care but that really hasnt helped meto figure this out. I do have other autoimmune issues - fibromyalgia and Meniere's Disease. This happens every summer. Its painful, embarrassing, and limits my ability to exercise by not being able to tolerate wearing sneakers. I would truly appreciate any incite you would be willing to provide. My username for this community is 1960Summer.

[Dr_Robson]

NO NEED TO PANIC, this is "Vesicular Athlete's Foot" a quite common fungal infection and in most cases easily treatable without the need to visit a doctor.
Treatment - Keep feet clean and dry and treat 2 or 3 times a day with a good Athlete's Foot powder. If you have suffered with this before it will probably return so as a precautionary measure regularly treat shoes and trainers with anti fungal powder.

[don8life]

Wow....I'm amazed so many have similar problems!  I have had these strange blisters on my left foot (under the arch - toward the inside of my foot, never the outer side), I've had them for probably 15 years.  They come and go with no apparent pattern.  Happens in the summer, winter, shoes and socks, sandals, different soap, etc.  They itch like crazy!!!!!!  They don't burst on their own though.  If I can refrain from scratching them so hard that I scratch them open, they just gradually fade away.  It's always in the same spot, never had happened on any other part of my body or to anyone else in my family!  When I've been in to the doctor, it's always after they are mostly healed up or dried out and the doctor just looks at me weird (never been to a dermatologist).  It can be one outbreak and then be nothing for months, or it could be two in a row....or nothing for over a year!  I am now on meds that lower my immune system, but this has been happening for MANY MANY years before I started the medications.