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Avatar universal

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.
133 Responses
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919323 tn?1243467782
do they itch??
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
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..
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Avatar universal
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.  
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1 Comments
See a foot dr asap and don't use peroxide.  These wounds  may need specific treatment as pressure wounds
Avatar universal
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.
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Avatar universal
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!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
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.
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Avatar universal
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.
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Avatar universal
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.
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Avatar universal
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?
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Avatar universal
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
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Avatar universal
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.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
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.
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Avatar universal
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?
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Avatar universal
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
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Avatar universal
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??
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Avatar universal
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.
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Avatar universal
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.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
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.
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Avatar universal
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.
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Avatar universal
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?
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Avatar universal
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/
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Avatar universal
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.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
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....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
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.
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