Itchy blisters

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Itchy blisters

Itching around a blister can be a sign that the blister is healing. Other possible causes of itchy blisters include:

• A viral illness, such as chickenpox or shingles. Red bumps may turn into blisters that become cloudy, break, and scab over.
• Contact with something in the environment that causes a skin reaction (contact dermatitis). Plants such as poison ivy, oak, and sumac can cause itchy blisters.
• A reaction to an insect bite or sting or a spider bite.
• An infection from mites that burrow in the skin (scabies). Tiny itchy blisters occur most often in a thin line.
• In rare cases, a disease that causes your body to attack your own skin (autoimmune disease), such as pemphigus or dermatitis herpetiformis.

Itching can often be treated at home. Treatment for itchy blisters focuses on taking steps to decrease itching and to identify and treat the cause of the itching. It is important not to scratch the rash to prevent infection and scarring.

Credits

Last updated:	May 08, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Alexander H. Murray, MD, FRCPC - Dermatology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer