A blister is a small pocket of body fluid (lymph, serum, plasma, blood, or pus) within the upper layers of the skin, usually caused by forceful rubbing (friction), burning, freezing, chemical exposure or infection.

It came from the Middle Dutch bluyster and was a modification of the Old French blostre, which meant a leprous nodule—a rise in the skin due to leprosy.

Excess skin should not necessarily be removed as the top layer protects the soft tissue underneath.

[3] A blister may form when the skin has been damaged by friction or rubbing, heat, cold or chemical exposure.

This kind of blister is most common after walking long distances or by wearing old or poorly fitting shoes.

[4][5][6] Blisters are most common on the hands and feet, as these extremities are susceptible while walking, running, or performing repetitive motions, such as joystick manipulation whilst playing certain video games, certain sports (e.g., baseball pitching), digging with a shovel, playing guitar or bass, etc.

Both blisters and calluses can lead to more serious complications, such as foot ulceration and infection, particularly when sensation or circulation is impaired, as in the case of diabetes, neuropathy or peripheral artery disease (PAD).

This plasma solution helps new cells divide and grow into new connective tissues and epidermal layers.

To avoid friction blisters on the hands, gloves should be worn when using tools such as a shovel or pickaxe, doing manual work such as gardening, or using sports equipment like golf clubs or baseball bats.

The majority of these offerings simply add padding, and create a layer that reduces the coefficient of friction between the skin and the glove.

A lubricant, typically talcum powder, can be used to reduce friction between skin and apparel in the short term.

People put talcum powder inside gloves or shoes for this purpose, although this type of lubricant can actually increase the friction in the long term as it absorbs moisture.