If you are frightened to see blood-filled blisters occurring under calluses on your hands or feet, do not be. These blisters occur as a result of the trauma of the blood vessels under the skin, located in the epidermis. Read through to find out if these blisters are harmful, how to treat them and how to reduce the infection.
Can callus bleed?
Is it normal for calluses to bleed?
It rewards to have a healthy respect for blood blisters as they are a heightened risk for infection. If your calluses are bleeding something is wrong. Either the callus has been very dry and cracked open, making it bleed, or you have picked through the skin and exposed new unprotected flesh skin that can bleed and is painful. If your callus is bleeding the following are the dos, and don'ts:
Dos when your callus starts bleeding
- Use a file or an Emory board or pumice stone to smoothen it.
- Get the pressure off, by wearing comfortable shoes or open sandals
- Stop the skin stretching and shredding by decreasing friction
- Be clean, use antiseptic and sterile non-adherent dressings to protect from infection.
- You might want to buy a lotion for bleeding callus from a chemist
- When the callus stops bleeding, use baby oil to keep it from drying and cracking again
- If the bleeding is painful to see a podiatrist
Don’ts when your callus starts bleeding
- Do not ignore the bleeding and keep going on as though it is not there; it might open to infection.
- Do not ignore the advantages of lancing it
- Do not neglect pressure relief and friction relief
- Do not pick at the callus if it starts bleeding
- Do not peel off the chunks of a bleeding callus
What color are callus blood blisters?
Initially, blood blisters look red. Then as the blood dries and thickens over time, it can appear The blood blisters also appear raised, and fluid-filled sacs on the skin. Most calluses bleeding blisters will cause minor irritation. An individual might feel pain from the action that caused the blister to form in the first place.
Areas likely to be affected by a callus blood blister
A callus blood blister can form on different locations of the skin. Some of the most common areas where blood blisters develop include:
- Hands
- Fingers
- Mouth
- Feet
- Near joints
- Near bony parts of the body
How long does a callus blood blister on foot take to disappear?
Blood usually stains the skin cells it comes in contact with. A callus blood blister can take a month or more for the discoloration to disappear. The epidermal typically take about thirty or forty-eight days to turn over.
Thus it could take that long for the callus blood to go. The blood will dry comparatively fast, assuming you take away the cause. If you do not manage the cause of the bleeding, then the blood blister might take longer to disappear. There may be plenty of black dried blood that flakes way from a callus or a little, depending on:
- How much blood there was initially
- How much blood was resorbed
- Whether the individual reduces the excess pressure or not - it might be a lot of blood if the individual does nothing to stop the bleeding.
Why is my callus bleeding?
Causes of foot calluses bleeding
A blood callus blister can form anywhere the skin is pinched but does not break open. Closing a drawer can result in pinching a callus, other causes include:
1. Rubbing against the skin repeatedly with a tool or other object can cause a callus to bleed.
2. Poorly fitting shoes which pinch the skin can also make the callus to bleed.
3. Beware that sweaty foot is causing friction, can make your foot callus bleed.
4. Secondary trauma from pinching the skin between two objects can also result in bleeding callus.
5. Severe frostbite can also cause a callus to bleed.
Bleeding callus in the mouth is often related to other conditions. Thus it is essential to see a doctor if your mouth callus started bleeding. Some of the circumstances causing bleeding callus in the mouth include:
1. Mouth cancer can make a callus to bleed
2. Allergies and bleeding disorders in the mouth can cause a mouth callus to bleed.
3. Beware that excess consumption of alcohol is associated with a mouth callus to bleed
What are the risk factors of blood callus blisters
Anyone can get a callus blood blister. But one can prevent a blood blister by taking good care of their health and body. The following steps can help decrease the risk of developing callus blood blister:
- Wear gloves when working with tools or lifting heavy weights
- Wear appropriately sized footwear
- Keep your feet dry
- Individuals with bony prominences are at risk of having callus blood blisters. Thus such an individual should be more careful when they develop a callus.
Signs of bleeding calluses on foot that you need to see a doctor
Most bleeding blisters heal on their own. People do not need to do any special actions to treat the bleeding, except to keep the callus clean. However, sometimes people may experience some extra challenges, which could include the blister not clearing on its own. Symptoms that an individual need to see a doctor include:
- If the bleeding returns repeatedly
- There is no apparent reason for the bleeding to have occurred
- An allergic reaction causes the bleeding
- Multiple blisters have formed
- If there are symptoms of infection, such as red lines or warmth spreading from the blister, you see a doctor
- If you are bleeding near the mouth or eyelids, you should see a doctor
- If the bleeding is making it hard for an individual to move hands or feet, seek medical interventions
How do you treat a bleeding callus?
How to treat bleeding calluses?
If you believe callus bleeding requires visiting a doctor, it is essential to know what caused the bleeding in the first place. In cases of prolonged or unexplained bleeding, a doctor may examine the callus to determine the cause. Some skin cancers appear similar to callus bleeding. Below are the treatment options. Doctors usually recommend leaving the callus bleeding to heal on its own to avoid secondary infection of callus. Bleeding callus which are on the feet and toes may need additional steps to ensure they heal well. Some general steps to take include:
- Elevating and applying ice to the callus
- Wrapping the callus loosely to help avoid additional form.
- Avoid putting pressure on the callus by removing shoes or wearing sandals
- Gently clean and protect a blister that has burst open
- Get medical attention when needed
Popping a bleeding blister on calluses
Sometimes keeping the roof intact is not the best option. Presuming that you have the right equipment, you could deal with it appropriately and safely. It beats putting your blood blister with roof intact back into your shoe with no bandage and no pressure comfort and merely leaving it to prospect.
If the amount of blood assembling is causing pain, if the callus is likely to tear, if you carry on running or hiking, it may be best to pop it. However, you should realize you are increasing the chance of infection. And remember it is okay not to burst pop the blister callus. But if you decide to pop it is the best option, you will need to follow the following steps:
Step 1: Clean your hands with soap and water
Step 2: Pop with a sterile implement such as needle
Step 3: Apply antiseptic and dress with a sterile dressing
Step 4: Remove pressure
Step 5: Then keep the callus clean and monitor it over the coming days for any signs of infection. If you suspect there is an infection seek medical intervention.
How do you get rid of an infected callus?
How to treat an infected callus on feet?
Self Help treatment for infected callus - Callus require treatment by a podiatrist or other clinician only if they result in pain or other health problems. Self-help remedies are inclusive of :
- wearing gloves or other protection gadgets when playing racquet sports gardening, or when engaged in other activities that exert pressure on your hands.
- Put on shoes that fit well, with enough room around the toes (wide and deep toe boxes). This minimizes the irritation that resulted in the problem in the first beginning. Over time, the corns or callus will shrink on its own. This process often weeks or months.
- Cushioning the affected area with moleskin to relieve pressure. You can also make a "donut" with moleskin, lamb's wool, felt, or foam. Many pharmacies sell over-the-counter products to cushion corns and calluses.
If a callus or corn gets in the way of activity, or causes pain, there are two main ways to shrink or minimize it:
- Soak the hand or foot with callus in warm water to soften the calluses or corn. Dry the region. Then rub the affected area with a pumice stone gently. Then moisturize the area with lotion after the rub. Repeat the procedure daily as required.
- To soften the callus or corn, use an over-the-counter liquid or ointment that contains salicylic acid. Then scrub it with a pumice stone to lightly scrape away the dead skin. Be cautious with salicylic acid, and follow the directions exactly, since it can harm surrounding healthy skin. Some foot care specialists advise against using these products at all. Oral antibiotics can be used to clear up infected callus, but pus may have to be drained through a small incision.
- Moisturizing creams can be used to soften the skin, and remove cracked calluses. Smear the moisturizer cream to the callus and cover the area overnight with a plastic bag or a sock- but only if instructed to do so by a foot nurse. Then rub off as much of the callus as you can with a coarse towel or soft brush. Use a pumice rock to scrub off the dead skin from a callus after a bath or shower and then smear moisturizer cream.
- There are also creams which contain stronger creams containing urea which might be more effective. However, do not use the creams unless a doctor recommends you. Avoid using hydrocortisone creams, which only help with rashes and itching and may not be needed for calluses.
Medical care for calluses for feet
- If a callus or corn makes it challenging to walk or do other activities, it may be wise to see a food specialist (podiatrist). The podiatrist may find a structural problem with your feet or find that you place unusual stress on parts of your foot while walking. If that's the case, the doctor may then recommend special padding or shoe inserts. Shoe inserts redistribute the forces that cause friction and pressure inside your shoes, relieving some of the stress on your feet when you walk.
- You might also consider surgery to remove a plantar callus, but there is no guarantee that the calls will not come back. Keep the feet dry and friction free and wear properly fitting shoes and cotton socks to control and prevent future occurrence of a callus.
