Vesicles

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Bullous pemphigoid, close-up of tense blisters

Chigger bite - close-up of blisters

Hand, foot, and mouth disease on the soles

Herpes simplex - close-up

Herpes zoster (shingles) - close-up of lesion

Poison ivy on the knee

Poison ivy on the leg

Vesicles

Overview

Treatment

Vesicles

Alternative Names:

Blisters

Home Care:

As a general rule, a physician should examine and diagnose any skin disease that includes vesicles.

Nevertheless, over-the-counter treatments are available for certain conditions. Poison ivy may be soothed with calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream. Cold sores might respond to application of local pain killers or docosanol.

Call your health care provider if:

Call your physician if any unexplained blisters appear on your skin.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Some vesicular eruptions can be diagnosed based entirely upon their history and appearance. In many cases, however, additional tests are needed. For example, the contents of a blister may be examined under the microscope or sent for bacterial or viral culture. In particularly difficult cases, a skin biopsy may be needed to make or confirm a diagnosis.

Review Date: 4/30/2005
Reviewed By: Jonathan Kantor, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.