scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question

Showing papers on "Blisters published in 1995"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Considering the pervasive nature of friction blisters, there is a substantial amount of basic and applied research that remains to be performed, especially in the areas of prevention and treatment.
Abstract: Blisters occur frequently, especially in vigorously active populations Studies using respective rubbing techniques show that blisters result from frictional forces that mechanically separate epidermal cells at level of the stratum spinosum Hydrostatic pressure causes the area of the separation to fill with a fluid that is similar in composition to plasma but has a lower protein level About 6 hours after formation of the blister, cells in the blister base begin to take amino acids and nucleosides; at 24 hours, there is high mitotic activity in the basal cells; at 48 and 120 hours, new stratum granulosum and stratum corneum, respectively, can be seen The magnitude of frictional forces (Ff) and the number of times that an object cycles across the skin determine the probability of blister development - the higher the Ff, the fewer the cycles necessary to produce a blister Moist skin increases Ff, but very dry or very wet skin necessary to produce a blister Moist skin increases Ff, but very dry or very wet skin decreases Ff Blisters are more likely in skin areas that have a thick horny layer held tightly to underlying structures (eg palms of the hands or soles of the feet) More vigorous activity and the carrying of heavy loads during locomotion both appear to increase the likelihood of foot blisters Antiperspirants with emollients and drying powders applied to the foot do not appear to decrease the probability of friction blisters There is some evidence that foot blister incidence can be reduced by closed cell neoprene insoles Wearing foot socks composed of acrylic results in fewer foot blisters in runners A thin polyester sock, combined with a thick wool or polypropylene sock that maintains its bulk when exposed to sweat and compression reduces blister incidence in Marine recruits Recent exposure of the skin to repeated low intensity Ff results in a number of adaptations including cellular proliferation and epidermal thickening, which may reduce the likelihood of blisters More well-designed studies are necessary to determine which prevention strategies actually decrease blister probability Clinical experience suggests draining intact blisters and maintaining the blister roof results in the least patient discomfort and may reduce the possibility of secondary infection Treating deroofed blisters with hydrocolloid dressings provides pain relief and may allow patients to continue physical activity if necessary There is no evidence that antibiotics influence blister healing Clinical trials are needed to determine the efficacy of various blister treatment methods(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

102 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the relationship of the intercalating properties of the electrolyte anion to the blister formation on pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) electrodes.
Abstract: Electrochemical oxidation of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) electrodes in KNO 3 electrolyte solution at a carbon submonolayer level was shown in a previous paper to produce raised, bubblelike features, giving the appearance of shallow blisters. The blisters were established to be hollow, with a top surface of intact HOPG lattice and an inner one of graphitic oxide. This paper explores the relationship of the intercalating properties of the electrolyte anion to the blister formation on HOPG. Cyclic voltammetry, atomic force microscopy, optical microscopy, and in situ atomic force microscopy/electrochemistry results are presented. Surface blister formation is observed to occur in 1 M LiCIO 4 , 1 M (NH4) 2 SO 4 , 1 M HNO 3 , and 1 M H 2 SO 4 aqueous electrolytes as a result of potential scans (+1.50 to +1.90 V vs SSCE, depending on the electrolyte) that pass a few carbon monolayers of charge or less. Blister formation on HOPG in 1 M KOH electrolyte is observable but at significantly higher levels of oxidative charge, whereas blisters were not observed in 1 M K 2 HPO 4 and 1 M H 3 PO 4 electrolytes. These results are consistent with literature Raman intercalation data that indicate phosphate does not readily intercalate into HOPG, supporting a model in which blister formation reflects electrolyte anion intercalation followed by subsurface gas evolution.

83 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The present practice is to leave all fracture blisters intact, if the blisters rupture spontaneously, they are deroofed and covered with a nonadherent dressing.
Abstract: From June 1987 to January 1993, 53 fractures complicated by overlying blisters were identified and prospectively followed. Data concerning the mechanism of injury, time course in the development of the fracture blisters, clinical characteristics of the blister, fracture type and management, and soft-tissue treatment and outcome were collected. Clinically, two types of blisters were identified: clear fluid filled and blood filled. Methods used to treat the skin blister were: aspiration of the blister, deroofing of the blister with subsequent application of Silvadene cream or coverage with a nonadherent dressing, and leaving the blister intact and covered by a loose gauze or exposed to the air. No significant difference was found in the outcome of the skin injury treated with the various modalities. Nineteen patients underwent early open reduction and internal fixation in the presence of intact fracture blisters. In 17 cases the incision healed within 3 days, sealing off the deeper structures, and reepithelialization of the blister bed then occurred at a later date. Two of the patients who had incisions pass through blood-filled blisters developed wound healing complications. Although there was no significant difference in the outcome of the soft-tissue treatment techniques, our present practice is to leave all fracture blisters intact. If the blisters rupture spontaneously, they are deroofed and covered with a nonadherent dressing. Early surgery is contemplated in patients with intact blisters and without severe swelling.

64 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The use of an antiperspirant with emollients reduces irritant dermatitis but does not reduce total foot-sweat accumulation, blister or hot spot incidence, or blister severity.
Abstract: Background: Friction blisters are a common injury in sports activities and military operations. Blisters can compromise performance, so it is important to devise preventive strategies to reduce these injuries. Objective: This study investigated the influence of an antiperspirant with emollient additives on frequency and severity of friction blisters, hot spots, and irritant dermatitis. Methods: Twenty-three healthy men walked on a treadmill (1.39 m/sec, 1% grade) in a warm environment (28° C, 25% relative humidity) carrying a total mass of 21 ± 1 kg. For 4 consecutive days before the walk, the subjects' feet were treated with either (1) an antiperspirant (20% aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex glycine concentration plus water) with emollient additives, (2) emollient additives alone (placebo control), or (3) nothing (nontreated). In two separate trials (1 month apart) each participant received the antiperspirant treatment and both control treatments (emollient [placebo] and no treatment). Results: No differences were seen among treatment conditions for sweat accumulation ( p = 0.86), blister incidence ( p = 0.36), hot spot incidence ( p = 0.83), or blister severity ( p = 0.31). Irritant dermatitis was not reported in any of the treatment conditions. Conclusion: The use of an antiperspirant with emollients reduces irritant dermatitis but does not reduce total foot-sweat accumulation, blister or hot spot incidence, or blister severity.

46 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It was found that suction time was linearly correlated to glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) and it was concluded that a non-invasive blood glucose monitoring system could be successfully based on measurement of alterations in skin glucose contents.
Abstract: In order to ascertain the dynamic relationship between the extracellular glucose in upper skin layers and blood glucose, skin suction blisters were raised in six Type 1 diabetic patients during a three-step glucose clamp. Blister glucose closely paralleled venous glucose (mean of r = 0.998). However, in three patients blister glucose was constantly lower than plasma glucose and this appeared to be related to their slower formation of skin blisters. A substantial difference in skin blister suction time was noted among patients and it was found that suction time was linearly correlated to glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) (n = 6, r = 0.865, p = 0.026). It is concluded that a non-invasive blood glucose monitoring system could be successfully based on measurement of alterations in skin glucose contents.

40 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Findings support the hypothesis that fracture blisters can result from strain developed in the skin during initial fracture deformation.
Abstract: A biomechanical study was performed to examine a proposed mechanism of fracture blister formation. Sixty cadaver ankle skin specimens were subjected to several levels of uniaxial strain and examined histologically. Dermal-epidermal separation patterns similar to those found histologically in previous studies of biopsied fracture blisters were seen in specimens strained 152% and greater. These findings support the hypothesis that fracture blisters can result from strain developed in the skin during initial fracture deformation.

19 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the critical stress and corresponding pressure for rupture decrease with increasing blister radius and increase with increasing crack length, whereas the rupture pressure increases with the ratio of oxide film thickness to blister radius.
Abstract: Expressions have been derived which describe the critical stress and pressure necessary to rupture oxide blisters which form on aluminum during the growth of corrosion pits. These expressions have been derived and evaluated for radial cracks in the oxide blister. The critical stress and corresponding pressure for rupture decrease with increasing blister radius and decrease with increasing crack length. The critical stress is independent of the ratio of oxide film thickness to blister radius, whereas the rupture pressure increases with this ratio. The critical stress is independent of Poisson's ratio for the oxide film whereas the rupture pressure is weakly dependent on Poisson's ratio for the oxide film.

18 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, underpaint corrosion of zinc-coated steel exposed to chloride containing solutions was studied by Raman spectroscopy; the selection of an appropriate resin (without fluorescence) alloys one to perform the analysis directly through the paint.
Abstract: The underpaint corrosion of zinc-coated steel exposed to chloride containing solutions was studied by Raman spectroscopy; the selection of an appropriate resin (without fluorescence) alloys one to perform the analysis directly through the paint. The influence of a conversion layer (chromatation or phosphatation) was investigated. On chromated zinc-coated steel as well as on the specimens without a conversion layer, two kinds of blisters were found: the ones containing ZnO, identified as cathodic blisters, and the others containing hydroxychloride, identified as anodic blisters. On the phosphated specimens, the growth of the cathodic corrosion products seems hindered. The role of the local pH variation related to the confinement is particularly emphasized.

13 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Castaing et al. as mentioned in this paper applied a mechanical model based on the theory of plates to circular blisters in the first publication of this series, which focused on the radial rate of blistering, the shape of the blisters, the calculation and the time dependence of the internal pressure and the associated stresses.

11 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors presented mechanical models in order to evaluate the internal pressure of the blisters and the lifetime of the materials and showed that existing thermodynamic models are not sufficient to estimate the dependence of the pressure and stresses on the age.

9 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The levels of M MP-2 and MMP-9 were not decreased by pharmacological doses of systemic prednisone or isotretinoin, which indicates that systemic glucocorticoid or retinoid treatment does not affect the basal levels of these enzymes.
Abstract: The expression of two matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), 72 kDa gelatinase (MMP-2) and 92 kDa gelatinase (MMP-9), was studied in suction blister fluids and serum using a zymographic method. Both of the enzymes were detectable in blister fluid and serum, but their expression varied. The MMP-2 levels in serum were only about half of the levels in blister fluid, while the level of MMP-9 was about the same in both serum and blister fluid. The overall level of MMP-2 in serum was much lower than the level of MMP-9, which was possibly derived from inflammatory cells. In subjects aged from 20 to 86 years, no marked changes were seen in the serum or blister fluid gelatinases. Interestingly, body site affected the level of MMP-9. The lowest level was recorded in fluid from blisters on the lower leg, in which the level was only about 19% of the level in fluid from blisters on the abdomen. The levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were not decreased by pharmacological doses of systemic prednisone or isotretinoin, which indicates that systemic glucocorticoid or retinoid treatment does not affect the basal levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a non-destructive imaging technique was developed to measure the average size of the water blisters within the interface was correlated with the wet adhesion force measured by coating resistance to 180° peel and it was concluded that the decrease in adhesion between the coating and glass was a result of stretching and breaking of the silane bridging bonds and polymer fibrils by water condensing on the glass surface within the polymer-glass interface.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work describes a patient who had a rapidly progressive bullous eruption that occurred within hours of receiving intravenous trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and found that the cleavage plane of the blister was well below the lamina densa.
Abstract: The term bullous drug eruption connotes several heterogeneous diseases in which blisters occur as a complication of the administration of drugs. Blisters may occur in bullous erythema multiforme, fixed drug eruption, or severe dermatitis medicamentosa with blisters. The common denominator is thought to be a hypersensitivity reaction to a systemic medication. Nevertheless, little has been written about the blisters in these disorders, and neither common nor distinct pathogenic mechanisms have been proposed. We describe a patient who had a rapidly progressive bullous eruption that occurred within hours of receiving intravenous trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Routine histologic study of lesional skin demonstrated subepidermal blisters. Transmission electron microscopy and immunomapping of various basement components revealed that the cleavage plane of the blister was well below the lamina densa. After healing of the blistering process, no scarring or milia formation was observed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the processes of stimulated gas release and gas blister growth were investigated at the interface of 100 nm thick silver films on glass substrates after irradiation by hydrogen ions of 1 MeV energy to fluences of 1 x 1013-1 x 1015 ion cm-2.
Abstract: The processes of stimulated gas release and gas blister growth were investigated at the interface of 100 nm thick silver films on glass substrates after irradiation by hydrogen ions of 1 MeV energy to fluences of 1 x 1013-1 x 1015 ion cm-2. An interference microscope was used to examine the gas blisters and to measure the blister parameters. The relationship of these processes to the adhesion of a thin film system was established. A method to determine the adhesion and to compute the adhesion characteristics in the film-substrate system is described. The calculated energy of the detachment ranges between 0.06 and 28 J m-2. Based on the results of this study, a series of practical approaches are proposed to measure the adhesion of thin films to substrates with the method of stimulated gas release.