Blisters? For my step sister...

[BTS1022]

So im asking this for my step sister, she is here for the night because her mom is taking bar exams for her law school, and she is due any day now, so im baby sitting lol. Anyways this is her first baby, she is 17 and usually very small about 95lbs or so. Well she has these blisters on her belly, they look like little yellow heat blisters, but they are only where her stretch marks are. I was wondering if this is caused because of her being so big? I have never seen it before and her doc didnt say much about it besides giving her a cream so they dont get infected. Her baby is estimated at 9 pounds 3 ounces, and she is being induced friday.

Is there anything we can do to help them heal up before then?

[martikadragoon]

I wanted to add A&D ointment (for baby rashes and stuff) works GREAT. it's the same stuff they have ppl use on Tattoo's when they want them to heal nicely.

[martikadragoon]

It may make her queasy to think about lancing them herself, but ask her would she rather them get so much pressure inside them that they pop painfully by themselves at an unexpected time when "it" gets on her clothes and all... OR do it herself when she can control the amount of pressure used and clean up rather easily?

Some people lance it the tough way (TMI HERE!!!) by pushing the needle thru the whole top and pulling up or twisting. That'll hurt because it'll pull the skin.

What I do is poke a TINY hole inside the blister and then again on the other side I just push it thru. That way after you remove the needle the fluid comes out easy. gross I know but it's like opening a can where you've gotta put 2 holes in it for the contents to come out easily. (sorry for the mental image!)

I promise, even tho it's gross it'll make her feel ALOT better. when my blistering gets bad and I do that, I can actually lay on whatever part of my body is blistered. (usually feet and legs, it gets BAD)

[jesslee83]

hey, the <<>> said i was doin the white girl dance.....what happened?

[jesslee83]

<<>><<>>
i'm never right lol.....

ya i've heard calomine lotion is not good! i've heard if a woman gets stretch marks, and uses it, it can darken them to nearly black(now, THAT i couldbe wrong about, it's just a "rumor" i've heard, and it depends on the womans skin in the 1st place).....
hope ya'll got your ice cream!!!
have her take another bath in the am, maybe it'll be good for her to do to not have the "interruption"(sp?) all day tomorrow....plus, i hear oatmeal is relaxin anways!!!

[Atlantisea]

Calamine lotion is something you should avoid if you have another option.

It is effective as an antibiotic agent, and does relieve itching- but what they neglect to tell you is that it also induces scarring. (makes it worse)

So, avoid it if you can, especially on a young girls body...

[BTS1022]

Thank you so much for that info, I let my sis read it and she kind of grimaced about the lancing it herself part lol. She is a bit squirmish. She took her oatmeal bath and I had her rub some benadryl anti itch cream on her tummy. She said it seems to help better than the calomine(sp) lotion and cortisone cream, so hopefully she will get some good rest tonight.

As much as she is ready to give birth, I really hope it isnt tonight lol, I didnt sleep at all lastnight and her hospital is a 2 hour drive from my house. I just hope she is relaxed enough that she gets a restful sleep.

[martikadragoon]

Jesslee83 was correct with her information.  I get blisters with my skin problem all the time.

Nurses and doctors have always said "don't pop them..etc. etc." well, what I've noticed happens is if you don't pop them they pop on they're own and are messy.

She can get a STERALIZED needle and some clean tissue and lance the blister to relieve pressure. Then absorb all the resulting fluid with the clean tissue, and after its had a moment to dry out, apply a THIN layer of antibacterial ointment. Sometimes it'll also help to wash the area lightly with an antibacterial soap, then give it a few minutes to dry out. Or use a little peroxide. She doesn't want to put ointment on a WET/DAMP area because it'll only help an infection grow.

I've had blisters my WHOLE life and this is what I've done. It helps every time.

And alot of times as they're healing it'll itch something fierce. There's always benadryl,  or the oatmeal baths, or even cortisone type creams she can use to relieve itching.

Also, itching will make blisters worse of course, what happens is it irritates already irritated skin (from stretchmarks) and the skin releases plasma type fluid and sometimes saline fluid into the areas where the skin was scratched alot which results in blistering, and the blistering causes a separation of the dermis and epidermis which is why an area where the skin of the blister is removed is usually bright pink and inflamed looking. :)

I hope this helps, this comes from not only personal experience and research, but doctors advice to me. (regarding how blisters form)

[BTS1022]

Thank you so much! Im going to have hubby go to the CVS and get some of that colloidal oatmeal bath stuff for her tonight lol. I might as well have him grab me and her some ice cream while he is at it lol not that I need to eat anymore today.

She has tried a crud load of anti itch stuff, and nothing seems to give her any relief, poor girl is up 20 times a night because she itches so bad lol.

Anyways I will try some of the stuff that is listed here and see if they help her. Im giving her a night of spoiling lol she deserves it.

[jesslee83]

not saying this particular "diagnosis" applies, but i thought the "remedies" could help her relieve the itching for the time being.....

Coping With the Changes
For conditions that cause itchy skin, using an anti-itch cream may help provide relief. Other tips to help relieve discomfort include:
Wash with mild, gentle soaps.
Avoid getting overheated, which can make itching worse.
Avoid wearing itchy fabrics and cloths.
Always apply moisturizer to your skin.
***Pemphigoid Gestationis ***
Pemphigoid gestationis is a rare skin condition that usually starts during the second and third trimesters or sometimes right after a woman gives birth. With this condition, blisters appear on the abdomen, and in severe cases, the blisters can cover a wide area of the body. Sometimes the condition returns during future pregnancies.

If your doctor diagnoses pemphigoid gestationis after checking your blisters, you and your baby will be monitored closely during the last part of pregnancy. Your doctor also may give you medications to control the outbreak of blisters and help relieve your discomfort. Adding oatmeal to your bath water and using anti-itch creams also can help.

***you said her dr isnt too worried about it, so OF COURSE this MAY NOT be the case, but it was the closest thing that contained "blisters" in the description.....***congrats on being an "auntie"! and i hope all goes well for your sister, esp as small as she is, and is having an "estimated" 9lb babe lol

[aabarnett]

Never heard of it, when I was pregnant with my daughter, I got so big I actually had some little splits or cuts in some of the stratch marks but I was HUGE at that point.  I would also get bruising around some of the stretch marks too.  I just kept it clean and put disinfectant on the cuts and they healed up after she was born.  But, I've never heard of blisters.  If the doctor isn't worried then I wouldn't be either.  Good luck to your sister and congrats on her final phase of the pregnancy wars =D

[tarrah87]

i have never heard of that either, but i know when i was preg with twins and getting so big, that i had developed bruises only where the stretch marks were but other than not never heard of the blisters.

[blueeyedtabbycat]

I have never heard of this sorry:( But it might be easyier to take care of after baby is born if her tummy is so streached out from getting so big.