Ask the Experts: Blisters

Ask the Experts...

Dear Burn Community, 

Welcome to "Ask the Experts," Journey Magazine's advice column. In this edition, we received questions about navigating life as a burn survivor from childhood to adulthood. While no two experiences are the same, there are many common themes and struggles that burn survivors and their loved ones face throughout their journey—regardless of their age.

As always, we drew on our personal and professional experiences to offer guidance and do our best to make it good advice! Just remember that our opinions and views can never replace the diagnosis, treatment, or care of a licensed physician or mental health professional.

Whether you're a survivor, loved one, or burn support professional, we want to hear your questions and concerns—and nothing is off limits! Odds are, someone else is facing a similar challenge, and submitting your question can help them too. Have a question? Submit to resources@phoenix-society.org with the subject line "Ask the Experts."

Sincerely,

Lise, Samoana, Felicia

Question: Blisters

Dear Experts,

My son is one and was burned a few months ago. Everything is pretty much healed but I recently noticed blisters on his scars. Is this normal?

Jaqueline

RESPONSE FROM Dr. Felicia Williams

Dear Jaqueline,

I am happy to hear that everything is “pretty much healed!” It is VERY normal and common for blisters to form on newly healed areas (including over autografted sites, donors, healed partial thickness areas). These areas are very sensitive, thin, and vulnerable. They are still healing and remodeling for up to 2 years after the injury. These areas can be re-injured by accidental bumping, scraping, scratching, and even placing on clothing. These new blisters are usually self-limiting and heal with minimal wound care and protecting the area from further accidental harm or injury. If they don’t resolve or you have additional concerns, be sure to get in touch with your child’s burn team.

Dr. Felicia Williams is a Burn Surgeon at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery and is the Associate Division Chief for the Burn Division. She completed her General Surgery Residency at ECU and her training in Galveston under Dr. Herndon, dedicating her life to burns. She has many publications, with a current research focus on health disparities in burn care.