OT : Blisters

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Is it possible to get rid of em?

TA

[Phil L]

What kind of blisters? Where are they? What caused them? Why do you want to get rid of them?

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

General hardwork blisters. :-)

Just below me index finger on the hand.

Plastering.

Cos it hurts. :-(

Tis ok, apparently I've to pick it at the sides to release the water,then let the skin die a peel off.

Of course using alcho to clean the needle or I'll try the scalpel.

[Andy Hall]

IME, if it's too annoying to leave alone (which is really the best solution), then a very fine sterilised needle to release the fluid is reasonable. Try not to lift any skin because there is a high chance that the area will become pretty sore (worse than now) and may become infected. After the needle job, bathing the hand in some warm salty water is pretty effective as well.

[Phil L]

They'll turn into hard skin if you continue plastering, if not they will disppear completely unil next time you are plastering, when they will be blisters again.

Not plastering as such, just holding the trowel incorrectly, the more you do it, the easier it becomes and part of this is the way you hold the trowel and the way you move it along the wall.

Picking them isn't a good idea because they are protecting the meat underneath, remove the lid and the meat is exposed to all kinds of nasty things like salt, vinegar, hot water and soap powder (this last one is particularly nasty and doesn't seem to wash off)

[soup]

If you must let the "water" out, remember if you make the hole big enough not to seal up then air will get in allowing all sorts of nasties in with it. First aid is to leave them alone. However if you feel you must stick a needle in have a bit thread on the needle and leave the ends just outside this should allow the "water" to drain without letting too much air in. The thread could be boiled first to sterilise it.

[James]

Have you tried a trowel with a rubber-coated handle? Wickes and B&Q have cheap but decent own-brands.

I switched to one for bricklaying and found it much more pleasant than a wooden-handled one.

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

I've tried plastering with a leather glove on and stopped the bite of the trowel however this seems to lessen the grip of the trowel in my hand. :-(

To be honest you cant compare bricklaying to plastering as there's much more force in the use of the trowel in plastering than in bricklayng,bricklaying is a matter of picking up cement and dumping it on the wall and evening the cement out.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I mean how old ARE you, that this is apparently the first time you have ever encountered a blister?

I think I had my first one of a pair of new shoes at the age of 5...

[Mary Fisher]

Dishwasher powder is a lot worse!

Personal experience ... :-(

Mary

[Bob Eager]

A friend of mine works in a burns unit, and she says that a surprising number of patients present with burns caused by dishwasher powder. Once it gets wet it can be nasty stuff. It's made me a lot more careful...

[Mary Fisher]

I learned a hard lesson when I cleaned the sink with the stuff because I'd run out of other stuff :-(

Now I use a micropore (?) cloth and water.

Mary

[LSR]

Compeed. Brilliant stuff especially for blisters on your feet but should be fine for hands too..

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Apparently yes

[nightjar]

Better not to. However, if you really want to, take a sharp sewing needle (one you won't want again) heat it to red heat, to sterilise it, allow it to cool and piece the blister in one, or at the most, two places, near the edge and allow the fluid to ooze out.

Colin Bignell

[Andrew Gabriel]

Well, it's worth thinking... A dishwasher will normally have no problem cleaning dirty plates and cutlary which have been in there a few days. Now imagine you had to do that by hand -- i.e. leave the food to dry on for a few days and then wash it. This takes quite some effort with a brush, sponge, or cloth. Now imagine you can't use anything like a brush sponge or cloth, but you have to do it with a much more powerful detergent and gentle water spray. Well, that's what dishwasher detergent has to do.