Blisters

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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

A vesicle is a small fluid-filled blister ranging in size from a pinpoint to 5 or 10 millimeters in diameter. As a rule, the term vesicle is used to describe a small blister, while the term bulla is used to describe a larger blister.

Blisters

When diagnosing rashes, your physician must first determine what types of lesions appear within the eruption. Rashes may be formed from macules, patches, papules, plaques, nodules, pustules, bullae, or vesicles. Based upon the type of lesion within your rash, the history of your rash, and the location of your rash, your doctor will be able to arrive at possible causes.

In many cases, vesicles break easily and release their fluid onto the skin. When this fluid dries, yellow crusts may remain on the skin surface. Be sure to let your physician know if vesicles were present before you arrived at the office.

Many diseases may present with vesicles. Some common examples include:

• Infections
  • Chicken pox
  • Herpes simplex (cold sores, genital herpes)
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)
  • Impetigo
• Contact dermatitis
  • Poison ivy
• Inflammatory skin diseases
  • Atopic dermatitis (eczema)
• Drug reactions
• Blistering skin diseases
  • Porphyria cutanea tarda
  • Dermatitis herpetiformis

Review Date: 04/30/2005
Reviewed By: Jonathan Kantor, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.