Should you leave a blister to heal on its own or should you pick or burst a blister?

This is one of those chat around the table things that came up in the pub, with a few people saying you should leave a blister (not pick or burst it) and let it heal on its own, and others saying you should burst it and pick the skin off the top so it can get some air and heal up.

So what's the best way to deal with a good sized blister?

 

Medical advice is generally not to burst a blister yourself and not to peal or pick at the edges of a burst one; instead cover the blister until it heals, and if it naturally bursts, drain it before applying the dressing - but don't peal the skin off: https://beta.nhs.uk/conditions/blisters/

DIMHIKT (Don't ask me how I know that!)

 

OMG I absolutely LOVE POPPING BLISTERS!!! I know, I know, you shouldn't, but I just can't resist and definitely can't leave one sealed once I've found it.

Come here ...

 

Must admit, I find it hard to resist squishing them too, but I never take the loose skin off as there's not such thing as "airing" an open wound (which is basically what it is). Keep it covered with a proper dressing until it heals over.

 

Funny how many "poppers" there are - me too.