Blisters are a pain, no matter where you have them.

And they can get infected easily, so it's good to follow a few tips to keep blisters clean and allow them to heal.

If your blister is small and closed, just leave it alone, and cover it with a loose bandage.

If the blister is on the bottom of your foot, protect the blister with a doughnut-shaped moleskin pad.

But leave the area over the blister open.

Now, if you have a large blister with fluid in it, it's usually best to leave it alone so it doesn't get infected.

But you may want to drain the blister if it's painful and rubbing against your shoe or something else.

To drain the blister, first wash your hands.

Wipe a needle or straight pin with rubbing alcohol, or wash it with soap and water.

Gently puncture the edge of the blister and press the fluid toward the hole so it can drain.

After you've popped the blister or if it has torn open on its own, wash the area with soap and water.

Don't remove the flap of skin over the blister unless it's very dirty or there is pus under it.

Gently smooth the flap over the tender skin and cover it with a clean nonstick bandage.

Clean the area gently with soap and water and change the bandage once a day or anytime it gets wet or dirty.

Follow these tips and your blister should heal well.

But call your doctor if you have signs of infection, such as a fever.

Other signs are increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness, pus draining from the blister, or red streaks leading from the blister.