Summer Health Issues

Blisters & Infections

Q: Is popping a blister harmful?

A: "It's best to leave blisters alone," says Vincent DeLeo, M.D., chair of dermatology at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center and Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. But if they're painful and you feel you have to pop them, be sure to use a needle that has been sterilized in flame. Drain the fluid in the blister, being careful to leave the top layer of skin intact, which protects the area underneath from infection.

If the top does come off, clean any exposed skin with soap and water, and apply antibacterial ointment and a nonstick bandage.

Q: Why do I get more yeast infections in the summer than at any other time of year?

A: In summer, it's hot and you sweat more—which creates the perfect environment for yeast. You always have yeast in your body, but the reason women sometimes get yeast infections is that something—such as taking antibiotics or being exposed to chlorine—changes the vagina’s environment and lets yeast run wild.

One culprit is a damp bathing suit. "Yeast is a fungus," according to Lewis Kohl, D.O., chairman of emergency medicine at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. “It flourishes where it’s damp.”

Prevent a yeast infection by changing into dry clothes after swimming. You should also get into the habit of wearing panties and pantyhose with breathable crotches. (To most people that means cotton, but Dr. Kohl prefers underwear made of poly-propylene, a synthetic material that provides better circulation than cotton. Such underwear can be found in outdoor catalogs or sports stores.)

You might also consider eating yogurt with active bacteria cultures or taking an acidophilus supplement to boost normal bacteria levels in the vagina. “Those bacteria battle yeast for dominance in the body and usually win,” according to Dr. Kohl. You should also drink plenty of cranberry juice—it makes your vagina acidic and less hospitable to yeast. In certain women, sugar and alcohol may act as power foods for yeast, so cutting back on them may help.

If you still get an infection, over-the-counter antifungal creams like Gyne-Lotrimin or Monistat can help; so can prescription boric acid suppositories that you insert into your vagina each night for a week. Acidophilus is also sometimes recommended for the treatment of yeast infections.

But before you treat what you think is a yeast infection yourself, see your gynecologist to make sure it is yeast, which causes a whitish, almost cottage-cheesy discharge that may have a foul or fishy smell. Many women feel an itch and automatically reach for the antifungals. Problem is, that itch could be caused by a different health problem altogether.