Blisters

Many skin conditions can present with fluid filled blisters. Fever blisters or cold sores are secondary to herpes simplex virus infection, while shingles causes painful blisters due to reactivation of chickenpox virus. Bacterial and fungal infection can also cause blisters. Furthermore, blisters can form from friction, irritating chemicals, extreme cold and heat. Allergic reaction to poison ivy and sometimes insect bites can cause intensely itchy blisters. In more dramatic cases, medications can induce severe blistering drug rash. Lastly there is a group of rare autoimmune blistering diseases that affect the skin, mouth, and eyes. Examples include pemphigus, pemphigoid and dermatitis herpetiformis. Dr. Julie Zang is a renowned expert at treating blistering diseases. She has taken care of some of the most challenging autoimmune blistering disease patients while she was a full time faculty member in the Department of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine. She has lectured nationally and internationally on autoimmune blistering diseases. She also authored the book chapter of Autoimmune Vesciculobullous Disorders in the textbook Dermatology by Moschella and Hurley.