Why do fluid filled bubbles form on the skin after a burn?
In: Biology
Those are blisters and they develop because the fluid becomes a cushion to protect the tissue beneath and allow it to heal.
They try to stop further damage and allow the damaged tissue to heal.
So:
You can think of your body’s tissues kinda like a wet sponge wrapped in plastic. There’s fluid inside, that can move from area to area, but its all trapped inside by the epidermis (outer, waterproof skin layer).
The burn causes inflammation. Which is basically a buildup of fluid in a localized area. That, plus damage to the connections between the epidermis and the underlying tissue (and all the rest of the burned tissue), causes enough fluid pressure to peel the epidermis away from the other tissue. This creates a space that fills with fluid. The epidermis dies but is still strong enough to be waterproof for a while.
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