Vesicles

Alternative names:

blisters

Definition:

A vesicle is a thin-walled sac filled with a fluid, usually clear and ranging in size from pinpoint to 10 millimeters in diameter. As a rule, the term vesicle is usually used to describe small blisters, while the term bullae is used to describe larger blisters.

Considerations:

Vesicle is an important term used to describe the appearance of many rashes that typically consist of or begin with tiny-to-small fluid-filled blisters. Typical illnesses that begin with vesicular eruptions (the appearance of areas, patches, or crops of vesicles) are cold sore (herpes labialis), genital herpes, shingles (herpes zoster), and chicken pox.

Contact dermatitis may first show up with tiny vesicles that itch or burn. A typical example of contact dermatitis would be poison ivy. It begins with tiny vesicles that enlarge rapidly, rupture, ooze for a period of time, and finally crust over and heal.