The best daily care to prevent permanent scarring focuses on preventing a secondary bacterial infection and allowing the body to heal naturally. The most important rule is to never scratch or pick at the blisters, as this introduces bacteria and damages the skin layers, leading to scars. Keep the skin clean with cool water and pat dry gently. The general guidance is to keep the active blisters dry to encourage them to scab over on their own. However, once scabs have formed, you can apply a light, fragrance-free moisturizer (like pure petroleum jelly) to keep the scabs from becoming too tight and itchy, which can also cause tearing and scarring.
Stopping a child from scratching, especially at night when willpower is low, is critical. Start by trimming their fingernails extremely short. During sleep, put soft cotton mittens or socks on their hands. The most effective strategy is often to give an oral antihistamine (like children's cetirizine or loratadine) at bedtime, as this directly calms the body's itch response from the inside and can help the child get a restful night's sleep without scratching.