A blister is a painful fluid filled pocket on the skin. They can be caused by shoes rubbing our feet, hoeing in the garden, spending a lot of time sweeping, touch a hot iron and so forth. They result from physical trauma to the skin -- from repeated rubbing or a minor burn. The body creates a cushion of fluid to protect the underlying tissue. The collected fluid and the raw skin that is underneath the blister contain specialized cells that limit the injury and begin the process of healing. This is why it is best to leave a blister intact so that the cells in the fluid can assist in the healing.

If possible it is best to try and prevent the development to blisters - although I am the fist to acknowledge that this is not always possible. I find that I frequently get blisters when working in the garden or when wearing a new pair of shoes or shoes that I haven't had on for a while. However, if possible take measures to prevent the blister formation.

What you can do if you have developed a blister

?Clean the area by soaking it briefly in warm water. Pat the area dry.

?Do not break an intact area. If the blister has already broken do not remove the protective covering of skin.

?Apply a small amount of herbal salve to a bandage or soft gauze and gently cover the blister. The herbs mentioned below can be obtained as ointments, creams, salves or oils. They make a useful part of a herbal medicine kit. The herbs that will promote the healing of the skin and fight infections include:

ocomfrey,

ocalendula,

ochamomile,

olavender,

oSt. John's wort.

?You can use lavender and tea tree essential oils on the blister. These essential oils need to be diluted by adding five times as much neutral vegetable oil - such as almond, sesame, vitamin E or avocado oil.

?Avoid causing further stress and physical injury to the area for several days.

?Repeat the cleaning and application of the herb cream and dressing two to three times per day until the blister is healed.

Herbal blister ointment

The following ointment is appropriate for use with blisters, minor cut, abrasions, minor burns and fungal skin infections.

? ounce dried calendula blossoms

? ounce dried comfrey root

2 cups almond, olive or other pure vegetable oil

? cup finely chopped beeswax

10 drops lavender essential oil

10 drops tea tree oil

Combine the herbs and vegetable oils in a suitable pan and allow it to heat gently for 2 - 4 hours. You need to check it and stir it frequently to prevent it from burning. When the oil is yellow in color and has a ?herby? smell then it ready for straining - you can do this through a coffee filter or a piece of clean cloth. The result is an infused herbal oil.

To each cup of infused oil add ? cup of beeswax. Heat the oil and beeswax together over a very low heat until the beeswax is melted. Be careful not to allow it to boil or burn. The balm should be the consistency of an easily spreadable paste. To test this place a tablespoon of the mixture into the freezer until it cools. If it seems too thin add some more beeswax. If it is too thick add a little oil.

Remove the mixture from the heat and quickly ass the essential oils. Pour into clean glass containers and cover tightly. Cool to room temperature.

With appropriate care the blister should heal effectively in a couple of day and there shouldn't be any infection. However, if the blister is particularly deep or there is underlying bruising or if you have circulation problems or diabetes you would be wise to seek the assistance of a health professional.