Sarah's rumination that perhaps breastmilk itself promotes bleb 
formation is an interesting insight -- after all, we often talk about 
how  human milk's growth factors help knit together the baby's gut 
lining, and  promote skin growth to heal skin abrasions, burns, etc.  
Once the nipple is injured, perhaps the constant presence of fresh milk 
promotes healing, and helps skin cells bridge across the wound, without 
out knowing when to stop.

Are blebs as common in cultures where women breastfeed in the 
short-and-frequent pattern?  Maybe a pattern with long intervals gives 
the skin more opportunity to bridge across into a complete seal.  Do 
women get blebs in the first month or so?  Even when there's injury, 
there's usually so much nursing going on that maybe there's no time to 
seal up.

Just ruminating too.
Margaret Wills, LLLL, IBCLC

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