1. I think I’ve been able to answer my own question but, in your opinion, could my use of the corticosteroid during the outbreak be the reason it is taking so long to heal and why I have had a ‘second wave’ of blisters?
It could be, yes, although topicals meds are somewhat less likely to have this impact
2. Could use of the ointment a few days before I had the outbreak have lowered my immune response in the boxer shorts region to allow the herpes outbreak to occur in the first place? that seems somewhat unlikely to me but possible, yes
3. I have been applying some tea tree oil directly on the herpes lesions and this seems to have been helping dry them out. Do you think tea tree oil is ok to use?
maybe, but I would rather you keep it dry as possible. Oils can keep it moist for a long time and slow healing.
Terri