Overview
Woman touching her lip
Introduction
Couple kissing
Cold sores, also called fever blisters, are a common but contagious skin condition caused by the herpes simplex virus. It usually takes about 20 days after exposure to the virus for the first cold sore to appear. But not everyone exposed to herpes develops cold serves. Immune systems play an important part in which diseases people contract. There is no cure for cold sores and they go away on their own, but there are treatments that can help alleviate the symptoms and decrease their frequency and duration.
What is a Cold Sore?
Close up of woman's mouth
Cold sores are small, red blisters that can appear around the nose or chin but usually are located around the mouth and lips. In some cases, cold sores appear inside your mouth. If the corneas are affected with herpes simplex, this can lead to blindness. Some people get cold sores on their fingers.
There are several symptoms of a cold sore. Each person is affected differently. In many cases, there is a tingling sensation or pain in the area a few days before a cold sore appears. People who suffer from cold sores feel a small, hard bump in the area, but in the early stages it can't be seen. When the cold sore develops, it is a fluid-filled small blister that is painful. Cold sores typically last from 7 to 10 days. According to the Mayo Clinic website, "The blisters form, break and ooze. Then a yellow crust forms and finally sloughs off to uncover pinkish skin that heals without a scar." Topical ointments can reduce symptoms, and taking antiviral drugs is an option if your outbreaks are frequent and very painful.
How Cold Sores Develop
Tired woman
There are two types of herpes simplex virus. Type 1 usually causes cold sores; Type 2 usually causes genital herpes. Either type can cause facial or genital herpes. A person gets his first outbreak from another person infected with an active cold sore. Cold sores spread in several ways. Touching someone during an outbreak is the main cause, but sharing towels or utensils during an outbreak also happens. Once a person has one outbreak of cold sores, another outbreak can occur at any time. There are a few factors that increase the likelihood of another outbreak--stress, not enough sleep, too much sun, and fever. Menstruating women are also more susceptible.
Tags: cold sore, herpes simplex, cold sores, cold sores, Cold sores, during outbreak, genital herpes