Cold sore: where does it come from and how to get rid of it?

Article originally published on September 17, 2015

cold soresalso called “cold sores” or ” irritated is an infection caused by a virus. It is characterized by the appearance of small pimples on or around the lips, but sometimes also inside the nose, back of the throat, on the chin or on the cheeks.

It’s here most common form of herpes and, each year, one in five adults is likely to suffer a stroke. We explain all about this disease that goes away and comes back like a popular song.

Where does cold sores come from?

The virus responsible for cold sores is VHS-1. It is often caught in infancy and lies dormant in the body, particularly in the nerve ganglia, until the bearer is exposed to a trigger : can be a speed drop (that’s why it can also be called ” fatigue button »although the expression remains very little used) ora peak of stress.

The frequency of these outbreaks varies greatly from person to person: some will have no recurrence while others will have several attacks a year. A real lottery!

Furthermore, it is possible that some carriers of the virus never get cold sores: the body is well infected but, for some unknown reason, the virus does not wake up.

Unfortunately, there is no medical treatment that can permanently eliminate this virus.

Is cold sores contagious?

Cold sores is contagious to people who have never been infected with the virus and for those with weakened immune systems. A person with injuries should therefore stay away from infants, pregnant women and immunocompromised people.

On the other hand, it is impossible to “re-contaminate” someone already wearing VHS-1 : Virus reactivations and blistering are unrelated to recent contact with an infected person. So you can perfectly kiss someone with a cold sore if you have a tendency to oral herpes yourself.

The virus, on the other hand, can be transmitted to the genital sphere during oral sex, it is better to avoid receiving cunnilingus or fellatio from a person whose pimples have not yet healed.

Should you see a doctor if you have cold sores?

A trivial case of cold sores does not specifically require a visit to the doctor: a pharmacist can take care of the crisis and offer adequate treatment.

On the other hand, if the recurrences are frequent, it is painful and/or blisters appear near the eyes (if the virus contaminates the eye, it can lead to loss of vision), it is more prudent to make an appointment with a general practitioner so that he can prescribe a more radical treatment.

How to prevent a cold sore?

Due to the random, viral nature of cold sores, we can’t really treat the skin and body before an attack. On the other hand, by chaining the eruptions, it is possible identify triggers and then be careful not to rub too much danger.

As soon as we feel that cold sores are growing, we can think of the days that have just passed: are we in a stressful/tiring period? Have we been dragging on a cold for several weeks? Actually, the virus VHS-1 it often takes advantage of a decline in the body’s diet to make an appearance

You can also try targeting a specific trigger: Did you eat anything unusual? Did we sunbathe? Do we have chapped lips?

Each of these elements (fatigue, sun, diet, menstruation, etc.) can be responsible for an attack.

How to treat a cold sore?

As soon as a abnormal tingling or burning sensation you feel, you can apply an antiviral cream to the whole area, not hesitating to go overboard a little. This type of product, available without a prescription, can relieve pain and shorten the duration of the rash.

Once the pimple has come out (about 48 hours after the first itch), a thin layer of the product can be applied several times a day on the blisters, until the scabs appear, a sign of healing and stop of the infection. There are also patches that can be worn all day to slow down the development of lesions, protect them and limit the risk of contamination.

In order for cold sores to disappear as quickly as it appeared, it is important not to do nothing that will slow down the healing process or worse, encourage the appearance of other lesions! So let’s forget too aggressive foundations and toilet products containing alcohol until the cure is complete: the skin needs to breathe to regenerate itself and detergents that are too strident risk irritating the little pimples even more and keeping the herpes.

Finally, it is obviously not recommended to handle and scratch the scabs, which could lead to bacterial superinfection.

Front page image photo credit: prostock-studio