What Are Cold Sores?

Cold sores are small, fluid-filled blisters that develop around the lips or inside the mouth. Cold sores are caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV infection is passed on through skin-to-skin contact such as kissing.

What Are The Feeling And Appearances Associated With Cold Sores?

Lets face it, Cold Sores are often extremely ugly to look at, how many times do you not want to leave the house for fear of being stared at when you go out?

Despite knowing that Cold Sores are extremely common they often leave you with low self confidence and self-esteem.

What are the symptoms of Cold Sores?

Symptons include and are not limited to:

The primary infection with HSV can develop in different ways. It may cause mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Children under five are most likely to be ill from a primary infection. Your child may have:

• a high temperature and a headache
• swollen and painful gums (gingivitis)
• blisters inside the mouth (stomatitis)

Blisters will usually appear one to three weeks after getting the virus and last for 10 to 14 days.

A primary infection in adults, may cause a glandular fever type illness (sore throat and swollen tonsils with fever and headache).

After the primary infection, with or without symptoms, the virus lies dormant in your body but can reactivate and cause blisters on the lips (cold sores).

Recurrent outbreaks usually start with a tingling sensation, redness and swelling around the lip. This is followed by small, fluid-filled blisters, which break open and develop a yellow crust (scab). The scab usually falls off around seven days later.

Recurrent outbreaks usually occur in or around the same place each time. It's possible to have two to three outbreaks a year.

Common Treatments – Do they work?

In short most doctors will prescribe you some form of antibiotic to prevent infection of the bacterial variant becoming an issue but it is more about coping with the symptoms and getting back with your normal life, read this guide for more information.

Here is some Doctors advice:

Cold sores usually clear up within a week or so. There are steps that you can take to help relieve any pain or discomfort from cold sores and prevent them spreading.

• Take an over-the-counter painkiller, such as paracetamol or ibruprofen to ease any pain or discomfort.
• Over-the-counter anti-viral cold sore creams can help the cold sore clear up more quickly, particularly if applied when you first notice symptoms, such as a tingling sensation around your lips. Don't share cold sore creams with anyone else.
• Over-the-counter creams and liquids can ease irritation once the cold sore has developed.
• Occasionally, if the infection is particularly severe or frequent, your GP may prescribe anti-viral tablets.
• Try not to touch the sores and if you do, wash your hands to prevent spreading the infection.
• Don't kiss or have oral sex until you (or your partner's) cold sores have completely healed.
• Don't share any objects that may have been in contact with the virus such as a lipstick or lip-gloss, razor, face towel or cutlery.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before putting in your contact lenses. This is to prevent HSV infection spreading to your eyes.

WAIT...is there no chance of getting rid of Cold Sores?

Take some time to read this website I came across, which gives some great advice on reducing these symptoms further including:

How to identify outbreaks in the first instance before they become an issue

How to deal with existing outbreaks to make them stay away for good

How to eat correctly to avoid symptoms re-occurring

I took the time to read this and was able to give some great advice to a close friend who had suffered for years with this condition, you can read more of this guide here if you wish.