How To Safely Pop A Blister
If you have a very large friction blister thats making it difficult to function, such as a massive one on the back of your heel that makes it hard to walk, carefully popping and draining the blister can help ease pain and discomfort.
To pop a blister:
To deal with smaller blisters, you can use store-bought moleskin or padded bandages to protect the area while the blister heals.
What Are Genital Herpes Sores
Genital herpes is a viral sexually transmitted infection that causes painful blisters to form in the genital area. Its caused by the herpes simplex viruseither type 1 or type 2 .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , over half a million people between 14 to 49 were newly infected with genital herpes in 2018.
If you have genital herpes, you may experience periods with no symptoms, followed by painful flares. You can transmit the virus to sexual partners even if you have no active symptoms during sexual contact.
Symptoms may include:
- Look a little bit like cauliflower
More often than not, they appear in clusters.
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Is There Anything I Can Do To Prevent Recurrent Outbreaks
It is not well understood what reactivates the herpes virus symptoms to recur. The triggers may include:
- Friction or trauma in the genital area
- Exposure to ultraviolet light
- Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
- Having a weakened immune system
A healthy lifestyle, such as a good diet, getting enough sleep and rest, exercise, and reducing stress may help limit the number of outbreaks. Using a water based lubricant during sexual intercourse can help to reduce friction and skin irriation that may trigger an outbreak in some people.
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What Are Cold Sores
Cold sores are small, fluid-filled blisters generally around your lips. Theyre a result of a herpes simplex virus type 1 infection. According to the World Health Organization more than 67% of the world population has HSV-1.
The first sign of a cold sore is a tingling sensation by your lips.
Some describe it as a hard bubble forming underneath your skin. Then, this bubble gradually turns into several fluid-filled sacs.
With time, these sacs pop, and the cold sore heals over the next few days.
How To Manage Cold Sores
Now that you know that popping cold sores can delay the healing process, here is what you should do to manage any pain and discomfort until they can finally heal on their own:
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Pain relievers using over-the-counter pain relievers can help ease the pain. When applied promptly, prescription antiviral creams and ointments are also great options to help relieve pain and inflammation while speeding up the healing process.
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Wear sunscreen sunburns can prolong the healing process. Wearing sunscreen and/or protective lip balm helps protect your lips or the affected skin from sun damage that could further affect the sores.
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Avoid foods with sour or acidic taste eating acidic foods could irritate the affected area, making you more uncomfortable.
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Compress the affected area using a cold, wet towel or ice as a compress can ease pain and reduce swelling.
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Antiviral oral medication prescription oral medications such as famciclovir and valacyclovir can also help speed up the healing process. Your doctor can prescribe this if needed.
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Moisturize the affected area use petroleum jelly or lip balm to avoid cracking.
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Can Cold Sores Be Prevented
There are steps you can take to prevent spreading cold sores to others if you have them:
- Avoid any direct physical contact with other people, particularly kissing or intimate sexual activities such as oral sex.
- Always wash your hands if you touch the affected area.
- Try not to share things like cups, cutlery, towels, toothbrushes, razors, flannels and cold sore creams with anyone else.
- Try not to pick at a cold sore as this can lead to further infection and/or scarring.
There are also ways to prevent spreading cold sores from erupting again:
- Try to avoid your triggers. Triggers are different for different people but can include things like a cold , sunlight, very windy conditions, emotional or physical stress and hormonal changes.
- Take care of your general health avoid getting run down and overly stressed.
What Comes Out Of A Burst Cold Sore
Cold sore blister is filled with clear fluid that contains herpes simplex virus , making it highly contagious when popped. If additional bacterial infection occurs, blisters can contain pus. This usually happens when you touch the blister often, and bacteria from your hands get in contact with the sore.
To recap
- Cold sores are fluid-filled skin lesions. They are the byproduct of your immune system fighting the area of infection. The liquid is usually clear, but it can also be white if it contains pus.
- Pus is natural and is nothing to be alarmed about. Although the visual is not pleasant, a natural bursting sore is a sign of healing.
- Clean away the liquid after your blister bursts. It is contagious .
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How To Prevent Cold Sores
The virus is generally passed through skin contact or by touching personal items used by an infected person. To prevent spreading cold sores, do not:
- Use someone elses lip balm
- Kiss someone who has a cold sore or has been in close contact with another person who has a cold sore
- Perform or receive oral sex with someone who may have a cold sore or genital herpes
You should also wash your hands frequently and thoroughly during a cold sore outbreak.
To prevent or reduce your risk for recurring cold sore infections, you should avoid triggers for new outbreaks and keep your immune system healthy:
What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Valacyclovir Tablets
Kidney failure and nervous system problems are not common, but can be serious in some patients taking valacyclovir tablets. Nervous system problems include aggressive behavior, unsteady movement, shaky movements, confusion, speech problems, hallucinations , seizures and coma.
Kidney failure and nervous system problems have happened in patients who already have kidney disease and in elderly patients whose kidneys do not work well due to age. Always tell your healthcare provider if you have kidney problems before taking valacyclovir tablets.
Common side effects of valacyclovir tablets in adults include headache, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and dizziness. Side effects in HIV-infected adults include headache, tiredness and rash. These side effects usually are mild and do not cause patients to stop taking valacyclovir tablets.
Other less common side effects in adults include painful periods in women, joint pain, depression, low blood cell counts and changes in tests that measure how well the liver and kidneys work. The most common side effect seen in children < 18 years of age was headache.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you develop any side effects that concern you. These are not all the side effects of valacyclovir tablets. For more information ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
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Should You Pop A Cold Sore
In today’s world of obsession with pimple popping and more, it may be very tempting to pop a cold sore, but do not do it, said Dr. Omar Ibrahimi, a Harvard trained, board-certified dermatologist. Doing so can lead to scarring, as well as spreading of the cold sores on yourself and others.
Keep in mind that the herpes virus is in the blister, so by popping it, you can spread it to other people and on other body areas including your eyes, said Viseslav Tonkovic-Capin, MD, a Kansas City-based dermatologist. Also, a blister is a natural band-aid, and if you remove it, you are increasing the chance of infection and scarring. Therefore, popping a cold sore is discouraged.
When it comes to washing your face when you have a cold sore, Dr. Ibrahimi said its okay, you just have to be careful: I would suggest using a makeup face wipe for younger patients and avoiding the area with a cold sore or being very gentle when washing the face. Adults can wash their face but should avoid rubbing or irritating the area with the cold sore and be extra gentle in that area.
Causes Of Oral And Genital Herpes
Herpes is very infectious and also very common. Two studies published in PLOS ONE estimated that in 2012, 67% of people worldwide who are under 50 are infected with HSV-1, and 11.3% of people ages 14-49 are infected by HSV-2. Some people may not be aware that they are infected because it is possible for the virus to stay dormant and not cause any symptoms until an outbreak is triggered. People with herpes sores often confuse them with common skin problems such as rashes, pimples, bug bites, razor burns, ingrown hairs, or yeast infections.
Herpes sores are caused by one of two subtypes of the herpes simplex virus :
It should be noted that either subtype of the herpes simplex virus can infect any part of the body, usually through oral sex. That is, HSV-1 can cause genital herpes, and HSV-2 can cause an oral infection.
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Stages Of A Cold Sore
Herpes is a highly infectious virus that can spread from one person to another regardless of the presence of blisters. However, cold sores are most contagious during the ulceration and weeping stage, when the virus-filled fluid is more easily spread around.
Safe Cold Sore Care: Before And After A Blister Appears
If you shouldn’t pop a cold sore, what can you do?
You can potentially prevent a cold sore from erupting with certain treatments. For instance, since sunlight can trigger an outbreak, wear a lip balm with broad-spectrum protection and at least an SPF-30 every day.
If you have Stage One symptoms, you might be on the cusp of an outbreak. You can then try these potentially preventative measures:
- Use an over-the-counter anti-viral cold sore medication containing benzyl alcohol or docosanol.
- Take prescribed anti-viral medication. If you experience frequent outbreaks, ask your doctor about prescribing a daily medication.
- Press an ice cube or cold compress to the spot where you feel the sensation.
If you have a big day coming up, try stress-reducing measures like massages, meditation, and rest to reduce the chance of an outbreak. Since illness is another trigger, stay healthy with exercise and a nutritious diet. You can also talk to your doctor about other ways to decrease your chance of an outbreak.
If a cold sore erupts, the potentially preventative measures noted above might shorten its lifespan. If you want to reduce the redness, the AAD recommends that you apply a cold, wet, clean towel on your cold sores for five to 10 minutes at various times during a day.
Though noting studies for alternative medicines have been mixed, the Mayo Clinic mentions a few of these potential remedies, such as lysine, synthetic beeswax called propolis, and cream with rhubarb and safe.
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Pimples Vs Herpes Blisters Why Do They Happen
Before we delve into what herpes looks like, lets first take a look at why it happens. It is a sexually transmitted disease, caused by skin-to-skin contact with the infected area of someone who has the Herpes Simplex Virus .
HSV comes in two forms, of which HSV-1 presents itself as blisters on the mouth , including cold sores and fever blisters, and is thus associated with oral herpes. Meanwhile, HSV-2 affects the genital region and causes genital herpes. This does not mean that anyone with blisters on their mouth must have been infected with HSV-1, as they could very well have inherited HSV-2 from an infected partners genitalia via oral sex.
On the other hand, pimples are linked to hygiene issues. They arise when dirt or oil clogs up the pores on the skin, increasing the likelihood of bacterial infection and inflammation. The pores may also be clogged by other conditions such as folliculitis or contact dermatitis .
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Are Cold Sores Contagious
Cold sores are contagious, so the virus can pass to another person through direct contact.
A cold sore sheds herpes simplex virus into the saliva, and spreads when the infected saliva contacts another persons mucosal surfaces or small cracks in the skin, says Allison Arthur, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Orlando, Florida.
Its important to note that you can also spread the virus when you dont have a blister or other symptoms. Youre still a carrier even if the virus is dormant in your body.
Youre most contagious when blisters are present, so wait until a blister completely heals and scabs over before coming in close contact with anyone.
The virus can spread through kissing, and through sharing eating utensils, drinks, and personal items, such as a towel or lipstick.
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What Can I Do If I Have A Cold Sore
For most kids, the sores go away on their own without any special treatment from a doctor. If you get a cold sore, try holding some ice wrapped in cloth or a cool washcloth on the sore. It also might help to eat a popsicle.
Sometimes, if the cold sores are making a kid sick, a doctor may prescribe a special medicine that fights the herpes simplex virus. Some kids may take acetaminophen or ibuprofen if their sores are painful.
While youre waiting for the cold sore to go away, wash your hands well and often and dont pick at it. Youll only get in the way of your bodys natural healing process. Picking at a cold sore is also bad news because its easy to spread the virus to other parts or your body, like your fingers or eyes. Worse yet, you might spread the virus to other people. No one will thank you for giving them a cold sore!
Does Toothpaste Or Hydrogen Peroxide Help
Anecdotal reports suggest that toothpaste may work as a home remedy for cold sores. Some people believe that the sodium lauryl sulfate that toothpaste often contains may dry cold sores out.
However, toothpaste also contains many other ingredients, some of which may irritate the skin and make a cold sore more painful. There is no scientific evidence to support the theory that toothpaste can treat cold sores.
Hydrogen peroxide is an antiseptic that may work to treat cold sores by aiding healing. It may also reduce the risk of other cold sores developing. People can apply a small amount of diluted hydrogen peroxide to a cold sore using a clean cotton swab.
If hydrogen peroxide or any other home remedy causes irritation, it is essential to remove the product from the skin and avoid using it again.
Cold sores typically heal by themselves within 515 days with no medical treatment, and they usually do not leave a scar. The first cold sores that people have may take longer to heal, at up to 3 weeks.
OTC treatments or antiviral medications may help speed up the healing process by 1 day .
Most people do not need to see their doctor for cold sore treatment. However, a person should seek medical help if they:
- have a cold sore close to their eye
- notice signs of an infection spreading to other areas
- have a cold sore for longer than 15 days
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How Do I Dry Out A Cold Sore Safely
The safest ways to dry out a cold sore is with over-the-counter remedies or prescription medications .
The tingle stage, also known as the prodromal stage, could also be called the proactive stage. Because cold sores give a bit of a warning before the formation of a blister, this can give you 24-48 hours to take immediate action.
The decision to pop a cold sore should be avoided. It may sometimes speed up the healing process, but its more likely to introduce new and more significant skin problems. If it leads to scarring or spreads the virus, youll instantly regret turning to this quick fix.
Instead, treat is with cold sore treatment products during the tingling stage for 72-hour healing!
- FAST HEALING ultra-thin Hydrocolloid Gel provides a moist environment to help: relieve pain, reduce the blistering and prevent scabbing.
How Often Do Outbreaks Occur
The number of outbreaks someone has varies from person to person. The average number of outbreaks for a person with genital HSV-2 is four to five per year. The average for genital HSV-1 is less than one outbreak per year.
Usually, there are more outbreaks during the first year, and many people find that outbreaks become less severe and less frequent with time.
Herpes triggers are highly individual, but with time, many people learn to recognize, and sometimes avoid, factors that seem to reactivate HSV in their own bodies. Illness, poor diet, emotional or physical stress, friction in the genital area, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light , surgical trauma, and steroidal medication may trigger a herpes outbreak.
The frequency of outbreaks can often be managed through effective stress management, and getting adequate rest, nutrition, and exercise. For people with frequent outbreaks, suppressive therapy with any one of the antiviral treatments can reduce outbreaks by as much as 80%.
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