Causes Of Whiteheads On The Lip Line
It is vital to first differentiate between cold sores and pimples. According to WebMD, pimples are tender, small red bumps, which tend to have a white, black, and in some cases no tip at all. You should realize that pimples have the potential to appear on anywhere on your skin surface, and it could be painful to the touch.
On the other hand, cold sores tend to be smaller and could be fluid filled. Also, you will notice that they tend to cluster in a single area, and are mainly brought about infections . When they are incepted, the cold sores may cause a burning feeling, as well as being very itchy. Although there are cold sores, which do not come with any symptoms, there are certain signs that could accompany this infection e.g.
- Feelings of tiredness and muscle aches
Complications Of Cold Sores
Cold sores are usually mild, but may cause complications in rare cases. People with weak immune systems caused by illness or treatments such as chemotherapy are particularly at risk of complications.
Dehydration sometimes occurs if drinking fluids becomes painful. Young children are particularly at risk of becoming dehydrated.
The herpes simplex virus can also spread to other parts of your body. Examples of when this can occur include:
- skin infections these often occur if the virus comes into contact with broken skin, such as a cut or graze, or a skin condition such as eczema
- herpetic whitlow this causes painful sores and blisters to appear on and around your fingers
- herpetic keratoconjunctivitis this causes swelling and irritation of your eye area and sores to develop on your eyelids
Left untreated, herpetic keratoconjunctivitis can cause the cornea, the transparent layer at the front of your eye, to become infected, which can eventually lead to blindness.
Its therefore important not to touch your eyes if you have an unhealed cold sore. If you must touch your eyes for example, to remove contact lenses wash your hands thoroughly first.
In very rare cases, encephalitis, a condition where the brain becomes inflamed and swollen, can be caused by the cold sore virus spreading to the brain. It can be treated with intravenous injections of antiviral medications, such as aciclovir.
Can I Still Have Sex If I Have Herpes
If you have herpes, you should talk to your sex partner about their risk. Using condoms may help lower this risk but it will not get rid of the risk completely. Having sores or other symptoms of herpes can increase your risk of spreading the disease. Even if you do not have any symptoms, you can still infect your sex partners.
You may have concerns about how genital herpes will impact your health, sex life, and relationships. While herpes is not curable, it is important to know that it is manageable with medicine. Daily suppressive therapy can lower your risk of spreading the virus to others. Talk to a healthcare provider about your concerns and treatment options.
A genital herpes diagnosis may affect how you will feel about current or future sexual relationships. Knowing how to talk to sexual partners about STDs is important.
Also Check: How To Relieve Genital Herpes Pain
What Causes Cold Sores In A Child
The most common strain of the virus that causes cold sores is herpes simplex virus 1. The herpes simplex virus in a cold sore is contagious. It can be spread to others by kissing, sharing cups or utensils, sharing washcloths or towels, or by touching the cold sore before it is healed. The virus can also be spread to others 24 to 48 hours before the cold sore appears.
Once a child is infected with the herpes simplex virus, the virus becomes inactive for long periods of time. It can then become active at any time and cause cold sores. The cold sores usually dont last longer than 2 weeks. Hot sun, cold wind, illness, or a weak immune system can cause cold sores to occur.
How Do Dermatologists Treat Herpes Simplex
There is no cure for herpes simplex. The good news is that sores often clear without treatment. Many people choose to treat herpes simplex because treatment can relieve symptoms and shorten an outbreak.
Most people are treated with an antiviral medicine. An antiviral cream or ointment can relieve the burning, itching, or tingling. An antiviral medicine that is oral or intravenous can shorten an outbreak of herpes.
Prescription antiviral medicines approved for the treatment of both types of herpes simplex include:
Taken daily, these medicines can lessen the severity and frequency of outbreaks. They also can help prevent infected people from spreading the virus.
You May Like: Do They Test For Herpes
When Should I Call My Doctor About My Cold Sores
You should seek treatment for a cold sore if you have:
- Numerous, frequent or extremely painful cold sores
- An outbreak that doesnt clear up on its own in about 2 weeks
- Sores on your eyes, hands, genitals, or another part of your body
- A compromised immune system, or if you are undergoing chemotherapy or taking medication that weakens your immune system
Home Remedies And Lifestyle
When used early, several remedies can help relieve pain and reduce swelling and even trim the period of cold sores.
Consider the following:
Apply cold compresses
Put a well-protected ice pack on the affected areas until you feel better. Cold wont make an injury worse or better, but it can reduce pain.
Do not scratch
Avoid irritating and touching herpetic lesions. It can spread the disease to other areas of the skin.
Keep wounds clean
You can contract herpes infections from the bacteria on your hands or, in the latter case, in your feces or urine. Thus, keep sores and blisters and the places around them neat and dry to evade further infection.
Reduce stress
Stress can impair your immune systems ability to control a herpes infection. Thus, relieving stress may aid in preventing excessive recurrences of herpes.
Don’t Miss: What Happens When You Get Herpes
Awareness Information Is No Substitute For A Doctors Care
Cold sores, also called fever blisters, present an annoying problem from the standpoint of their unpredictable breakout pattern and the eyesore they create.
There are two herpes viruss that cause herpes type sore outbreaks. Herpes Simplex is responsible for outbreaks of lesions mainly on the lips , while Herpes Simplex2 is responsible for genital herpes.
Treatments for both conditions do not cure the problem. Rather, they help make the duration time of the sores be shorter and the severity less. In both instances medicine must be applied at the first sign of an eruption . This article will focus on Herpes Simplex1 and cold sores of the mouth.
The literature on the subject frequently describes the beginning of a cold sore as eliciting a tingling sensation near the mouth. It is at this time that anti-viral medicine for cold sores should be taken. This is important as a fever blister is something one is usually very self-conscious about. Facial outbreaks are hard to hide. It is a difficult problem to handle in the work a day world. Most cold sores last anywhere from 10 to 14 days. Complete healing is required to prevent the spread of the virus through contact.
The following are medicines commonly prescribed by physicians for cold sores: acyclovir 5% cream , penciclovir 1% cream , famciclovir , valacyclovir , and oral acyclovir. These medicines actually work against the Herpes Simplex1 virus.
What Home Remedies And Over
Home remedies
Home remedies include applying a cool wet compress to the lesion to decrease pain and keep the lesion from drying and cracking. Applying compresses too often will cause more drying, however, so a moisturizing balm should be applied after the lesion is first softened with a wet compress. Lemon balm and L-lysine are popularly used as home remedies. While there is there is very limited data suggesting that these substances have antiviral properties, and not enough data to support recommendations, these remedies seem generally well tolerated for those who wish to try them at their own risk.
Natural treatment options provide pain relief and treat cold sores
Lemon balm, L-lysine supplements, citrus bioflavonoids, Lactobacillus acidophilus and bulgaricus, vitamin C, vitamin E oil, and vitamin B12 have also been considered in the potential treatment of herpes simplex virus, but there is no good clinical evidence to support these treatments. Lemon balm may have some anti-herpes properties, but it is impossible to tell if it is effective in affected people from the few laboratory experiments that have been published. L-lysine similarly has limited laboratory data suggesting antiviral properties and has been touted for reducing recurrence of herpes. Unfortunately, results in patients with cold sores have been highly variable and there are no high quality studies suggesting benefit.
Also Check: How Do Herpes Look Like On Lips
What Is The Outlook For Patients Who Have Cold Sores
The majority of people who develop cold sores learn to live with and manage their outbreaks. In healthy people, cold sores usually clear up in one to two weeks and have no lasting effects. However, in young babies, immunocompromised people and those with eczema, cold sores can cause life-threatening infections.
How Can I Reduce My Risk Of Herpes Simplex
Preventing HSV-1
You can reduce your risk of contracting HSV-1 by avoiding physical contact with someone who has a cold sore. People can still spread HSV-1 when cold sores arent present, but its less likely.
If someone has an active HSV-1 infection, avoid:
- Sharing utensils, cups, lip balms or other personal care products.
- Touching the skin near their mouth.
Preventing HSV-2
If youre sexually active, you can take these steps to protect yourself and others from the herpes virus and other STIs:
- Be monogamous with one sexual partner or limit your number of partners.
- Get tested for STIs and complete any prescribed treatment.
- Tell your sexual partners if you have genital herpes so they can get tested.
- Use condoms during intercourse and dental dams during oral sex.
Wash your hands often if you have an outbreak or are around someone with symptoms.
If your sexual partner has genital herpes, these actions can lower your risk of getting the virus:
- Dont have sex when your partner has active symptoms. Condoms may not cover all sores, so you may still get the virus.
- Make sure your partner takes antiviral medication as prescribed.
- Wait to have sex until scabs fall off active lesions.
You May Like: How To Prevent Recurrent Genital Herpes
What Causes Cold Sores On Lips
The cause of these blisters is Herpes simplex virus and surprisingly 90% of adults worldwide have this virus in their body and some may not even know about it. So, that means the virus is incredibly common.
Herpes viruses remain inactive in the body until something triggers an outbreak and the most common triggers for cold sores are: Weak immune system, Stress, cold, sunlight, and hormonal changes.
Cold sores are transmittable, and you can get one if someone who has it, touched their sore and then touched you. It can be transferred by sharing utensils, by kissing, and touching.
Now if you have questions in mind like, how do I stop getting cold sores?
Answer is, Strong immune system.
To avoid an outbreak of any viruses in the body, it is important to have a strong immune system. Week immune system is one of the reasons you may have cold sores on lips.
There are so many herbs like Ashwagandha, Moringa, Tulsi, Ginger, Garlic, and many others that are great natural immunity boosters.
How to get rid of cold sore in mouth how to get rid of a cold sore fast treatments and home remes what is the difference between angular cheilitis and herpes simplex type 1 10 cold sore faqs answered everyday health
How To Get Rid Of Cold Sore In Mouth
How To Get Rid Of A Cold Sore Fast Treatments And Home Remes
What Is The Difference Between Angular Cheilitis And Herpes Simplex Type 1
10 Cold Sore Faqs Answered Everyday Health
Popping A Cold Sore What Happens And To Do Instead
Symptoms Of Oral Herpes
The symptoms of oral herpes vary and depend on whether you are experiencing your first outbreak or a subsequent occurrence.
First Outbreak
The first outbreak of oral herpes is usually much worse than subsequent outbreaks. During the first outbreak, you may get cold sores in and around your mouth. Some people also get them in their throat. During this preliminary outbreak, you may also have flu-like symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, or you may just feel generally ill.
The outbreak of cold sores starts as fluid-filled blisters that are very contagious. After a few days, the blisters will leak fluid and become sores. The sores may last up to a week before they start to heal.
Subsequent outbreaks
At least 25% of people who get oral herpes have a secondary outbreak after the first one. Subsequent outbreaks can include symptoms in the area where the cold sores will develop such as:
You will learn what getting a cold sore feels like for you. Subsequent outbreaks are usually much milder than the initial one.
Read Also: Is Hiv And Herpes Test The Same
What Are The Risk Factors For Herpes
Some risk factors for herpes may include:
-Having unprotected sex
-Having sex with multiple partners
-Kissing someone with a herpes virus that is active
-Abuse of cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs
-Spreading the virus by touching a cold sore and then touching something else
-Having an autoimmune disorder or illness, such as hepatitis or HIV/AIDS
-Poor eating habits that cause nutritional deficiencies
Recommended Reading: How To Know If I Got Herpes
Treatment Of Cold Sores
Currently, there are no cures or vaccines for cold sores caused by the herpes simplex virus . Frequent hand washing will help reduce the spread of the virus to other parts of the body or to other people. Also, applying cool, moist compresses to the lesion may decrease pain and keep the lesion from drying and cracking.
- Many people acquire the virus and have no symptoms or signs.
- For others, painful fluid-filled small blisters appear near the area where the virus entered the body.
- Typically, the blisters heal completely but may reappear at some point in the future.
- In between attacks, the virus resides deep in the roots of the nerves of the involved area.
- When herpes simplex flare-ups appear in their most common location, around the mouth, chin, and upper lip, people often refer to them as “cold sores” or “fever blisters.”
- Oral herpes may cause ulcers, fluid-filled blisters, or sores anywhere inside the mouth, including the gums and the tongue.
- It may also cause sores inside the nose and around the nostrils. Herpes may also affect the eye.
Don’t Miss: Can You Join The Military With Herpes
Can I Treat Herpes Simplex At Home
Avoiding known triggers, such as illness or stress, can help reduce how often you have herpes outbreaks.
How can I ease my symptoms during an outbreak of HSV-1 ?
- Over-the-counter creams such as L-lysine, benzocaine or docosanol .
- Applying ice to blisters or sores.
How can I ease my symptoms during an outbreak of HSV-2 ?
- Apply an ice pack to your genitals. Wrap the ice pack in a washcloth or apply it over your underwear.
- Keep your genitals dry. Wear cotton or other nonsynthetic underpants and avoid tight-fitting clothes. Moist sores take longer to heal.
- Soak in a warm bath.
- Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain.
- Topical 1% or 2% lidocaine may be used as a topical analgesic.
How Does It Spread
Oral herpes is transmitted through direct contact between the infected persons contagious area and another persons mucous membrane tissue, such as the mouth or genitals. If a cut is present, the virus enters through broken skin. However, a person does not have to be showing any symptoms to transmit mouth herpes.
Donât Miss: How Many Mg Of Lysine For Herpes
Also Check: How To Pass On Herpes
How To Use Rhubarb And Sage Cream On A Cold Sore
Apply a cream combining rhubarb and sage directly to lesions three to four times a day.
Topical zinc oxide cream may shorten the duration of cold sores.
In a , cold sores treated with zinc oxide went away, on average, 1 1/2 days sooner than those treated with placebo. Zinc oxide also reduced blistering, soreness, itching, and tingling.
When Should I See My Doctor
You may need to see a doctor if you have more severe symptoms or a weakened immune system if, for example, you have HIV or you are having cancer treatment.
Its also a good idea to see your doctor if:
- there are signs the cold sore is infected, such as redness around the sore, pus and a fever
- you arent sure you have a cold sore
- the cold sore isnt healing, its spreading or you have more than one cold sore
- your cold sore has spread to near your eyes
- you get cold sores often
Antibiotics may be needed if the cold sore gets infected.
Also Check: Will Herpes Go Away Without Medicine
Read Also: How To Heal Herpes Lesions
Is There A Cure For Herpes Simplex
There is no cure for herpes simplex. Once you have the virus, its a lifelong infection.
What is the outlook for people with herpes simplex?
For many people, the first herpes outbreak is the most severe. Many outbreaks are less frequent and milder after the first year of infection. Some people may have only one outbreak and never have another again.
Herpes infection doesnt usually pose a serious health risk. The risk of a health complication due to herpes is higher in infants and if you have HIV/AIDS, cancer or an organ transplant.
How To Prevent Herpes
But most people have sex at some point in their lives, so knowing how to have safer sex is important. Using protection like condoms and dental dams when you have sex helps to lower your risk of getting an STD.
Herpes can live on areas of your body that arent protected by condoms , so condoms wont always protect you from herpes. But they do lower your chances of getting herpes.
Dont have sex with anyone during a herpes outbreak, because thats when it spreads most easily. But herpes can also spread when there are no sores or symptoms, so its important to use condoms and dental dams, even if everything looks and feels A-OK.
Recommended Reading: How Often Does Herpes Occur
Recommended Reading: What Does Herpes Look Like When It Starts