Is It Bad To Pop Herpes Blisters

What Can Be Done To Ease The Caused Pain

Many people are tempted to pop fever blisters because they possibly have some difficulties differentiating those from pimples and as a result, treat the bumps as acne pimples. In addition, some patients tend to have the urge to pop the fluid-filled blisters as they think this may help ease the caused pain.

Herpes is painful because the virus does not only affect your skin surface, but also the nucleus beneath the skin, close to the nerves. It is not surprising, therefore, that broken blisters that are resulted from popping intensify the pain.

Despite this, there are some remedies you can perform in order to ease herpes-caused pain.

1. Applying cold sore gel or ointment over the affected area

Acylclovir is one of the most common substance used for treating herpes and chickenpox outbreak. Acyclovir-containing ointments will help shooting your skin from both oral and genital herpes outbreaks.

2. Concealing herpes blisters with petroleum jelly

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.

It’s 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.

Why Shouldnt You Pop A Cold Sore

Beyond prolonging the healing process and increasing your risk of spreading cold sores to other parts of the body or to other people, there are several other reasons not to pop a cold sore.

• More Infection: When your fingertip comes into contact with an open cold sore, viruses, bacteria, and fungi can enter into the sore and potentially cause a painful infection. Having another infection will further slow down the healing process and only make the affected area more visible.
• More Pain: The pain of a regular cold sore is nothing compared to the pain and discomfort from a popped cold sore. Popping a cold sore creates recurring pain of an open lesion on or around your lips.
• Scarring: Cold sores dont usually scar when left alone to heal, but squeezing a cold sore inflames the area, making it more prone to permanent scarring.

If you cant catch a cold sore in the early stages, you might be able to significantly reduce the amount of time required for it to scab, heal and disappear. Therefore, instead of popping your cold sore, make sure you avoid touching or scratching it. If your cold sore is painful or uncomfortable, you can use Blister Balm® External Analgesic Ointment, an over-the-counter 100% naturally medicated cold sore treatment for pain and itching associated with cold sores.

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What Are The Best Ways To Get Rid Of A Cold Sore

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for cold sores, and it can take between two to four weeks for a cold sore to heal on its own. But, there are things you can do to make them go away faster.

Here are three things that can help soothe a cold sore or make it clear up faster:

1. Try home remedies. When used early, there are several remedies that can help ease the pain and reduce swelling and may even shorten the duration of a cold sore:

• Cold, damp washcloth
• Pain relievers, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen

2. Apply topical creams and ointments. There are a few over-the-counter anesthetic ointments and creams that can help control pain, such as lidocaine or benzocaine. Some products, such as those containing docosanol or benzyl alcohol, may even promote faster healing when used early and in plentiful amounts.

3. Take prescription medications. There are antiviral drugs that can help cold sores heal faster, including acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir and penciclovir. If you’re having frequent outbreaks or experiencing some of the serious side effects of having a cold sore, your doctor may consider prescribing antiviral medication.

“To get rid of a cold sore quickly, the best thing you can do is start treating it as soon as possible,” says Dr. Brown. “A burning or tingling sensation on your lips or face can be an early warning sign that a cold sore is developing, and the earlier you start reducing swelling and treating the cold sore, the faster it will heal.”

When Should I Call My Doctor About My Cold Sores

You should seek treatment for a cold sore if you have:

• Eczema
• 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
• HIV or cancer
• A compromised immune system, or if you are undergoing chemotherapy or taking medication that weakens your immune system

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What Causes Cold Sores

The herpes simplex virus type 1 causes cold sores. This is a different from herpes simplex virus type 2 . HSV-2 causes lesions in the genital area called genital herpes. Even though HSV-1 typically causes sores around the mouth and HSV-2 causes genital sores, these viruses can cause sores in either place.

Make Your Own Cold Sore Solution

Dr. Robinson advises making a cold sore treatment solution with Domeboro, a powder available at drugstores that’s used to help with skin irritation . Just dissolve the tablets or powder in about 12 to 16 ounces of water. Youll notice some gunk at the bottom of the glassthats okay.

Then dunk a thin cloth, like a handkerchief or pillowcase, into the glass. Wring it out and lay it on the blistering area for about 15 to 30 minutes. Repeat two to three times a day until the sores dry out. It takes some effort, but many people find the effort to be worth it.

It sucks the moisture and water out of the blister, says Dr. Robinson. I can get someone who has an outbreak to scab within 3 days using thatwhich otherwise might take a week to 10 days.

Once its dry, stop the soaks and keep the area moist with a topical antibiotic ointment like Neosporin. This helps prevent secondary bacterial infectionmeaning it keeps any opportunistic bacteria from jumping into the broken skin and causing you more troubleand aids the healing process. Another way to keep bacteria outdon’t pop the blister! People pick at anything on their skin, so it can be tempting to do that, says Dr. Young. If you get an additional infection, that not only makes the sore stick around longer it can also lead to scarring.

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How Can I Avoid Getting Genital Herpes

No vaccine can protect you from HSV infection, but you can do some things to prevent getting infected:

Limit the number of sexual partners you have in your lifetime.

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What Is A Cold Sore

Cold sores, also referred to as fever blisters, are small fluid-filled skin blisters that usually appear on the lips or around the mouth. These sores are comprised of many small blisters that make up one painful sore. Cold sores are caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 . The herpes virus is extremely prevalent and according to the World Health Organization, more than 67 percent of all people under 50 have this virus. This might in part be due to the fact that this virus is very contagious, as we will later learn in this article.

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Genital Herpes Symptoms & Treatment

FAST FACTS

• Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection that causes infected sores or blisters.

• Its caused by the herpes simplex virus which can be passed on through close genital contact.

• You can reduce your chances of getting genital herpes by using condoms or dental dams during sex.

• If you think you have symptoms of genital herpes you should see a healthcare worker, they can take a swab from a blister and test to confirm if its caused by the herpes simplex virus.

• Treatment can help with herpes outbreaks, but the virus cannot be cured and will remain in the body. This means that blisters normally come back once in a while.

Is Genital Herpes Contagious

Yes. When blisters or crusts are present, the virus can be passed by direct contact to others. But the virus can be just as contagious even when you cannot see any sores. Using condoms helps to prevent the spread of infectionbut condoms cannot protect you completely. Because HSV also causes cold sores on the mouth, a person with cold sores can spread HSV through mouth contact with the genital area of another person. The virus can also be carried on hands from the mouth to another area. You can even spread the virus to yourself by touching cold sores on your mouth and then touching other areas of your body.

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What Is Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a viral infection. It is caused by the herpes simplex virus, which is called HSV for short. One form of the herpes virus causes cold sores around the mouth or lips. This kind can be passed around if someone touches the cold sore and then touches another person.

Genital herpes is caused by another form of the virus. It causes sores in the genital area and can be spread from person to person by direct skin contact with a person who has the infection.

Ways To Soothe Herpes Sores

• Soothing ointment:Lidocaine pain cream is an extremely effective topical pain reliever that can be applied directly to a herpes sore to reduce the severity of the outbreak.
• Warm and cold compresses: Both warm and cold compresses can soothe herpes blisters, keeping the painful symptoms at bay. They can also reduce swelling, too. You may find that your body responds better to one over the other or alternating between the two. So try what works best for you!
• Over-the-counter pain relief: Consider getting a general pain reliever that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen to minimize the painful symptoms you have.
• Aloe vera: You may already have this helpful treatment because it’s often used to soothe redness and pain from a sunburn . The same goes for using aloe vera on genital sores. Its anti-inflammatory properties can help you feel better, faster. Be sure to use an all-natural source of aloe and avoid any extra additives.
• Peeing in a bath: Kinda weird, but you may feel pain when you pee because your urine is running over your open sores, which can make you dread going to the bathroom. Ease the pain and discomfort with a quick, cozy bath. Try filling a tub with warm water, lowering yourself in it and urinating in there instead. It’ll help you avoid irritating your sores and making them worse. With this little trick, you can pee in peace.

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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.

Is It A Cold Sore Or A Canker Sore

Cold sores are a cluster of blisters that first appear clear then become cloudy. First infection may be inside the mouth, but cold sores generally appear outside the mouth on the lips.

Canker sores are gray or white sores surrounded by a red inflamed area. They occur only inside the mouth, on the tongue or the insides of the cheeks, lips or throat.

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How Common Is Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is very common. One of every five people in this country has genital herpes. People who have sex with many partners are most likely to get it. When women with genital herpes get pregnant, they can pass the infection to their baby during delivery. New babies can get really sick from herpes. If the infection is bad, the infant may even die.

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 you’re waiting for the cold sore to go away, wash your hands well and often and don’t pick at it. You’ll only get in the way of your body’s natural healing process. Picking at a cold sore is also bad news because it’s 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!

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How To Get Rid Of Herpes Sores Fast

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• Lifestyle changes: One of the best things you can do to help your herpes sores heal fast is to adopt a lifestyle that supports your immune system. This means getting the proper amount of sleep most nights and eating nourishing foods full of antioxidants.
• A dry and clean vagina: You may be hesitant to clean down there because you don’t want to make it worse. But when you gently wash with fragrance-free soap, you’ll be making sure that your sores and your genital area remain clean. Once you’re out of the shower or bath, dry completely before putting on fresh cotton underwear.
• Baking soda: Your sores are open and swollen, so finding a solution that helps dry them out will naturally lead to a quicker healing process. Put just a little baking soda in a bowl, then dip a wet Q-tip into it and apply it to the affected area.
• Medication: At wisp, we have suppressive and episodic medication for your herpes. We also carry options to manage the severity of your sore symptoms and Lidocaine pain and Acyclovir creams to promote a faster healing process with less pain. Also, it’s so important to take medication as prescribed to help your body heal fast. Even if your sores are going away quickly, keep taking your prescription for as long as you’re supposed to.

What Can You Do To Speed Up Outbreaks

What can you do to get rid of a cold sore faster than the expected seven to ten days? Try these techniques and strategies to limit the amount of time you spend feeling uncomfortable and humiliated by your cold sore blisters. If continued outbreaks occur, its always best to consult with your physician.

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How Long Will It Take To Heal On Its Own

The time it takes for a cold sore to heal varies from person to person. Generally, cold sores heal within a few days to two weeks without any treatment. If your cold sore lasts longer than 15 days or you have a compromised immune system from cancer treatment or from a medical condition, such as HIV, speak to your doctor.