What Is a Cold Sore?
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Cold sores are patches of small, painful blisters that show up on your lips and around your mouth. They're usually caused by a strain of the herpes simplex virus -- HSV-1 -- which first enters your body through your skin or the inside of your mouth.
After the initial infection, the virus lies dormant in your skin's nerve cells... where it waits for something to trigger an outbreak -- like stress, infections, sunburn or hormones.
Before a flare-up, you may feel tingling where a blister is about to appear. Once the cold sores form, they break open, leak fluid and then scab over. Some people have outbreaks regularly, while others can go years without any symptoms.
HSV-1 can be spread to others by kissing or sharing things that touch your mouth -- like a toothbrush, razor, silverware, or lip balm.
Cold sores typically heal on their own within seven to 10 days, but there's no cure for the virus...so, once you're infected, it's with you for life. Cold sores can be painful and embarrassing, but you're not alone.
More than half of all people in the US have HSV-1, even if they don't have symptoms. With proper care and medications, you can control the spread and reduce your symptoms.
After the initial infection, the virus lies dormant in your skin's nerve cells... where it waits for something to trigger an outbreak -- like stress, infections, sunburn or hormones.
Before a flare-up, you may feel tingling where a blister is about to appear. Once the cold sores form, they break open, leak fluid and then scab over. Some people have outbreaks regularly, while others can go years without any symptoms.
HSV-1 can be spread to others by kissing or sharing things that touch your mouth -- like a toothbrush, razor, silverware, or lip balm.
Cold sores typically heal on their own within seven to 10 days, but there's no cure for the virus...so, once you're infected, it's with you for life. Cold sores can be painful and embarrassing, but you're not alone.
More than half of all people in the US have HSV-1, even if they don't have symptoms. With proper care and medications, you can control the spread and reduce your symptoms.
