Dealing With Embarrassing Cold Sores

The truth is, it's hard to look good to feel good when a cold sore rears it's ugly head. You've tried make-up but it doesn't seem to help. In fact, even the smallest cold sore to you probably looks like a Mount St. Helen's eruption when it's on your face. At least that's probably the way you see it, even if others don't.

Cold sores are those awful eruptions that are caused by the herpes virus. They always appear at just the least opportune moment, most often during times of stress or illness. Cold sores are also called fever blisters, and they first make their impending appearance known by tingling and a hard area under the skin, which is soon followed by an eruption of small blisters or fluid filled vesicles.

There is no fast way to get rid of a cold sore, and no way to cover it up until it heals. You are just stuck with it. However, it is possible hasten the process by applying various topical applications for treatment of cold sores, or by taking a prescription anti-viral medication.

OK, let's back up a bit and talk about what exactly a cold sore is.

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, and they usually appear on the lips, but can erupt on the nostrils or fingers as well. Once exposure to the virus has occurred, it may take up to twenty days for symptoms to appear. After the vesicles appear, they will soon pop and the fluid will form a yellow crust, which will slough off as the lesion heals.

This process usually takes from seven to ten days, during which you can’t really cover it up. Once the cold sore has healed, the virus lies dormant in the nerve cells under the skin, and then reoccurs with exposure to the sun, illness, stress, or menstruation.

Like anything else, the severity and frequency of a cold sore depends largely on the individual. And while there is no cure, there are ways to lower the occurrences and quicken the healing.

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For people that get cold sores frequently, oral anti-viral medications are the best defense against repeated outbreaks. Drugs such as acyclovir are very effective in lessening the severity of the cold sore and speeding up healing time. This medication is taken as soon as cold sore symptoms appear, and is continued through at the least five days. By this time the cold sore is almost gone, and topical ointments can also be used to dry it up quicker.

If you are someone who gets cold sores frequently, there are a few steps you can take so that you don’t get them as frequently. Keep your hands clean and keep them off your face. If you feel a cold sore coming on, don’t touch it, especially if the blisters have opened. This can spread the virus to other areas or to others by touch, or by sharing eating utensils or kissing. The virus is most contagious while the cold sore is weeping and can remain so even after the area has healed.

Be sure to wear sunscreen when outdoors, limit exposure to the sun, and get plenty of rest to prevent a new outbreak. The herpes virus that causes cold sores can also cause genital herpes. If you need more information on cold sores and the herpes virus, the mayo clinic is a good source.

If they pop up very infrequently, you probably don't need to do much. But if you get cold sores regularly, a visit to your doctor is highly recommended. Together you can decide on the best course of action for you.