Cold sore :( popped up over night.

Nov 14, 2013

Kyraa D.

Abreva! I think I spelt that right xD
but it works really good for everyone I know who gets Cold Sores

Nov 14, 2013

Mistreece L.

On rare occasions you can get a pimple there. It may not be a cold sore. Make sure you distinguish what it is first before applying anything that can potentially make it worse.

Nov 14, 2013

Emily W.

If its tingling, it is likely a cold sore. Abreva can help, especially if you start applying it early (before the blisters appear). Some people recommend ice if it is painful, but I find it makes the itching worse- you may try it though if you think it can help. Otherwise, keep it clean (no makeup) and don't touch it! If you do touch it, wash your hands immediately. Don't kiss anyone until it has completely healed. You also shouldn't share makeup with anyone.

If you've never had one, they can be a little disconcerting. The tingling will turn into a fluid-filled blister (or several small blisters). This can happen very quickly, so recognizing that tingle is the only warning you'll get. The blisters will dry and scab over in a few days. During this stage the sore can be unbearably itchy- do not pick or scratch! Treat it like an open wound (it technically is), and keep it clean. You don't want a secondary infection to take advantage of the broken skin. After a few days or up to a week or two later (depending on the severity of the outbreak), it will start to heal. The scab will fall off and the new skin underneath will be exposed. YOU ARE STILL INFECTIOUS DURING THIS TIME. Be careful not to damage the new skin. Cold sores, especially severe ones, can scar.

Sadly, cold sores are pesky and permanent part of life. Because the herpes virus has no cure, those of us who get outbreaks have to live with them. Fortunately they are not serious (unless they are on the eye, which can be very bad). I know you said you've never had one, but in the future if you find you have outbreaks more often, you can take a prescription antiviral like Valcyclovir (generic for Valtrex) which helps keep them at bay. Be aware that even when you aren't having an outbreak, you can still infect other people. Viral shedding occurs without any symptoms, and there's no way to know when it happens. Use caution when kissing others (especially children), don't share cosmetics, and use protection during sexual acts (if not now, in the future). It is a nuisance and a little unsightly, but not something to be ashamed of. Estimates show that nearly 90% of adults (in the US at least) have the hsv-ii virus. Most got it in childhood. Totally normal part of life.

Hopefully yours goes away quickly! Damn things are annoying as all get out.

Nov 14, 2013

rosemily d.

Thank you kyra and mistreece :)and Emily that sounds scary! but thanks so much for the info

Nov 14, 2013

Diana J.

The main idea is to dry it out, but after evetything Emily've posted feel so luck that I'm the only person from my family that don't have it:-)

Nov 15, 2013

Selia H.

Dnt touch it try to keep it dry & sounds crazy &painful but I put lemon juice sumtimes lemon &chilly together I don't know I just think the acid in lemon will kill the bacteria

Nov 15, 2013

Emily W.

Some people claim that Lysine helps, but I've never seen any evidence to suggest it.

Cold sores are caused by a virus that lives in the skin. There aren't many things that are able to act on the virus (which is why there's no cure). Antibacterial agents will only help if an opportunistic infection takes advantage of the open sore; they won't help the sore itself. Applying anything acidic (lemons) or irritating (chili peppers?!) will just make the sore phytosensitive (reactive to sunlight) and cause scarring, as well as slowing healing time by adding more irritation to the delicate wound.

You can still use a gentle, unscented lotion on it to keep it from cracking and getting worse. Treat it kind of like a tattoo: slightly moisturized, don't touch it, don't itch at it, keep it clean to prevent secondary infection.

Nov 15, 2013

Emily W.

Quick addition: You don't need to dry it out; it will dry itself. The blisters will drain and crust/scab over in a couple of days. Think of it like a burn: blisters --> dries and scabs --> scabs come off, new skin --> healed.

Nov 15, 2013

Eve J.

The cold sore virus actually lives in the brain and appears when your immune system is run down like when you have a cold or the flu

Nov 15, 2013

Emily W.

Not true, Eve. There is a type of herpes virus that can infect the brain (it causes a form of encephalitis). However, the blood-brain barrier prevents infection from traveling from the body to the brain (except in extremely rare cases of certain severe parasites, fungi, virii, or bacteria).

Herpes simplex virus I is a virus that lives in the nerves under the skin where it was first contracted. For most, this is the mouth, chin, or even nose. In those who have outbreaks, it can be triggered by stress, poor hygiene, menstruation, illness, or just appear randomly.

It rarely "travels" on an individual to another part of their body, because the body already has the virus present and cannot contract it again. Exceptions include the eye and the genitals, both of which can be self-contracted accidentally if one is not careful.

There are other types of herpes that affect other parts of the body, but they are different strains of the virus. HSV-I is oral herpes (cold sores), HSV-II is genital herpes, Herpetic Whicklow is herpes on the fingers or hands, Herpes Zoster aka Varicella-Zoster is chickenpox/shingles (which is why you can have both more than once), Herpes Gladitorum affects the body and is common to contact sports, and Ocular Herpes (herpes on the eye) are all different strains of the herpes virus. You can be infected with different strains, even if you have one of them.

Nov 15, 2013

rosemily d.

Okay thanks again Emily I will continue using it to keep it from cracking and thanks Eva!

Nov 16, 2013

Keva S.

Real vanilla extract or lemon juice should last 3 days at most.

Nov 16, 2013

rosemily d.

thanks keva

Nov 16, 2013

Selia H.

I don't know what that is... I don't know if it says its for that &someone good to you recommended it go ahead

Nov 16, 2013

Selia H.

If you dnt want the rest of your lips to get dried put chap stick on everything except there &make sure not to pucker them after big mistake