Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Jan 26 - Flipbook - Page 11
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Cold sores might be small, but they can cause big discomfort.
These pesky blisters, which tend to pop up around the mouth, are
incredibly common and can strike when you least expect them.
While there’s no permanent cure, the good news is that they can
be managed easily with the right care and a li琀琀le know-how.
What exactly are cold sores?
triggers include:
Cold sores, also called herpes
labialis, are 琀椀ny 昀氀uid-昀椀lled
blisters that usually appear
on or around the lips.
They’re caused by the herpes
simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), the same virus that can
some琀椀mes cause sores in
other areas, such as inside the
nose or even, through oral
contact, the genitals.
Too much sun exposure
Once you’ve had the virus,
it stays in your body for
life. Most of the 琀椀me, it lies
dormant (asleep) in the nerve
cells, but every now and then
it can wake up and cause
another cold sore.
(especially without
lip protec琀椀on)
You’re de昀椀nitely not alone if
you get cold sores. The World
Health Organiza琀椀on es琀椀mates
that about two out of three
people under 50 have HSV1. In Australia, studies show
that around three quarters of
adults have been exposed to
the virus at some point. Many
never have symptoms, while
others no琀椀ce the familiar
琀椀ngle before a blister appears.
Why do they come back?
A昀琀er the 昀椀rst infec琀椀on, the
virus hides away in the
body, ready to reac琀椀vate
when triggered. Common
Yes — and most contagious
when the blister is visible or
during the 琀椀ngling phase just
before it appears. The virus
spreads through close contact
such as kissing, sharing drinks
or utensils, and even lip balm.
It’s best to avoid these un琀椀l the
sore has completely healed.
• Stress or lack of sleep
• Colds, 昀氀u or fever (hence
the name “cold” sore)
• Hormonal changes, such as
around menstrua琀椀on
Interes琀椀ngly, people can s琀椀ll
spread the virus even when
there’s no sore present,
though it’s less likely.
• Fa琀椀gue or illness
Some people get cold
sores a few 琀椀mes a year,
while others might go years
between outbreaks.
What do they look and
feel like?
Most people can tell when a
cold sore is on its way. The
How common are they?
Are they contagious?
昀椀rst sign is usually a 琀椀ngling,
burning or itching sensa琀椀on
around the lip area. Within
a day or two, small blisters
form, o昀琀en in a cluster. They
eventually burst, crust over,
and heal within about a week
to ten days.
While they’re most common
around the mouth, cold
sores can also appear on
the chin, cheeks, or nose.
In rare cases, the virus can
infect the eyes (called herpes
kera琀椀琀椀s), which needs urgent
medical a琀琀en琀椀on.
Preventing cold sores
There’s no guaranteed
way to prevent cold sores
completely, but you can
reduce your chances with a
few smart habits:
• Protect your lips from the
sun with a good SPF lip
balm — UV rays are a wellknown trigger.
• Manage stress with rest,
exercise and relaxa琀椀on
techniques.
• Avoid known triggers
if you can, like staying
hydrated when you’re
run-down or applying
sunscreen before outdoor
ac琀椀vi琀椀es.
• Don’t share lip products,
toothbrushes, towels, or
utensils when you have a
cold sore.
• If you get frequent
outbreaks, talk to your GP
about an琀椀viral tablets
that can help reduce
recurrences.
