Cold sores keep coming back!

Cold sores keep coming back because they are a virus and quite contagious. Sometimes called fever blisters, they are caused by the Herpes Simplex 1 virus (HSV-1).

They can appear as a single blister or a cluster of them, usually recurring in the same location, including on and around your lips, nose, chin or cheeks. These particular sores are often confused with canker sores, but canker sores are actually sores or ulcers that occur inside your mouth, and are not contagious.

Why do cold sores keep coming back? - here are some stats:

There are two types of herpes simplex virus

HSV-1, which is the most common type, usually causes cold sores (oral herpes). HSV-2 usually causes genital herpes. But both types can infect any area of the skin or mucous membranes

Approximately 80 percent of the adult population have antibodies against HSV-1 in their blood, which means they have already been exposed to the virus

Around 25 percent of the adult population have antibodies against HSV-2

An estimated 1 in 5 North Americans are affected by cold sores each year

on average, people experience 2 to 3 outbreaks per year

we are usually infected by the virus when we are children

once the virus enters our bodies it never leaves

most of the time the virus hibernates or sleeps in our central nervous system, but certain triggers cause it to "wake up" and cause cold sores

the most common triggers include stress, menstruation
sunlight, fever, dry chapped lips, or local skin trauma

Around 20 percent of the people with HSV antibodies have recurrent attacks throughout their lives

The virus can only be transmitted by close personal contact such as kissing. Most people will have come into contact with the virus between the ages of three and five but will not show any symptoms until after puberty.

Cold sores keep coming back, but in other places? Remember that these viral breakouts are contagious. The virus can be passed from person to person and from one area of your body to another through skin-to-skin contact - even when blisters are not present. The virus is often transferred by kissing or sex, as well as by hands or fingers that have touched a sore. The virus can even be passed by sharing cups, cans, glasses, eating utensils, towels and food. So when it appears that the same cold sores keep coming back, it could be some of the old ones (on that nerve) and a new one on a newly infected nerve.

A weakening of the body's defenses, due to a severe cold for example, can lead to a reactivation of the virus and a return of the blisters.

Are cold sores contagious when blistering? Yes, this skin disorder is characterized by groups of fluid-filled blisters which appear on red swollen areas of the skin or on the mucous membranes. And mucous membranes are usually any of the body's opening. The areas can be tender and painful. The blisters heal without scarring but have a tendency to recur. The virus invades the cells of the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin. The virus travels from the epidermis along the nerve paths to the roots of the nerves where it becomes inactive. The primary infection can progress in different ways.

Some people only have very mild symptoms or none at all. The first outbreak starts one to three weeks after the virus has been contracted. It subsides spontaneously within a few weeks. Later, if the virus is reactivated, the blisters will return. This is why cold sores keep coming back, they never really left.

Many people who suffer from these blisters know when cold sores keep coming back by the tingling or burning, redness, itching or pain they feel around their lips or mouth.

The above paragraph describes the first stage and these symptoms are sometimes called prodromal symptoms. This first stage can happen very quickly - from a few hours to a day or two. You might even go to bed without any symptoms and wake up to find you have a blister!

The next stage is the formation of one or more blisters. After the blister(s) has developed, it breaks and a yellow crust forms. The sores become covered by scabs that, typically, fall off after 8 to 10 days. The virus can spread until the sores are completely covered by scabs. Within a few days this off and leaves behind a pinkish skin that heals without a scar.

In children, the virus can infect the mouth and throat. The infection may be accompanied by a fever and general aches and pains. You can take steps to guard against these viruses, prevent them from occurring and to prevent the virus or cold sores keep coming back or from being passed to other parts of your body or to other persons:

use a lip moisturizer regularly to prevent your lips from becoming dry or chapped

the same lip balm could spread the virus if the blister is in its contagious period

try to avoid triggers such as stress or overexposure to the sun (get a sunburn, get a blister)

limit your exposure to the sun or UV lamps, and always use a sunscreen lip balm with an SPF of at least 15

during times of high stress, consider trying relaxation therapy

keep your immune system strong by maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough sleep

How to avoid viruses:

avoid kissing and skin contact with people, especially children, while blisters are present

avoid sharing food, cups/glasses/cans, utensils and towels when blisters are present

keep your hands clean - wash them frequently to avoid passing on the virus or infecting other areas of your body

avoid direct contact with the sores. These can appear on every part of the body, including the fingers and genitals

wash your hands after touching the lips

its tempting, but avoid picking at the sores as this can spread the virus to other parts of the body or result in a bacterial infection of the sores

the body's defences can be strengthened by a healthy lifestyle

the factors which trigger outbreaks differ from person to person

menstruation, fever and exposure to sunlight can cause a reactivation in some people. In others, there is no demonstrable cause. Using a sunblock may help to prevent a reactivation

even happy occasions like a prom or wedding can bring on an outbreak.

For a diagnosis, a combination of the patient's medical history and the appearance of the sores will usually be sufficient. A scrape or a blood sample can be used to confirm it. Possible complications are:

the sores may become infected by bacteria

if the condition spreads to the eyes, it can damage vision

in patients who suffer from atopic dermatitis, the cold sores can, in rare cases, spread to larger parts of the body

massive cold sores can be a sign that another disease, pneumonia or HIV for example, has weakened the body's defenses.

You can't cure or prevent these viral blisters, but you can take steps to reduce how often they occur and shorten the length of an outbreak.

Cold sores often clear up without treatment in 7 to 10 days. Early treatment during the initial tingling or burning stage may stop the blister from forming, or help the blister heal faster once it has formed. There are certain non-prescription and prescription products that may help, including Abreva, Lipactin, Zovirax, Denavir and Valtrex.

An alternative to pharmaceuticals would be anti-viral essential oils. Tea Tree and Manuka essential oils are probably the strongest anti-virals, and can be dabbed on the infected area with a Q-tip to neutralize the exposed virus as well as help dry up the affected area.

If the cold sores keep coming back are severe, these attacks can be treated by anti-HSV agents in pill form.

The development of the disease differs from person to person. Some people will have few or no reactivations while others have recurrent outbreaks. Recurrences seem to become less frequent with age. With some people, with time, they have no cold sores keep coming back.

From "why cold sores keep coming back" to checking out Tea Tree essential oil for a natural remedy, here...

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