What is a cold sore?
A cold sore is a skin rash with small blisters. The result is especially on or around the lips. A cold sore begins with a painful swollen spot on or around your lip and sometimes at the nose. The place feels burning to, itches or hurts if you touch him. Shortly thereafter, there are small clear blisters with fluid. The blisters burst open and forms yellowish scabs and chaps. Within about ten days heals the skin by itself.
A cold sore is caused by infection with the herpes simplex virus. Many people get caught up for the first time as a child infected with this virus (usually for the fifth year). That first infection can go unnoticed, but sometimes a child sick of it. It then has fever, swollen lymph nodes and painful blisters in the mouth. Once in a while, the first infection only in adulthood.
After the initial infection, the virus remains in the body without your sick of are. More than 60% of the people carries the virus that way with him. It can be active again by external stimuli, such as sunlight, Frost and wind chapped or reduced resistance, for example if you have a fever (hence the name cold sore).
Sometimes caused the herpes simplex virus a eye inflammation. One good example is when the cold sore scratches and then touch your eye.
For babies the herpes virus is very dangerous. You must cold sores your baby is not hugging or kissing.
How do you get a cold sore?
What causes cold sores?. A cold sore is contagious. Especially the fluid in the blisters contains many virus particles. Contamination occurs by touching the infected skin, for example by kissing. You can infect other people, but also yourself. For example, the virus with your hands you can transfer it to your eyes or nose.
Try from the wounds to stay off (so don't scratch, walking, reading, or) and wash your hands if you have to.
You also may not have oral sex when you have a cold sore because your partner than genital herpes can get. This STD (sexually transmitted disease) is, like cold sores, caused by the herpes simplex virus. The risk of contamination is greatest if you have a cold sore. But also at times when you don't have a cold sore, you can infect others. You carry the virus that is always with you.
Infection with cold sores in babies
Babies can become seriously ill from the herpes simplex virus. A baby may even die. This can happen if the baby gets meningitis. Therefore, be very careful in contact with babies if you suffer from cold sores.
- Hug and kiss your baby.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap before you take care of your baby.
- Wear a mouth swab as you care for the baby.
- Treat the cold sore quickly.
What is the best treatment for cold sores?
The herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores touch not lost if you do it once. There are no medications to get rid of the virus. However, you can buy anti-retroviral creams at the pharmacy or chemist to prevent aggravation of the cold sore. It is important to begin at the first appearance of grease, so even before there vesicles. Once you have sores, the cream helps no longer work. You do not need a prescription for the cream.
You can treat a cold sore itself by keeping the wounds clean, keep your lips well fat and protect against the sun with a lip balm with sunscreen.
You do with cold sores do not go to the doctor unless you have to be prone or if after two weeks is not over yet. Then there may be a bacterium entered the wound. Even if the sores in your eyes, sit down, you can move it best to go to the doctor.
How to prevent cold sores?
There are no drugs or ways to avoid cold sores completely. However, you yourself pay attention to some things.
- Ensure good physical shape and eat healthy. So your resistance is good and makes the virus less likely.
- Protect your lips from wind and cold. Coat with a greasy cream.
- Use in the summer or in the winter a lip cream with a high sun protection.