It's happened to most of us. You feel a tickly, itchy bump on your lip and go look in the mirror. Sure enough, there it is — an ugly, nasty cold sore. It's funny-looking, painful, and highly unattractive. At the same time, you're probably wondering, "Where do cold sores come from?"
This is a great question, and understanding the answer will probably relieve some severe stress and provide options for prompt treatment. Where cold sores come from depends on various factors, most of which relate to your body and the source of the cold sore itself.
A cold sore (often called a fever blister) is a blister that usually appears on or around your lips, an easily-seen area of the body. It likely starts with a tingly, itchy feeling, commonly followed by small bumps on your lips. During this time, the cold sore will become noticeable to casual observers. Eventually, it turns into a series of painful fluid-filled blisters that are red, rough, and bumpy. Finally, the blisters will break open, scab over, and usually disappear on their own.
These cold sore blisters are typically itchy, painful, and annoying. In addition, they can make speaking, chewing, or laughing more inconvenient. For most people, the biggest problem with cold sores is they're extremely unsightly and noticeable, given the prominent positioning on your face.
Fever often accompanies a cold sore when it happens to a young child for the first time. Generally speaking, the fever isn't dangerous and usually resolves on its own. This is because the body hasn't yet developed the antibodies to fight off the virus causing the cold sore. Fortunately, this fever is usually only a one-time occurrence.
Cold sores can be caused by a variety of sources. The most common cause is actually the Herpes Simplex 1 virus. This prevalent virus spreads via direct bodily fluids and leads to a series of uncomfortable symptoms, including cold sores. In most cases, it's completely asymptomatic — most people with the virus don't even realize they have it. However, it can still cause cold sores to appear periodically. Thankfully, this is the extent of the symptoms a person may experience from the Herpes Simplex 1 virus.
Yes.
No matter where a cold sore comes from, there's no doubt it's extremely contagious. This is somewhat tied to the cause of cold sores in general, the herpes virus. This virus is very contagious and easily passed on from person to person by the direct exchange of bodily fluids, like kissing. It can also happen if people share utensils or other items with direct contact to each other's mouths, like a towel or clothing.
While cold sores and their underlying cause are contagious, it's important to recognize that most people carry the virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 3.7 billion people — 67% of the world's population under the age of 50 — already have this virus. This very high number means you'll almost certainly interact with someone with the herpes virus at some point.
The Herpes Simplex 1 virus can be transmitted in many ways, including oral sex. However, it's not exclusively an STD.
Many people think a cold sore is a sign of an STD. Part of this confusion comes from the overlap of the Herpes Simplex 1 virus (HS1-V) and Herpes Simplex 2 virus (HSV-2). A cold sore isn't an STD. It's just a sign that someone has the Herpes Simplex 1 virus. There are several ways a person can get this virus, and oral sex is one such method.
The difference between a cold sore and herpes can be confusing, particularly given that both share the same name. Cold sores are caused by the Herpes Simplex type 1 virus, while the Herpes Simplex type 2 virus causes the more severe form of herpes. However, there are significant differences between the two.
As noted above, HSV-1 is a relatively harmless virus that most of the world's population already has. In addition, the problems caused by this virus are rather limited and generally confined to cold sores.
HSV-2 is much more severe. This type is genital herpes, a sexually transmitted disease that can have serious health consequences. People who get genital herpes will develop unsightly and painful blisters on or around their genitals. The virus may lie dormant for years before returning later in a flare-up. This form of herpes is very contagious and incurable, although there are medicines that can reduce the prominence of flareups and the symptoms they cause.
Genital herpes can lead to cold sores on the mouth, so there's some overlap between the two diseases. However, most people with cold sores show signs of Herpes Simplex 1, not Herpes Simplex 2.
Here's the good news — no matter the answer to "Where do cold sores come from?" — they usually last less than two weeks and go away independently. While over-the-counter medicines can help speed up this process, treatment is usually not needed. Common medications used to remove cold sores include Docosanol, Zilactin, Orajel, and Mederma. In addition, some prescription medicines are available for people who get multiple outbreaks a year. These include Zovirax, Famvir, and Valtrex. However, for most people, prescription medications aren't necessary. In either case, over-the-counter or prescription medicines may prevent the severest symptoms of a cold sore.
There are other treatment measures people can take to help speed up the removal of cold sores. This includes applying sunscreen to your skin and avoiding acidic foods that may exacerbate and irritate the cold sore.
Cold sores can unquestionably be annoying, painful, and unsightly. They're contagious as well, which means you need to be careful when you develop them. Thankfully, they aren't dangerous, and they almost always go away on their own.
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