Cold sores, also called fever blisters and oral herpes, are a global epidemic - or pandemic.
Cold sores are the visible symptom of an active herpes virus infestation. More specifically, cold sores are the result of the reproduction process of the herpes virus.
The World Health Organization estimates 85% to 91% of the world population currently carries the herpes simplex virus type 1 or 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2). For all practical purposes, that means just about everybody is infected with the cold sores virus. Recorded history shows that this has been true since about 500 years prior to the Roman Empire.
HSV-1 is responsible for about 80% of reoccurring cold sores. The other 20% of cold sores are caused by HSV-2.
Of those infected with the herpes virus, 76% will have one or several cold sores within the next 12 months. The other 24% often go a lifetime without experiencing any symptom of cold sores.
The herpes virus most of the time is latent, or in hibernation, in the nerve ganglia nearest to the site of your cold sores. In the case of facial cold sores, this would be in an area behind the jawbone, near the brain stem.
When the cold sores virus becomes active, they travel up the nerve fibers to the surface where they replicate and create those painful cold sores right on the end of the nerves.
Cold sores normally occur on the face, appearing on the edge of the lip, called the vermilion border. The nostril is also a common site for cold sores.
What most people don't know, however, is cold sores can appear anywhere from the waist up. For example: fingertip cold sores do occur. They're often a much more painful event because of the constant use of the fingers in our daily routine.
Cold sores are extremely contagious. The cold sores virus spreads externally, not internally. Kissing is the primary way cold sores are transmitted to others - especially from adults to children. Most people are infected before they're a dozen years old.
The lips, mouth and nose are not protected by skin and are an easy target. Cold sores can also spread to anywhere on the body where the virus can find an opening - like a cut on the finger.
Although cold sores are not life threatening, coldsores can cause a lot of grief and damage if spread to the eyes with contaminated fingers. This can cause loss of sight. Also, the cold sores virus can be spread to the genital area, creating the dreaded genital herpes.
Cold sores are contagious from the first itching stage to the disappearance of the final red spot. They are most contagious during the open weeping and crust stages. The crust cracks frequently when you move your mouth, as in smiling.
The fluid from these cold sores is absolutely teaming with the cold sores herpes virus.
Extreme caution must be taken with active cold sores. Cold sores itch and hurt a lot, so we tend to touch them frequently. Then the virus sheds to our fingers - and is easily transmitted to another location or person.
Self-control is imperative. Each time you touch your cold sores, you must wash your hands.
Keep little bottles of hand sterilizing soap or baby-wipes on hand. Baby-wipes have a sterilizing ingredient and are particularly handy and useful. You can dab the cold sores with them instead of your fingers. This also speeds healing of cold sores.
Cold sores are brought on primarily by physical stress. Keep in mind even mental stress will manifest itself physically. Colds (thus the term cold sores), fever (thus the term fever blisters), pregnancy, injury, and nearly any physical trauma can easily bring the virus out of hibernation and cause cold sores.
Looking for a cold sore treatment? There are many to choose from. These include over-the-counter medications, prescription anti-viral pills and salves, and many natural remedies.
You'll find over-the-counter products are mainly comfort medications. None of them have ever proven to shorten your cold sores. One exception to this - some have antibacterial agents. This prevents secondary bacterial infections. If you do get a bacterial infection, and this is common, it will greatly lengthen the healing times and discomfort of your cold sores.
Much of the benefit of over-the-counters is a numbing agent to reduce pain. Some contain oils that help keep the scab softer so it doesn't crack.
Prescription medications for cold sores, up to this point, have been dismal failures. There are several brand names but the generic name for the active ingredient is acyclovir. The antiviral salve will take, maybe, one or two days off your 3-week cold sores. The antiviral pills helped reduce the number of cold sores for only 47% of the people tested. This was a very short study so it wasn't very accurate.
Please note this medication is not to be taken if you're pregnant or going to be pregnant soon. Also, there is some concern for liver damage.
Your best option, in fact your ONLY option for cold sores right now, is the variety of known natural remedies for cold sores. In real life studies, natural remedies have shortened the duration of cold sores by as much as 85%. Among these are honey, DMSO, tea tree oil, zinc, lysine, aloe vera, certain herbs and a few others in certain forms and combinations.
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