A cold sore is caused by the herpes virus. A cold sore is an often recurring infection of the skin on or near the lips, which is accompanied by complaints such as a burning sensation and itching. Babies and young children can become seriously ill from a herpes infection. The virus lies dormant in the nerve pathways of the skin and can be activated by various factors, such as poor resistance, for example caused by menstruation, persistent stress, (over) fatigue or fever (hence the name ‘cold sores’). Too much sun, cold and inclement weather can also trigger cold sores. A cold sore is a harmless but annoying condition that disappears spontaneously in about 7 to 10 days.

• What is a cold sore?
• Symptoms: blisters on the lip and a painful and burning sensation
• Cause of cold sores
• Infection

• Contagious through (in)direct skin contact with others
• Not everyone gets a cold sore after infection

• When to consult a doctor?
• How can a cold sore be prevented?
• Therapy

What is a cold sore?

The medical name for cold sores is herpes labialis . A cold sore is caused by the herpes virus and is an often recurrent rash of the skin and mucous membranes, characterized by small blisters developing on the lips or around the mouth, which is preceded and accompanied by a painful and burning sensation. It is a harmless but annoying condition that heals within 7-10 days without treatment.Cold sores: blisters on the lip / Source: Sergii Chepulskyi/Shutterstock.com

Symptoms: blisters on the lip and a painful and burning sensation

Cold sores often start with a tingling, throbbing, itching or burning sensation around the mouth. A short time later, small, transparent, fluid-containing blisters appear on the lip. After the blisters have burst, they dry and scabs and fissures form. The lesions can also be located around the lips and nose. Sometimes you also suffer from swollen lymph nodes in the neck. The healing of the skin takes approximately 7-10 days.

Cause of cold sores

The culprit is the herpes simplex virus type 1. Infection with type 2 can also lead to (primary) labialis, but almost never causes a recurrence of herpes labialis. The virus lies dormant in the nerve pathways of the skin and can be reactivated by triggering factors such as stress, illness, exposure to (bright) sunlight, UV radiation, poor weather, severe freezing weather, reduced resistance (for example in case of fever) and menstruation. . Because the virus resides in the same nerve, the cold sore always appears in the same place.

Infection

Contagious through (in)direct skin contact with others

The virus is contagious through direct contact, especially if cold sores containing the virus are present. It is therefore important to always wash your hands immediately after touching the cold sore. This is to prevent the virus from spreading through the fingers to new locations, such as the eyes or genitals. Kissing someone with a cold sore on the mouth should also be avoided, as should oral sexual contact. To prevent further contamination, it is advisable not to scratch the wounds. You can also get the virus by sharing items from someone with a cold sore, such as cutlery, cups, toothbrush, towel or lip balm.

Not everyone gets a cold sore after infection

Not everyone who is infected with the herpes virus gets a cold sore. Only 10-20 percent of people who carry the virus develop cold sores. However, all carriers of the virus can infect others because the virus is occasionally active unnoticed in the mouth or throat.

When to consult a doctor?

If the blisters have not disappeared after two weeks, it is wise to consult a doctor. A secondary bacterial infection may have developed.Protect lips with Vaseline / Source: Kiyok, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)

How can a cold sore be prevented?

Prevent the lips from drying out in frost, cold weather and bright sun by protecting them with grease (Vaseline) or a lip balm. A lip protector with a sun filter is preferred. Furthermore, good physical condition, avoiding stress and a varied diet have a beneficial effect.

Therapy

Normally, a cold sore will heal on its own within 7 to 10 days. There are no remedies that can prevent cold sores, but there are remedies available that can significantly shorten the healing time. The condition is that the person must start this as soon as the tingling and redness that precedes a cold sore occurs. This concerns spot-on liquid, cream, gel or oil. The active ingredient is zinc oxide or zinc sulphate. Furthermore, antiviral agents such as aciclovir and penciclovir can be used for cold sores.

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