Cold sores are also called fever blisters because they often appear after a cold or fever. Before you see them, your lip tingles in the area that they will break out in and after a few days a small fluid filled blister appears in the same place that tingled. The blister is red, raised, and painful. These blisters then break and ooze a yellow liquid that dries to a crust. The crust eventually breaks off and exposes a red pink tissue that heals in a few days.
Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus. The most common type of herpes virus that causes them is Herpes Simplex Virus Type I. This virus can be transmitted from one person to another by skin to skin contact such as kissing or by sharing eating utensils. They are contagious. Herpes Simplex Type II causes genital sores but can also cause cold sores if transferred to the lip area.
Cold sores normally form on lips but in some patients they can extend into the nose, cheeks or even fingers. They rarely occur in the mouth but can. If they do form in the mouth, they appear on the gums or on the roof of the mouth about the hard palate. Cold sores are different from canker sores. Canker sores like to form on soft tissue that moves without bone underneath. Canker sores are not contagious but cold sores are.
The herpes virus that causes cold sores lives in the nerves that go to your lips and remain inactive until something stresses you out. This stress can be a cold, problems in life, the beginning of a woman's period, fever, or overexposure to the sun.
The period of time from when your lip first begins to tingle until the break out is called the prodrome. Many antiviral drugs have been developed that can decrease the amount of outbreak if taken during the early herpes prodromal phase. The most common medications are Zovirax (acyclovir), famciclovir (Famvir), valacyclovir (Valtrex), and penciclovir (Denavir). Unfortunately, a cold sore remedy if taken orally or in ointment form does not prevent future outbreaks.
If untreated, most cold sores clear up in about a week. Many patients tend to play with them which causes the cold sores to remain a few days longer. It is important to wash your hands after touching cold sores because you can infect someone else with your contaminated fingers. As with any other viral infections, do not give children aspirin. It is possible for children with viral infections to develop Reye's syndrome after taking aspirin. If you sunbath, use sunblock on your lips in addition to the rest of your body. This avoids damage to your lips and a possible later outbreak.
A very promising method of treating is iontophoresis. Iontophoresis is a way of placing medications into a patient's body without using a needle. A very small electric current is directed through the area being treated and an antiviral medication, such as acyclovir, rides into the body on this electric current. If done during the prodromal phase, this treatment may avoid any cold sores from breaking out. In some patients it significantly reduces future outbreaks.
If you are having cold sore problems and would like to consult with Dr. Padolsky, please make an appointment at 404-874-7428.