First you get an unpleasant tingling feeling on your lip, and shortly thereafter come the blisters and pain. Herpes simplex virus type 1, which causes cold sores, lies dormant in most people without ever breaking out. That’s why a lot of people don’t even know that they have it. This SWICA health tip explains more about it.
The best-known causes of cold sores are hormonal changes, stress, a weakened immune system or spending too much time in the sun. Anyone who comes into contact with the herpes virus will carry it for the rest of their life – but that doesn’t mean that they’ll develop cold sores. The initial infection with blisters or ulcers in the mouth or lip area often occurs in childhood or youth.
Symptoms of cold sores
An outbreak of the herpes virus is usually preceded by a tightening, itching or tingling sensation on or around the lips. There isn’t necessarily anything visible at this point. Shortly afterwards, liquid-filled blisters appear. Besides being unpleasant to look at, they can be quite painful. As the virus is present in the fluid inside the blisters, you should never touch them directly with your hands.
The blisters gradually merge, burst and form a crust, allowing them to heal. Unfortunately, they can split open and bleed easily during the healing process, particularly when you stretch your lips while opening your mouth. It takes around 14 days from the outbreak to healing.
I’ve got a cold sore – what now?
It’s important to know that cold sores are highly contagious, particularly when the blisters are still filled with fluid. This means you should avoid kissing or sharing cutlery if you’re infected. Never touch cold sores directly with your hands, as you could spread the virus to other parts of your body or to other people. Thoroughly washing your hands is also a must.
What you can do about cold sores
There are various remedies you can use to speed up the healing process:
How can you prevent cold sores?
There’s only so much you can do to prevent cold sores. If you notice that your cold sores are triggered by UV radiation, you should avoid direct sunlight during the day, apply a lip balm with UV protection and take good care of your lips in the evening. If you have dry, chapped lips, that suggests your skin’s protective barrier is damaged, allowing viruses and other pathogens to enter.
The amino acid lysine is also said to have preventive properties. You can obtain it through nutritional supplements or protein-rich foods. It blocks L-arginine, a substance that the herpes virus depends on to replicate. However, it has not yet been proven that lysine is actually effective.
It’s important to be careful
If you have a herpes infection near your eye or even on your cornea, you should seek urgent medical advice. If left untreated, herpes on the cornea can leave scars or even damage your vision. Blisters on or in your ear or on the tip of your nose should also be assessed by a medical professional.
For your health: santé24 and SWICA Benecura
Do you have a health question? Our physicians and healthcare professionals at santé24 are available 24/7 on +41 44 404 86 86 for SWICA customers. In addition to telephone health advice, patients whose conditions are appropriate for telemedicine can receive medical services such as diagnostics, treatment, and even e-prescriptions for prescription medications.
Do you feel ill? The SWICA Benecura medical app makes it easy to carry out a digital SymptomCheck. You will receive a personal recommendation about what to do next. Send your information in encrypted form to the santé24 online practice for your telephone consultation to significantly shorten the assessment.
