Cold sores on lips

Simple tips to get rid of them

cold sore, or a "fever blister," usually appears on the outside of the lips or mouth. They are extremely common, affecting between 80 to 90% Americans by the time they are 50 years old. Cold sores are caused by a virus, either the herpes simplex virus type 1, or herpes simplex virus type 2. The type of virus does not affect the treatment.  (Related:  Inflamed lips

Cold sores may appear just once in a person's life, or return again and again. Although experts still don't know all of the ways a cold sore can be triggered, some of the things that can cause a cold sore include:

• Stress, tiredness, or being "run-down"
• A cold, fever or the flu
• Exposure to the sun
• Hormonal changes, such as from menstruation or pregnancy
• Trauma, such as shaving, cuts, dental work or facial surgery/cosmetic surgery

According to Dr. Bruce P. Robinson of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, "Cold sores are extremely contagious.  If you have a cold sore, do not kiss anyone until it is completely healed. Even a light peck can spread the virus."

There currently is not a cure for cold sores, but there are many effective treatments. Antiviral medications, such as acyclovir and valacyclovir HCI, speed the healing process which eases the pain and discomfort of the sore by slowing the reproduction of the virus. FDA approved the use of another antiviral medication, famciclovir (Famvir) making treatment easier than ever because the patient only needs to take one dose to ease his or her symptoms. To be most effective, these medications need to be used right at the start of an outbreak.

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