Home Teeth and mouthHerpes labialis Is cold sore contagious? Here the answer

Is cold sore contagious? Here the answer

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

Herpes infection is one of the most common in humans, at some point or another in our lives we have all gone through the annoying sensation of having a fever on the lips or mouth. That is why every time we see that someone in our environment suffers an injury of this type, we worry about whether we could get infected, or even if we are the ones who suffer from it, we can suffer if we pass them on to our loved ones.

In the following FastlyHealarticle we will answer any questions you may have about the spread of cold sores. Is cold sore contagious? Here is the answer.

what is labial herpes

Cold sores are the blisters and small sores that appear in the mouth and around the lips that, unlike what many people believe, are caused by a virus . Although they usually appear on the lips, they can also appear inside the mouth, inside the nose, on the face and anywhere else on the body, including the genital area.

The virus that causes cold sores is HSV-1, different from HSV-2 that causes genital herpes, however, this does not prevent that if it is in contact with that area of ​​the body it causes wounds and blisters. But is it possible to spread herpes? Why does it appear? How does it manifest itself? We will explain it to you below.

Is cold sore spread?

The answer to the question of whether cold sores is contagious is yes, cold sores are contagious . Now, this does not mean that being in contact with a person who has ulcers on the lips will appear to you too, in the same way that someone who seems totally healthy can give you herpes.

In fact, the safest thing is that you are already infected, since the vast majority of people contract this infection during the first years of life , usually through the kiss of an infected adult. Even if you have never had physical symptoms of cold sores, it is very likely that you are infected, since the virus remains in the body throughout life and may or may not manifest itself depending on different factors.

Once the person has been infected by the HSV-1 virus, it is located in the lymph nodes, where it remains latent, waking up from time to time and causing ulcers. But not everyone has physical symptoms of this infection, in some people the virus remains latent permanently, so they can become a source of infection even without knowing it.

How is a cold sore spread?

Cold sores are very contagious , anyone who has it can spread it very easily, which is why most people have it in their body. Its infection occurs through direct contact with the skin, genital secretions -sexual infection-, or oral secretions -through kisses, sharing cutlery or lipsticks. If the person has an ulcer, that is, if the virus is active, it is much easier for them to spread it, but someone who has the virus asleep can also spread it.

But contagion not only occurs between people, but the same person can transfer it to other areas of the body. For example, if someone touches an ulcer and subsequently touches an area of ​​the skin with a mucous membrane or wound, they can infect that area, causing ulcers to appear. For this reason, it is recommended not to touch herpes, to avoid increasing the infection and if it is, wash your hands immediately and thoroughly, especially avoiding touching your eyes.

Although usually when a herpes is activated and lesions appear, it is not usually serious, if it is not treated properly it can end up leading to bacterial infections that weaken the person’s immune system, especially if it is treated in young and sick children.

When does a cold sore manifest?

If most of us have the virus in our body, why is it that not everyone has ulcers constantly, what are the factors that cause the virus to wake up and manifest itself?

There is no specific answer, there are many conditions that can affect the body and cause the virus to wake up such as a simple cold, fever, other infections, periods of stress, cold, hormonal changes -as in the case of menstruation or cold sores in pregnancy – or taking certain medications or foods. It is also true that some people are more vulnerable than others, which is why the former can constantly relapse into lip lesions while the latter can go years without manifesting herpes.

The process of cold sore formation

Here we explain how the cold sore formation process is, so that you can detect when you are about to wake up and take the appropriate measures , such as home remedies for cold sores :

  1. HSV-1, which has been dormant for some time, wakes up.
  2. The virus passes from the ganglion or the area of ​​the body where it was to the lip through the nerve endings, where the lesion will appear.
  3. The person begins to feel itching and tingling in the inner area of ​​the skin,
  4. A reddish lump appears 24 hours after you start to experience the burning.
  5. The lump becomes a blister, which once opened, causes the ulcer.
  6. When the ulcer dries up, after a few days, a yellowish crust appears.
  7. As the scab falls off, the regenerated skin turns a pinkish color.
  8. As the body recovers, the redness disappears, at which point the herpes returns to a latent state.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Is cold sores contagious? Here the answer , we recommend that you enter our category of Teeth and mouth .

You may also like

Leave a Comment