If you suffer with cold sores, you’ll probably go as far as saying that they’re the absolute bane of your existence.
The initial telltale tingling that leads to blistering, itching, stinging, cracking and weeping is enough to put a downer on anyone’s week, and that’s before we’ve touched on how they look, not to mention the fact that they’re highly contagious…
But there’s no need to hide behind your scarf or bail on plans, because there are ways to keep them from rearing their ugly heads.
What Causes A Cold Sore?
In order to keep them at bay, it pays to know exactly what cold sores are.
According to the NHS, cold sores are small fluid-filled blisters that can appear anywhere on the face. They are probably most common on the lips and usually crust over into a scab.
Not pretty. But what causes them?
Cold sores erupt when the normally dormant herpes virus is reawakened.
A lot of people find that feeling run down, stressed and ill that can contribute to the unsightly blisters, but they aren’t the only factors.
Harsh environmental conditions such as extremes of temperature or wind can dehydrate and damage the lips. UV light has also been demonstrated to lead to reactivation of the virus from its dormant state.
As with most things in life, even hormonal changes such as menstruating or pregnancy can also be a common trigger for cold sore breakouts.
What Do Cold Sores Look Like?
Cold sores can vary in appearance depending on how severe the infection is, from small spots to full blown blisters.
Cold sores typically affect the lips, the skin around the mouth, the nose, cheek and chin. These blisters can appear differently in different skin tones. On white skin tones blisters appear pink whilst on black and brown skin tones blisters are either pink or skin-coloured.
It’s worth also noting that cold sores can sometimes leave pigmentation in their wake: Most cold sore breakouts don’t cause scarring, however in black and brown skin tones, cold sores can cause hyperpigmentation (i.e. darkening of the affected skin) if the blisters are actively broken open by rubbing, aggressive washing, scratching or squeezing.
So it’s important to avoid irritating them even further, as much as possible.
