If you are curious about cold sores, this article should answer a lot of your questions. We have learned so much about cold sores in recent years. Read this article and arm yourself with the facts about these unsightly blisters.

WHAT IS A COLD SORE?

Cold sores come at the most inconvenient times. Painful and ugly, cold sores really hurt your social life.

Whether you call them cold sores, fever blisters or oral herpes, they are all the same infection. Cold sores can appear anywhere the virus can get through your skin. The lip area is usually the first infection site.

The herpes simplex virus is the culprit that is responsible for your cold sore outbreak. The cold sore is the collateral damage caused by the herpes reproduction process.

The herpes virus enters your body wherever it is able and will choose a close-by nerve as its home for life. The cold sores created by this virus family will always be at the end of the nerve fiber it inhabits.

WHAT CAUSES A COLD SORE?

The herpes virus is normally dormant in the root cells of its chosen nerve. If the conditions become right, this viral family will move to the surface, through the nerve, and enter thousands of cells.

Herpes virus cannot reproduce on its own - like bacteria does. It is the host cells that create the new virus particles. The virus will enter your surface nerve cells and force them to build virus clones.

The cold sore area will swell up as the cells fill up with the new virus particles. Once full, the cells burst open to release tons of this fresh herpes virus.

When the herpes virus annihilates many cells, you end up with an open wound called a cold sore. Painful they are because you now have exposed nerve endings.

IS THE COLD SORE VIRUS CONTAGIOUS?

The herpes simplex virus is an extremely tiny living particle. It enters the body through soft tissue - like lips - or through cracks in the skin. You are very contagious from the first itching until the final healing redness is gone.

Kissing is the usual way to pass on this virus. Contaminated fingers are also a common culprit. Please use every means to protect yourself and others. Use alcohol soaked tissues to cleanse the sore. Wash your hands afterwards.

It is possible to get cold sores anywhere on your body where the virus can get through to the soft tissue. Finger sores, arm sores and cheek sores do occur - mostly by carelessness with contaminated fingers and a crack in the skin.

Watch out for your eyes. People do get cold sores in the eyes and it can cause permanent damage.

The herpes simplex virus infects nearly 90% of the world population because it is so tough and contagious. You usually contract it in your youth. About 70% of those infected will get one or more outbreaks per year.

IS THERE A GOOD WAY TO GET RID OF COLD SORES?

The most common trigger activating the herpes simplex virus is stress. When you have stress, your body prepares to deal with it. This causes a change in hormones and a drop in your pH toward the acid side. Herpes loves an acid body.

Your body needs no help from you to heal oral herpes cold sores. But it is a slow process, often taking up to four weeks. You can cut this healing time in half with a good cold sore treatment.

Your best bet for effective cold sore treatment is still by using natural remedies. They usually work better than prescription and over-the-counter options.

Garlic, lysine and the healing mineral zinc are three of several great cold sore treatment plans currently in use. Use all three topically, but lysine and zinc will do their best work if taken internally with supplements.

It is critical for you to keep sterilizing the cold sore area with alcohol or peroxide - using cotton balls or tissues.

No doubt about it - oral herpes cold sores damage your social life as well as your lip. Yes, they are hard to cope with. But now, with the knowledge you have just gained, you are much more prepared for the next battle.

It takes a little trial and error to find the best cold sore treatment for your own needs. But when you do, you will enjoy beautiful cold sore freedom.

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