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First of all, you need to know that a cold sore
is caused by the *** virus and that there's fluid
in the blisters. A cold sore can be annoying and painful,
but is hardly ever harmful.
The *** virus will remain forever in your body though
and can get reactivated at a later time.
That's why you can get a cold sore over and over again.
There isn't any treatment to get the virus out of your body.
So, what are the do's and don'ts when you've got a cold sore?
Don't touch the blisters and wash your hands regularly
especially when you've touched the blisters by accident.
A cold sore is extremely contagious.
The *** virus that's inside the blisters can be transmitted through
kissing
or after you've touched them with your fingers.
The virus can end up in the eye or near the genitals in that way
and blisters may form in those places.
Once the blisters have dried up, the virus can't be transmitted any longer.
Never hug a baby when you've got a cold sore. Babies can get seriously ill from
the *** virus
and can even die because it. That's the reason why it's also called
the "kiss of death".
Sunlight, a reduced resistance, illness,
***, or stress can activate the *** virus so a cold sore can show up.
So avoid being exposed to the sun
and use protective lip balm or sunblock on your lips to protect yourself against
the sun.
Keep your resistance up eat healthy food,
exercise regularly and get a good night's rest.
Some people find comfort in putting the Vaseline or zinc oxide on their lips to
ease the itching and pain.
You could use anti-viral creams and tablets. The cream hasn't been proven to
reduce the symptoms of a cold sore though.
Tablets could reduce the symptoms of a cold sore
but only if you use them in a very early stage
before the blisters have formed.
Consult your family doctor when the blisters haven't disappeared after two
weeks
or when the inflammation spreads.
In the last case bacteria might have gotten into the blisters
and caused a new infection.