It arrives at the worst possible moment and always spoils the mood. No, it’s not your mother-in-law. It is cold sore. As unpleasant and irritating… Sadly, just one of them can be effectively removed. Obviously, I mean the cold sore 🙂 How to get round to it? Discover the causes, symptoms and treatment.
What causes cold sore?
Cold sore is caused by herpes simplex virus HSV-1 and HSV-2. You might be thinking that a tiny lesion around the eyes is no big deal. I have some bad news: viruses causing cold sore belong to the same group as zoster virus and chicken pox virus.
The factors triggering the occurrence of cold sore include:
- fatigue,
- stress,
- pregnancy,
- getting cold,
- lip damage,
- long exposure to the wind.
Cold sore – symptoms
The symptoms of suffering from the cold sore include:
- dry lip skin,
- itching, feeling of tingling and burning,
- redness,
- blisters filled with serous fluid,
- a scab after a few days,
- painful lip area.
Cold sore – prevention
There are a few ways that let you avoid catching the herpesvirus. Yes, you can catch it – it is an infectious disease. To keep the cold sore at bay, remember:
- to avoid contact with serous fluid in the blisters on the lips – for example, it means you must abstain from… kissing for some time
- not to use the same cutlery and dishes as the infected person; after meals, wash them thoroughly
- to wash your hands after touching the blister and after applying treatments and medication
- not to touch the eyes because the serous fluid may make you lose your vision or lead to herpesviral meningitis
- to use a separate towel for the face area
- not to borrow or lend lip care or makeup products
How to treat cold sore?
At first, I’m sorry to tell you that total elimination of the herpesvirus is not possible. Symptomatic treatment is applied: antibiotic ointments, antiviral pills and painkillers. You can also make use of natural ingredients such as honey, camomile, aloe, tea, tea tree oil.
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