What is the difference between fever blisters and cold sores

Commonly prescribed medications include acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir. Taking these medications daily can decrease the severity and frequency of outbreaks, as well as help prevent the spreading of the cold sores. It could be! One of the most common symptoms of a fever blister or cold sore is fat lip. Even though there is not a cure for HSV-1, knowing your triggers and the signs of fever blisters and cold sores can help prevent them and treat them more quickly.

The first symptom you may notice is a tingling or burning sensation around the mouth. A day or two following the burning and tingling, blisters will appear. While the most common places for HSV-1 to appear is on the lips or surrounding the mouth, blisters can also appear on the tongue, on the face, and anywhere else on the skin. Cold sores are called oral herpes because the virus is located in and around the mouth.

They usually appear as a painful blister or group of blisters on the:. These sores can itch, burn, tingle, and drain fluid throughout the duration of the infection, which lasts about 7 to 10 days.

If there is uncertainty, a swab of the fluids from the sores can be tested for herpes simplex virus type 1. Unfortunately, cold sores are highly contagious. One of the most common ways people develop cold sores is simply by coming into contact with another infected person. You can become infected this way even if that person is treating their symptoms and regardless of whether they are experiencing any symptoms at all. Children and young adults are the most vulnerable to the virus because they are most likely to spread the virus through kissing and sharing eating utensils.

Babies and those with weakened immune systems may catch a widespread herpes infection if exposed to a cold sore, which can affect vital organs, including the spinal cord and brain. Eczema sufferers are at risk of developing a dangerous condition called eczema herpeticum if they come into contact with cold sores. This means the infection spreads throughout their body, leading to long-term scarring, blindness and sometimes organ failure or death.

Once you are infected, the HSV-1 virus never leaves your body. It lies dormant in the nerve cells in your skin until a trigger — such as a cold or flu, excessive sunshine, cold weather or stress — causes the virus to replicate uncontrollably, causing the telltale symptom of a cold sore or fever blister on your lips.

You can try to protect yourself against outbreaks by always drinking lots of water, getting plenty of rest, having your annual flu vaccination and managing cold sore triggers such as stress, fatigue, cold or excessive sunlight.

There is no cure for the herpes simplex virus nor is there a vaccine, but there is effective fever blister treatment. It contains the only FDA-approved non-prescription ingredient proven to reduce your cold sore healing time. By clicking the link s above, you will be taken to an external website that is independently operated and not managed by GSK. GSK assumes no responsibility for the content on the website. If you do not wish to leave this website, do not click on the links above.

You are now leaving the Abreva. To prevent spread, the American Sexual Health Association ASHA recommends abstaining from oral contact, like kissing and oral sex, while experiencing an HSV-1 outbreak, aka cold sores or fever blisters. Otherwise, using a barrier, like a dental dam or a condom, can limit exposure as well. Neither form of herpes has a cure , but the discomfort can be treated with medication.

Genital herpes can reach a severe level of discomfort in people with a suppressed immune system and should not go untreated. Sore close to the mouth, vagina, or rectum can also increase the risk of giving or getting HIV if one partner has it, so monitoring these symptoms is key.

What's most important to remember is that a herpes diagnosis or a cold sore popping up is not the end of the world. It might feel scary to have to tell potential sexual partners about your diagnosis, but Dr. Vanessa Cullins, MD, the vice president of external medical affairs at Planned Parenthood, previously gave Teen Vogue a few tips on what to say to make the interaction a little less intimidating.