Home Men's Health Does Everyone Get Cold Sores?

Does Everyone Get Cold Sores?

by Glenn Fitzpatrick
woman covering mouth with one hand

Cold sores are extremely common not just in the United States, but also worldwide. Fortunately, not all of us have cold sores. Unfortunately, more than 3.7 billion people do. This highly contagious sexually transmitted disease is that common.

One of the reasons why cold sores are so common is that the virus that causes them is easily transmitted through mere direct skin contact. Learn more about how you can manage your cold sore outbreaks.

Overview

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) are just the most common forms of the herpes virus, and there are actually several other subtypes. Usually, the first type of HSV is the one that causes oral herpes, while the second type is the one that’s linked to genital herpes.

In truth, however herpes blisters can grow either near your mouth or in your genital area, whether it’s caused by HSV-1 or HSV-2. Aside from your face or mouth and genitals, herpes blisters may also grow in other areas of the body such as on your fingers and in your eyes.

One thing you need to know about the herpes virus is that it causes lifelong infection. This means that once you’re infected with the virus, it stays in your system for the rest of your life. At this time, no cure for herpes has been developed yet. What’s even more unfortunate is that there are yet no vaccines available for herpes.

Symptoms

treating cold sore

When you’re exposed to the herpes simplex virus and become infected, you will most likely experience symptoms within a week or two. This means that your very first cold sore outbreak may happen within only a matter of days after you contracted the infection.

As soon as the virus becomes active inside your system, watch out for a burning or itching sensation near your mouth or on your lips. This is actually the first phase of a cold sore outbreak.

Within 24-48 hours after you first experienced that itching feeling, a tiny cluster of sores or blisters will begin to form. They may appear on your lips, near your nose, inside your mouth, or around your mouth. A yellowish or clear fluid that actually contains the herpes virus will then fill the blisters.

Aside from cold sores, you may also experience other uncomfortable symptoms such as fever, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, and swollen or painful gums, as well as muscle aches and pain. These are the usual symptoms associated with cold sores.

Why Does Almost Everybody Have Cold Sores?

The ease of transmission is the main reason why cold sores are highly prevalent. Whereas other STDs like HPV can only be contracted if you happen to have sexual contact with someone who has genital warts, oral herpes, on the other hand. can be contracted just by touching a cold sore.

Oral-to-oral contact with someone who is HSV-positive can cause oral herpes infection. This can happen when you have contact with the herpes virus found in cold sores, the saliva of a person with oral herpes, as well as on surfaces inside or around the mouth of an infected person.

On the one hand, if you have oral-to-genital contact with your partner and you have cold sores, then you can transmit the HSV-1 virus to your partner and cause genital herpes. Oral and genital secretions of a person infected with herpes may actually contain the herpes virus.

People who are HSV-positive typically shed the virus from the infected site, at a mucosal surface such as inside the nose or mouth, as well as through their oral or genital secretions. Thus, when you come into close or intimate contact with a person who is shedding the herpes virus, your likelihood of getting infected is very high.

Among the different modes of transmission of the herpes virus, the most common is contact with the virus in the saliva of an HSV-infected person. In short, you can easily contract oral herpes by kissing someone who has cold sores.

Preventing the Spread of Herpes

If you have cold sores, there are several means by which you can prevent spreading the herpes virus to the people around you.

Avoid close contact

During a cold sore outbreak, try to keep your distance from other people, whether you’re at the workplace or at home. This may be difficult to do, but it’s a simple yet effective way to prevent your colleagues and family members from catching the disease from you.

Don’t kiss anyone

woman rejects kiss

A lot of people actually acquired oral herpes when they were still young children. For some, it was because their mother had herpes and the virus was passed on during childbirth. For most, it was because someone who had cold sores gave them a kiss.

Whether you’re an adult or a newborn, you will most likely get infected with herpes if you had direct skin contact with someone’s cold sores or if someone with oral herpes kissed you. In the same manner, you can also transmit the virus if you kiss someone when you’re having a cold sore flareup.

Use dental dams

Used as a protective barrier, dental dams can protect you and your partner during oral sex. If you had cold sores and performed oral sex on your partner, she will most likely contract genital herpes.

But if you lay a dental dam over her genital and anal area, there won’t be any actual oral-to-genital skin contact when you perform oral sex. This means that even if you have cold sores, you can please your partner all you want.

Is Sex Still Possible?

Yes, you can definitely engage in sex even when you’re suffering from a cold sore outbreak. In fact, as long as you’re using a protective barrier, you can even give your partner oral sex and not worry about passing on the virus.

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