What exactly causes cold sores and is there a cure?
Okay ever since last summer I noticed that I break out in cold sores about two a month the last time I got one was back in July. I just went to my dermatologist and she said its due to poor diet and lack of sleep. Also stressed. I do get stressed out a lot. What exactly causes cold sores and is their a cure ?
May 10th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
I am 21 yrs. old and got my first cold sore this year. It took forever for it to heal (mainly because I tried to pop it and squeeze out the bump) which ONLY makes your cold sore more painful, noticeable, and you risk spreading it to become a cluster of sores!! People get cold sores from someone else who has them, and after you get them once, you can’t cure them, you’ll get them the rest of your life, unfortunately. But you can do things to prevent them, and get the the right medication in your system AS SOON as you feel one coming on. Things like stress, wind, sunlight, tanning beds, may cause one to flare up too.
I’ve found a way to manage these awful things, so hopefully this will help you too.
-See your doctor for an antiviral drug, such as Zovirax, to take when one appears to start killing the virus. This way you will have refills incase it comes back soon after.
-Whatever you do, keep your hands away from your mouth! Don’t kiss anyone, or share drinks, etc.
-The creams like Abreva didn’t work for me, only made it worse, but it may be different for you. Don’t use your lipgloss or chapstick, you will risk spreading it back to yourself next time you decide to use chapstick! (p.s. change your toothbrush too to be safe)
-The #1 preventative action for keeping coldsores from being huge & visible, or even flaring up at all is taking L-Lysine 1000mg vitamins daily, this fights off coldsores naturally. Double up on lysine if your stressing out.
Good luck:)
May 10th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Cold sores can be caused by numerous things.
The wind can play a major part in it, but cold sores are contagious so try not to get too close to someone with them. There is no cure that I know of so far, but there may be one.
May 10th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Herpes Simplex type 1 is the virus that called cold sores.
Causes: (lot of causes)
– an eventful virus transfer during a kiss or a sip’s from a friends glass.
– various factor can trigger an outbreak. Sickness is common cause.
– Stress is often to blame
– Too much sunlight can often spark a sore,
– And direct trauma- for example a shot of novocaine into nearby nerves.
Medical researchers have discovered numerous ways, to help you stop cold sores, particularly if you get a lot of outbreaks.;
Increase the amount of lysine in your diet by eating foods like chicken, fish. cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, milk, soybeans, and mung beans.
Foods to avoid that contain arginine include peanuts, and contain arginine include peanuts, and paenut contain arginine include peanuts, and peanut butter , walnuts, almonds, pistacchio, nuts, sesame seeds,sunflower seeds,coconut, cocoa powder, chickpeas, brown rice and whole wheat.
People who get sun-induced cold sores need to be religious about using sunscreen lip balm. They can’t just put it in the morning they have to reapply it continually.
Be careful, No kissing, and no sharing glasses or utensils.
Asked your doctor or dermatologies about the medicine called acyclovir (Zovirax) med for people who are prone to cold sores. Or a Lyssine supplements.
For some people, cold sores occur less frequently as they get older.
May 10th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
It is the oral herpes virus– but TONS of people get them, don’t worry. My mom says once you get the virus, you have it for life, even when it’s dormant. I have it, so I get them every so often.
I never heard poor diet or sleep cause them, but I have heard that stress does! That’s true for me. Temperature change is a big trigger for me, too. Extreme hot or cold can cause them.
If they are bad, you probably can get a prescription for them, as you may know.
As soon as I can feel one coming on (it will be sore, red, or raised a little under the skin), I take Ibuprophen, as per my mom. I also use Abreva constantly and wash the area and keep it clean. Medication over-the-counter doesn’t seem to heal much faster for me, however, I think the virus just has to run it’s course.
May 11th, 2010 at 12:08 am
It’s oral herpes – a virus. No cure yet, but there are suppression treatments.
May 11th, 2010 at 1:17 am
Eating plain yogurt (with acidophilus) with live cultures is a good preventive measure. Heat-treated yogurt won’t work. People who have added yogurt to their daily diet have discovered that they don’t get cold sores, or very few. Yogurt seems to stimulate the immune system.