Facts about Cold Sores

• Most people contract oral herpes when they are children by receiving a kiss from a friend or relative
• Some HSV-infected people never experience a cold sore outbreak
• The itching, tingling, and burning that can occur before visible cold sore symptoms is called the prodrome
• The terms cold sore and fever blister came about because some people experience cold symptoms or a fever prior to an outbreak
• Cold sores are extremely common – it is estimated that, in the United States, 80%-90% of the population has been infected by the cold sore virus by the time they are 50 years old. Only about 30% of those infected with the virus actually ever get a cold sore.
• Although experts still don’t know all of the ways a cold sore can be triggered, some of the things that can cause a cold sore include:
  • Stress, tiredness, or being “run-down”
  • A cold, fever, or the flu
  • Exposure to the sun
  • Hormonal changes, such as from menstruation or pregnancy
  • Trauma, such as shaving, cuts, dental work, facial/cosmetic surgery