Please select from the list of medical conditions from the below drop-down list:

• Acne
• Actinic Keratosis
• Albinism
• Alopecia (Baldness)
• Athletes Foot
• Atopic Dermatitis
• Birthmarks
• Cheilitis
• Cold Sores
• Eczema
• Hair Loss
• Hemangioma
• Herpes
• Hyperhidrosis
• Melanoma
• Melasma
• Onychomykosis (Nail Fungus)
• Port Wine Stain
• Psoriasis
• Seborrhea
• Seborrheic Keratosis
• Skin Cancer
• Skin Checks
• Skin Tags
• Vitiligo
• Warts

Cold Sores

A cold sore is a small sore situated on the face or in the mouth that causes pain, burning, or itching before bursting and crusting over. The favorite locations are on the lips, chin or cheeks and in the nostrils. Less frequented sites are the gums or roof of the mouth.

Cold sores, also commonly called fever blisters, are caused by Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1. The virus lies latent (dormant) in the body and is reawakened (reactivated) by factors such as stress, sunburn, fever or from a wide range of infectious diseases including colds. Recurrences are less common after age 35. Sunscreen (SPF 15 or more) on the lips helps prevent recurrences of Herpes from sunburn.

The virus is highly contagious when fever blisters are present. It is spread by kissing. Children become infected by contact with someone who has a fever blister and then they spread the virus by rubbing their cold sore and touching other children. A person with fever blisters should be careful not to touch the blisters and spread the virus to new sites, such as the eyes or genitals.

There is no cure for fever blisters. Medications that can relieve some of the pain and discomfort include ointments that numb the blisters, antibiotics that control secondary bacterial infections, and ointments that soften the crusts of the sores. There are anti-viral drugs which prevent the Herpes Simplex Virus from multiplying and, in pill form, has been reported to reduce the symptoms and frequency of recurrence.

Cold sores (fever blisters) are also called Labial Herpes (in Latin, herpes labialis) and Febrile Herpes (herpes febrilis).