[toc]First of all, what exactly are cold sores? Cold sores are small and painful blisters which are filled with fluid. These sores usually appear around the mouth region i.e. the mouth, lips, and nose.They are caused by a virus and last for a few days.
Cold sores have a tendency of recurring over and over again because this viral infection cannot be completely eliminated by the body defenses.This article will let you know the causes along with the symptoms of cold sores.
Important Causes Of Cold Sores
Hormonal Changes
Hormonal changes are one of the root causes of cold sores. The change in the human body and the various hormones leads to the outgrowth of many skin infections like pimples, acne, cold sore, etc.
People hitting puberty can experience this problem due to hormonal changes. Menopause and beginning of menstruation also lead to a lot of hormonal changes which give birth to cold sores.
Ultraviolet Rays Of The Sun
The UV rays of the sun are extremely dangerous for the skin. The UV rays can cause skin diseases like measles, chicken pox, cold sores, acne, pimples and skin cancer. It can also result in cold sores.
These harsh rays of the sun can have a toll on the skin leading to many such diseases, so it is better to use sunscreens which come with UV protection.
HSV Virus
Cold sores are caused by a virus called the herpes simplex virus. There are two types of this virus which are named as the type I virus and the type II virus.
Cold sores are mostly caused because of the type I category. It is a communicable oral virus, and can be spread through kissing and other oral intimacy. The saliva of the affected person carries the virus of this disease.
Symptoms Of Cold Sores
Fever
As mentioned before, different bodies react differently to viruses and therefore may have different symptoms. Some people may have bleeding gums, while some may have swollen glands and some may have fever before the appearance of these sores.
Fever however, is more common of these three symptoms. Cold sores are also called fever sores because, they usually occur after a person has been affected by high fever. The blisters may take a lot of time to completely heal and it takes around 2-6 weeks for them to disappear completely.
Tingling And Burning Sensation On The Skin
Burning and tingling sensation can be felt on the skin before the occurrence of these blisters
Different people have different symptoms before the sores are visible on skin, but this is one common symptom observed by almost every sufferer.
Reddening Of The Skin
Rashes can appear on the skin just before the appearance of these painful sores. They may be accompanied by reddening of the skin or mild skin irritation such as itching and burning.
The entire area which is affected needs to be treated by a proper dermatologist so that they do not recur. The skin’s defenses are not good enough to fight HSV and therefore clinical help is required to clear these blisters from the root.
