| Are cold sores contagious, you may be wondering. It's bad enough to have unsightly and painful cold sores, but no one wants to spread them to their friends and family ( and no one who knows someone with a cold sore wants to get one themselves). The answer to that question is yes, cold sores are very contagious. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus which can be contracted early in life and will remain in the body throughout their life since there is no known cure. Most people will come into contact with the virus while still a child.
Though this virus will remain in a dormant stage for the vast majority of time, it's still possible, though not really likely, to pass it on to others. The highest risk of getting a cold sore from someone else is when they have an ongoing active lesion that is 'weeping' or pus filled.
The actual cold sore will generally start with a small tingling sensation that will evolve into a bump which will eventually evolve into a lesion. You can spread cold sores not only to others but to other parts of your own body too. You can rub your lip than rub your eyes, for example.
The good news is that now that you have the answer to your question: Are Cold Sores Contagious, you can prevent spreading it to others, and you can increase your chances of not getting it, with a few simple precautions:
1. Since you can actually infect other people with the HSV1 Virus,even if there is no active outbreak, it's very important that you wash your hands frequently. This is especially true right after you've come into contact with someone else.
2. Never share personal care items such as razors and toothbrushes since this is one very common way for the virus to be transferred. When someone has an outbreak don't share drinking glasses or give them a bite of your food (or take a bite of theirs).
3. Avoiding kissing anyone who has an active outbreak - an actual cold sore (it is still possible to get the virus even if the outbreak isn't currently active, but you can't spend your whole life not kissing your loved ones!).
4. Everyone will have their own unique tolerances to deflect infections. Some people simply don't seem to get sick as often or as easily as others. It can never hurt to make sure you keep your body as healthy as possible. that will increase the likelihood of being able to fight off infections. Get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, avoid too much caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, in short, take care of your body and your body will take care of you.
Cold sores can be just a nasty part of life, and while the answer to the question: Are cold sores contagious, is yes, don't worry. By keeping your immune systems strong by taking good care of yourself and eating well you can decrease the chances you'll have an outbreak. If you do, just be careful that you don't spread it to others by taking some simple precautions during the outbreak. |