Understanding cold sores: how to stop the spread

Cold sores are small blisters mainly caused by a strain of the herpes virus called herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1).

Once you catch the virus, it remains in your body forever. This will mean you will have multiple bouts of cold sores. However, some people may not get symptoms until months or years after being infected with the virus.

A cold sores episode might be triggered when your immune system is compromised like when you have a cold or you’re stressed.

The herpes virus is very contagious, which means it spreads quite easily between people. Cold sores are spread mainly through skin-to-skin contact.

Kissing

The most common way to spread the virus is through kissing. Kissing someone with an active bout of cold sores comes with a high risk of transmitting the virus to someone if they don’t already have it.

Kissing a baby if you have a cold sore can cause neonatal herpes, which can be dangerous for newborn babies.

Oral sex

You can catch and spread cold sores through oral sex.

This is because the virus that causes genital herpes (HSV-2) can occasionally cause cold sores. Similarly, HSV-1 can occasionally cause genital herpes.

Performing oral sex on someone who has genital herpes can cause cold sores. If you receive oral sex from someone who has cold sores, it can result in genital herpes.

A common myth about cold sores is that they are easily spread through surfaces such as by sharing utensils, straws, towels or pillows.

There is a very low risk of contracting the cold sores virus from touching contaminated surfaces. This is because the virus cannot survive for very long outside of the body.

That being said, it is still good hygiene practice to not share any of these items if you have an active bout.

Cold sores are contagious from the moment you feel a tingling or burning sensation. This sensation occurs 48 hours before a blister forms. They are then contagious until the sore has completely healed.

You can reduce the length of a cold sores bout by using antiviral medications like Aciclovir or Valaciclovir at the tingling stage. They are available as tablets on prescription or as a cream over the counter.

Cold sores are the most contagious when the sore bursts, as the fluid can spread the virus. So you should be especially careful not to touch the herpes sore at this stage.

Can you spread cold sores if you have no symptoms?

Some STIs can spread even if no visible symptoms are present. This phenomenon is known as asymptomatic shedding.

It is uncommon for cold sores to be spread when no symptoms are present. However, they are contagious from the moment you feel a tingling sensation so the symptoms may not be visible.

Can you spread the virus to other parts of your body?

Touching an open sore on your mouth or genitals or biting your nails with an active cold sore may cause another condition called herpetic whitlow.

The condition causes a burning and painful sensation in your finger before becoming swollen. Then, similar to other herpes conditions, small fluid-filled blisters will begin to appear.

There are some things you should do to prevent spreading the cold-sore virus to anyone else.

Avoid touching cold sores (unless applying a cream).	Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after applying a cream.	Don’t share cold sore creams or medication with anyone.
Do not kiss anyone or perform oral sex until your sore has disappeared.	Don’t share any items that have come into contact with the sore.	Be especially careful around newborns or people with weak immune systems.

Dating with herpes is perfectly safe if you manage your condition. This includes practising safe sex, even if no symptoms are present.

Use barrier contraception such as a dental dam or a condom during sex to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

If you get cold sores often, you can prevent outbreaks by managing your triggers. For example, if you know that sunlight triggers symptoms, wear a lip balm that contains SPF.

Your doctor may recommend you take a prescription medication like Aciclovir and Valaciclovir to suppress the virus if you get frequent outbreaks.

Cold sores are predominantly spread through skin-to-skin contact via kissing or oral sex. Rarely, the virus can spread through contaminated surfaces.

They are contagious from the first signs of a bout, even before the sore itself appears. So, you should take great care to not spread it to anyone else (especially vulnerable people and newborns).