Yep, that’s something most people don’t know. More than half the adult population has type 1 herpes orally. They can be potentially contagious even without symptoms. So if that person performs oral sex there is a risk it can be transmitted to “someplace else.”
Stress always gets me as well, particularly around my Time of the Month.
I go the opposite direction when I get a tingle. I put antibacterial gel on it, or if I’m home, I hold a cotton ball dipped in pure rubbing alcohol on it. If it’s comes out anyway, I then burn that motherfucker with alcohol as much as I can. It may not be great for the skin, but it makes the tingling/burning/itchy go away faster, and I can deal with a scab much easier than a running sore that I’m constantly aware of on my face.
I read recently that lots and lots of people swear by putting EAR WAX on it at first tingle. I’ve not been that desperate lately, but I can totally see myself trying that at some point, at least once.
Whatever works. I’d put donkey semen on there if it meant it would stay away.
Bolding mine.
There is no longer any recognized differentiation between “oral” herpes or “genital” herpes except for where the breakout occurs. If it occurs near or in your mouth, it is oral herpes. If it occurs near or on your genitalia, it is genital herpes.
The reason for this is because originally Type 1 HSV was almost always oral while Type 2 HSV was almost always genital. After oral sex became more popular, the two types of virus could be found just about anywhere.
With all due respect to **Living Well Is Best Revenge **yes you can and many people do get herpetic outbreaks in the mouth. I see it frequently in my practice. Getting diagnosed is easy just stop by your friendly neighborhood MD or DDS and get a looksee when you have an outbreak.
You could look at the Virulite - an infrared treatment for cold sores that has clinical backing evidence (and is available on prescription on the NHS in the UK). I’ve been really happy with mine - I feel (anecdote is not data) it has reduced the frequency of my outbreaks and certainly reduces healing time if you start early (tingle stage).
YMMV but I am pretty satisfied.
You have my sympathies. I get them from time to time and have learned to recognise the early tingle and find that Zovirax works well - I’ve never actually prevented one but getting the Zovirax on early does seem to reduce both the size and duration.
Vinegar is another trigger for me, and I used to love salt and vinegar flavoured chips! I’ve changed my diet since then so chips are off the menu anyway.
I find I am able to use a lip balm to help protect my lips - I get the ones in the pots and use my finger to do a single application then wash my hands. That way, my lips never touch the applicator so can’t ‘infect’ it. No idea if there’s any science behind that, but it works for me.
Extremely rare for HSV 2 to be found orally. And if it is, it almost never reoccurs. Now HSV 1 is very common genitally. But it doesn’t reoccur nearly as often down south as HSV 2 will.
It might be interesting to start a “what’s you’re cold sore trigger?” thread.
I’ve been successful at preventing them with liberal doses of regular old lip moistening type lip balms, and drinking lots of water.
My triggers seem to be trauma (like if I bite my lip), sunburn, and dryness.
I’ve found the opposite about lip balms. I started using lip balms with SPF 8 or more a few years ago and the number of cold sores dropped like a rock. I spend a lot of time outside. Dry, cracked lips out in the Sun isn’t good.
Burt’s Bee lip balm with SPF is expensive, but works for me.
When I do feel a twinge, I use Abreva cream ASAP.
If a cold sore sufferer had their lips amputated, would that stop the virus or would it just move to some other target like the nose or eyes?