Why do they appear?

What is to blame for the small sores filled with liquid that suddenly appear on our lips? They are caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1).

According to the WHO, two-thirds of the world's population suffers from it. It is highly contagious and easily transmitted through direct contact, including saliva and liquids. After infection, the virus "sleeps" for most of its life inside the cells of the trigeminal nerve and is activated when immunity is weakened due to ARVI, temperature, insufficient sleep, stress, hypovitaminosis, or general exhaustion of the body.

Sunlight and ultraviolet light can also activate the virus. Hormonal changes are additional factors. In women, lip herpes may appear at certain stages of the menstrual cycle.

Onset of the disease

A cold sore often starts with a tingling, itching, or burning around the mouth. Then blisters appear on the skin, burst, and become crusted. It can take up to two weeks to heal.

How to treat it?

In order for the treatment to be effective, you should react immediately.

Docosanol ointment can help shorten the duration of a cold sore. But after the initial period, creams and ointments are unlikely to have a big impact. Herpes patches with hydrocolloid gel can be applied to the cold sore while it heals.

Antiviral pills are prescribed by a doctor if necessary.

Over-the-counter anesthetics (benzocaine, lidocaine, and tetracaine) can numb the skin and reduce pain and discomfort.

If the virus has already entered the body, there’s not much chance to get rid of it for good.

However, there’s ongoing research in this area. A group of scientists from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the US used gene editing techniques to achieve a 90 percent reduction in latent herpes type 1 (HSV-1) in mice, which should prevent recurrence of the infection. Hopefully, we will get rid of these sores forever!

23 March 2021