Cold Sore Treatment

As a rule, no, cold sores are not incredibly dangerous. Still, while they may not be life-threatening, they do still represent a danger. One issue with these is that they are created by the herpes simplex virus. A new cold sore is created when the herpes virus enters your body’s healthy cells. It makes these cells create new copies of the virus, spreading it through your body. When too many of these viruses build up in one location, they explode into a cold sore.

One of the most dangerous aspects of a cold sore is the fact that it is incredibly contagious. It remains contagious during the entire two or three weeks that they are visible. Any one who comes in contact with the fluid that leaks out of the sore has a very large chance of being infected, and once infected, they can never be rid of the virus. The virus will also be present in all of your bodily fluids, including semen, vaginal fluids, and saliva.

If you are pregnant, the cold sore presents another danger. Because the virus is present in vaginal fluids, doctors will not allow you to have a vaginal delivery. This is because it is possible the baby could become infected with herpes during birth. In fact, the baby could actually get herpes in his or her eyes, a very real threat that could cause blindness.

Cold sores in the eyes, in fact, can cause permanent damage to anyone, not simply babies. If the sores spread to your eyes, you may find yourself facing permanent blindness as they can damage your cornea. While cold sores don’t often appear on the eyes naturally, the virus can move to your eyes if you wipe your eyes with a towel or your fingers after touching it.

As you can see, a cold sore can indeed be very dangerous, especially if you aren’t careful. You should do your best to keep your hands clean; wash them frequently, especially if you touch the area around your cold sore.

Find out more about cold sores and the effect they could have on peoples lives, as well as learning about various cold sore treatments by clicking on one of the links and visiting our site.