COLD SORE

My cold sore is back again! This year it recurr like more than TWICE!):

Hais, i really didnt know where i contracted this virus from in Singapore. But it doesnt really matter now, the most important is my responsiblitly to make sure i dont pass it to others. My dear friends, all of you are so important to me!

It just recurr yesterday night, and blood donation is today. My sore just came at the wrong time. I cannot donate blood if i have an active cold sore.

Yea. and JunLin advice me to do some research on it. so here it goes, my report. I hightligted important point in RED. I know nobody will be that free to read the whole thing.


Cold sores are small, painful, fluid-filled blisters or sores that appear on the lips, mouth, or nose that are caused by a virus. The sores can be painful and usually last a few days. Unlike most viral infections, the cold sore virus is not completely eliminated by the body defenses. For this reason, cold sores often recur.

The virus that causes cold sores is known as the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of HSV, type I and type II. Cold sores are usually caused by type I. Herpes simplex infections are contagious. The virus is spread from person to person by kissing or other close contact with sores or even from contact with apparently normal skin that is shedding the virus. Infected saliva is also a means of transmitting the virus. People are most contagious when they have active blister-like sores. Once the blisters have dried and crusted over (within a few days), the risk of contagion is significantly lessened. However, a person infected with HSV can pass it on to another person even when a cold sore is not present. This is because the virus is sometimes shed in saliva even when sores are not present. Despite popular myth, it is almost impossible to catch herpes (cold sores) from contaminated surfaces, towels, or washcloths. It is known that some conditions seem to be associated with recurrences, including
fever, colds, or the flu (this is why some people call them "fever blisters"),
ultraviolet radiation (exposure to the sun),stress,changes in the immune system,hormonal changes, such as menstruation, and trauma to the skin. Sometimes there is no apparent cause of the recurrence.Colds sores have a tendency to recur in more or less the same place. Such recurrences may happen often (for example, once a month) or only occasionally (for example, once or twice a year).

Cold sores contain the HSV-1 virus. People with cold sores should wash their hands often, especially after touching the face. Cups and eating utensils should not be shared with another person.

There is no cure for cold sores. The herpes simplex virus hides deep in nerve roots and cannot be wiped out by medicines that are currently on the market. Most people will continue to get cold sores off and on throughout their life.