Are cold sores & herpes the same? Are cold sores contagious? Can you kiss loved ones with herpes? Read on as we clear up the confusion…
Understanding cold sores & herpes
Before we get into the common misconceptions, let’s look at both cold sores and herpes to get a better understanding of them and what their differences are.
What are cold sores?
Cold sores are small blisters that can appear anywhere on the body, but they’re most common on the lips or around the mouth. Caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), cold sores usually start with a tingling, itching or burning feeling before developing into blisters around 48 hours later. Cold sores can be triggered by exposure to the sun or cold winds, a common cold or other illnesses, a weak immune system, stress or even being on your period.
Are cold sores contagious?
Cold sores are very contagious, from the first signs of tingling until they’re completely healed. They can be transmitted easily through skin-to-skin contact like kissing or sharing utensils, as well as through direct contact with a blister.
Cold sores should start to clear up without treatment between seven and 10 days, but they can be irritating or painful while they heal.
What is herpes?
Herpes is a common viral infection that’s caused by the herpes simplex virus. It shows on the skin as painful blisters or ulcers which are usually sexually transmitted or spread by skin-to-skin contact. There are two types of the virus, both of which can cause oral and genital herpes:
- HSV-1 – this usually spreads by oral contact, causing infections in or around the mouth like cold sores
- HSV-2 – this is spread by sexual contact and causes genital herpes
What are the symptoms of herpes?
Genital herpes (HSV-2) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can be passed on through vaginal, anal and oral sex. Symptoms can include:
- Small blisters that burst and leave open sores around your genitals
- Tingling, burning or itching around your genitals
- Pain when you pee
- Unusual discharge
Many people have no or only mild symptoms. This means they can have the virus without having an outbreak, which makes it easier to pass it onto others without knowing. If you think you have herpes, speak to your GP or visit a sexual health clinic, even if you’ve not been sexually active for some time, as blisters can take months or even years to appear.
What is the herpes simplex virus?
The herpes simplex virus is a contagious virus that most people are exposed to when they’re children. It can be transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact with sores.
Both cold sores and herpes are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which means anyone can contract it, regardless of age or gender. Once you have the virus, it lies dormant in your skin which means the blisters can come back at any time.
How to manage & treat cold sores & herpes
If you find yourself with a cold sore or you think you’re experiencing signs of herpes, there are ways to manage and treat both, so let’s get into it.
How to treat cold sores
A cold sore should naturally heal within seven to 10 days, but there are a handful of things you can do to help manage it while it heals, such as:
- Avoiding anything that triggers your cold sores
- Using a lip balm with an SPF of 15 or above when you're outside in the sun
- Taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to help ease any discomfort and swelling, if suitable for you
- Drinking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration
You can also speak to a Boots pharmacist who may recommend:
- A cream or gel to ease pain and irritation
- Antiviral cream to speed up healing time
- Cold sore patches to protect the skin while it heals
If you regularly get cold sores, try to use an antiviral cream, if it’s suitable for you. Do this as soon as you recognise the early tingling feeling as they don’t always work after blisters appear.
You may also want to consider the Boots Online Doctor Cold Sore Treatment service* which offers advice and, if appropriate, treatment.
It’s important to prevent spreading your cold sore to others. You can do this by:
- Washing your hands whenever you touch your cold sore
- Avoiding kissing anyone while you have a cold sore
- Not having oral sex until your cold sore has completely healed as there’s a risk of giving your sexual partner genital herpes
When to see a GP for a cold sore
Make an appointment with your GP if you have a cold sore and:
- It’s not started to heal within 10 days
- You’re worried about a cold sore or think it’s something else
- It’s large or painful
- You have a weakened immune system, for example, due to chemotherapy, diabetes or HIV
How to treat herpes
If you think you may have herpes, it’s important to make an appointment with your GP or visit a sexual health clinic. This way, you’ll get a better understanding of what’s caused it and what treatment is recommended.
While there’s no cure for genital herpes and symptoms generally clear up on their own, there are certain treatments available which can help decrease the length and severity of symptoms. You may be prescribed:
- An antiviral medicine to prevent your symptoms from getting worse – these need to be started within five days of symptoms first appearing
- A cream for any pain and discomfort
It’s not unusual for genital herpes to come back, however, recurrent outbreaks are often milder than the first episode. If this is the case, speak to your GP or go to a sexual health clinic to get the appropriate treatment.
You may also want to consider the Boots Online Doctor Genital Herpes Treatment service* which provides confidential advice and treatment from the comfort of your own home.
How to manage herpes at home
If you’ve been diagnosed with genital herpes, you should try to:
- Keep the area clean using plain or salt water to prevent blisters from becoming infected
- Apply an ice pack wrapped in a flannel to help soothe any pain
- Apply a petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, to help reduce pain when you pee
- Wash your hands before and after applying anything to the area
- Pour water over your genitals while you pee to help ease discomfort
- Avoid wearing tight clothing
- Refrain from touching the area unless you’re applying a cream
- Avoid having sex, including oral sex, until the sores have completely disappeared
It’s important to reduce the risk of passing on genital herpes by:
- Using a condom every time you have vaginal, anal or oral sex – it’s worth noting that herpes can still be passed on if the condom doesn’t cover the infected area
- Avoiding sex if you or your sexual partner has blisters or sores, or a tingle, burning or itching sensation that signals an oncoming outbreak
- Not sharing sex toys – if you do, wash them thoroughly and put a condom on them
Common cold sore & herpes myths, busted
There’s a lot of confusion out there when it comes to cold sores and herpes – especially with them being caused by the same virus. So take note as we debunk some of the most common myths.
MYTH: Only certain people can get herpes
FACT: Both cold sores and herpes are very common and can affect anyone. Most adults carry the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores, even if they've never had symptoms. And while there’s some superstition that poor hygiene can cause herpes, this is untrue – anyone who is sexually active can get herpes. If you have a cold sore and have oral sex, you can give your sexual partner genital herpes, too.
MYTH: Herpes can only affect the genitals
FACT: There’s two types of the herpes simplex virus – HSV-1 which typically affects the mouth area, and HSV-2 which usually affects the genital area, including the anus, bottom and the thighs.
MYTH: You can pass cold sores & herpes on by living with someone who has the virus
FACT: Cold sores and herpes can be spread through saliva or direct contact. But when the herpes simplex virus leaves living skin cells, it dies. So when it comes to living with someone who has the virus, you can still share facilities like showers and toilets, but try to avoid sharing utensils and encourage them to wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their sores.
MYTH: You can’t pass cold sores & herpes on if you have no visible symptoms
FACT: Around 80% of those with genital herpes don’t know they have it** as they either show no or very mild symptoms. Because of this, it makes it easy to pass it onto others.
In the stages before a cold sore or genital herpes develops, you can still pass on the infection through direct contact. For example, kissing a baby when you have the sensation of a developing cold sore can pass the virus to the baby. This can cause neonatal herpes which is a very dangerous condition for newborn babies.
