You can take steps to guard against cold sores, to prevent spreading them to other parts of your body or to avoid passing them along to another person :
- Avoid kissing and skin contact with people while blisters are present. The virus can spread easily as long as there are moist secretions from your blisters. In persons with depressed immune systems, the virus can be spread even after the skin appears to be healed.
- Avoid sharing items. Utensils, towels and other items can spread the virus when blisters are present.
- Keep your hands clean. Wash your hands carefully before touching another person when you have a cold sore.
- Be careful about touching other parts of your body. Your eyes and genital area may be particularly susceptible to spread of the virus.
- Avoid triggers. If possible try to avoid or prevent conditions that stress your body, such as getting a cold or the flu, not getting enough sleep or staying in the sun for long periods of time without applying sunblock.
- Use sunblock. Apply sunblock to your lips and face before prolonged exposure to the sun during both the winter and the summer to help prevent cold sores.
Self-care
Cold sores generally clear up without treatment. In the meantime, the following steps may provide relief :
- Use creams. Over-the-counter (OTC) creams can provide comfort, but don't expect them to speed healing.
- Take an OTC pain reliever. These include aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others). But don't give aspirin to children. Aspirin may trigger a rare but potentially fatal disorder known as Reye's syndrome.
- Use cold or heat. Try applying ice or warm compresses to the blisters to ease the pain.
- Let it heal. Avoid squeezing, pinching or picking at any blister.
