ok so i am kinda worried, i had a cold sore on my chin a couple weeks ago, and then and Sunday i had another one on my lip and another one inside my mouth like on the inside of my lip that came up today... i am not sure what is causing it, but the one on my chin and the one on my lip seem to be going away with using Abreva... is there anything else i can do? is it something i should be worried about? i was reading about it on webmd that it is caused by Herpes simplex, so i have to worry about spreading it to my boyfriend?? we make out all the time, and i gave him head on sunday... :?
Yeah you definately should never give oral while you have symptoms of cold sores. Cold sores are generally cauce by herpes symplex type 1. Genital herpes are generally caused by herpes simplex type 2. But, you CAN spread type 1 to the genitals or type 2 to the mouth.
If you gave your boyfriend head while you had open sores there is a very good chance that he could break out into herpes. if he does, make sure you don't have sex with him until they clear up, and get him to the doctor.
Also, don't use your own saliva for masturbation. You could then infect yourself. Don't use your saliva as lube while giving him a handjob either.
well the blister hadn't even formed when i gave him oral, it came up later that night/next day... so this means i have herpes? :( how could have gotten it? i have had cold sores since i was a kid...
Cold sores do = herpes simplex type 1. Lots of people, including little kids have it. It's not attached with the same stigma as genital herpes, because it's more common, and it's right out there on your face. Maybe you got it on the playground, or at daycare, or at home. From a kiss or sharing a drink. Who knows, ya know?
But, you do need to be careful.
Also, for a while before the ulcer shows up, you'll still be contagous. I don't know how long before, or how long after. So, he might still have a break out. Or he might not. In general, type 1 is supposidly less virulent on the genitals. He probebly wouldn't have a lot of recurrences, although everyone is different.
I am really not trying to scare you, but it is a health concern that you need to be informed about. Why not go to your doctor and ask about cold sores and sexual health? It would be a good idea to get the info from a professional.
i can't remember the statistic, but the vast majority of adults are carriers of the herpes 1 (mouth) virus. some people don't ever have outbreaks and are more or less outbreak immune, while others are easily break out.
when my daughter was eighteen months old she contracted cold sores somehow and has gotten them fairly regularly since. at first, as is common in children, they were really awful/painful and coincided with a general sickness, fever, etc., but they've since gotten much more mild. but try not to give them to you kid! it's no fun.
you're really only contagious when it's active, as in you have active sores. too much sun, colds, sulfates in toothpaste, and certain face soaps can also lead to break outs. but really, it shouldn't be too much of a problem if you're conscious of it. and your boyfriend most likely already carries the virus, so i wouldn't be too worries about kissing.
Interesting side note: when we would do HSV screens on people with new diagnosis of genital herpes, about half of their screens were positive for HSV 1, not 2.
It's no big deal. Just a place for the herpes virus to hang out. The virus could care less if it's in your trigeminal nerve (on the mouth/face) or one of the spinal nerves (genitals).
thanks ladies!! i guess i feel a little better now, one thing that i kinda thought about was the one on my chin a few weeks ago was a bunch of small blisters, and the on my lip now was just one big blister, could it be something different?? i got really sunburned on Thursday and then i was out in the sun again on Sunday when i started feeling it, could it be like a 2nd degree burn on my lip instead of HSV1?
It would be hard to tell without testing the ulcer, I would think.
HSV is such a common virus. It's wierd to me that my mom gets cold sores pretty regularely, and has since she was a toddler. But me and my siblings never get any ever.
It is possible that we were born with the virus in utero from my mom, and it is just dormant? I've accidently kissed a guy (in the dark) when he had a cold sore, and nothing ever became of it. Also, I tested positive for chicken pox antibodies, but I've never had an outbreak or a vax for it. I know chicken pox is a herpe virus too, isn't it? Is it possible that these things could all be related.
chicken pox is caused my herpes zostor virus... it can also cause shingles... i learned that in mircobiology the other day
It's not uncommon to have had CP and not know it. 90% of adults are immune, but a lot don't remember having it.
It's likely that you had a mild infection of HSV at some point -- mom shedding virus, kisses you, no big deal -- but it's also not uncommon to carry antibodies for HSV and have no memory of ever having had an outbreak. If you were breastfed, your initial infection would likely have been VERY mild and possibly unnoticed by anyone (because you would have had your mom's antibodies).Stress is a huge trigger for HSV outbreaks, as is sun exposure and smoking -- basically, anything that lowers your immune response.