STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Grace · Dooney & Bourke

Who knows about cold sores

asf · Kate Spade

it means that you could get cold sores if you kiss him while he has them. it also means that (sorry if this is too graphic) you could get genital herpes if you engaged in oral sex with him while he was having an outbreak. it's possible that it could happen when he's not having an outbreak too, but much less likely, i think.

Grace · Dooney & Bourke

I don't know if I am just being naive or what. I feel weird about putting my self "at risk" but I love the guy I'm obviously not going to not kiss him...UGH.

asf · Kate Spade

you should probably talk to your doctor to see how much risk there actually is, and what you can do to minimize it.

Grace · Dooney & Bourke

You are probably right, thanks.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

Just a stupid question but where are these cold sores and is he sure they are cold sores. I ask because I always get ulcers in my mouth and I always call them cold sores but cold sores are not the same as ulcers. Ulcers aren't contageous so you may be worrying about nothing.

cc · Marc Jacobs

Something like 40% (it might be even more) of the adult population has the virus that causes cold sores and I think most people who don't get cold sores by the time they are adults might be immune so you might not have to worry. My dad and my sister and I all get them but my mom never has and neither my sister's nor my boyfriend's have ever gotten them. So I don't think you should freak out. If you are really worried definitely talk to your doctor about it or at least read about it on WebMD.

oliviacw · BCBG

You should definitely not kiss him or touch his face while he has cold sores or thinks he might be getting one (I can tell when I'm about to get an outbreak - it starts to tingle). You should also make sure he washes his hands before touching you or preparing food.

If he hasn't talked to his doctor about them, there are now medications that can prevent an outbreak or help it go away faster. There are also a couple of over-the-counter solutions that work well. Abbreva is a marvelous ointment that will help clear them up quickly, and I find that if I take 500 mg of Lysine every day (in the vitamins and supplements section of any drugstore), it will help prevent them.

If you do become infected, get to a doctor right away - there are some medicines that work best if you start taking them during your first outbreak.

And don't worry! As long as you are careful, the odds are good that you won't get infected. I've been with my husband for 18 years, and he's never caught them from me.

halleybird · Hermes

cc is right -- many, many adults carry the HS1 virus, which usually occurs on the lips, but can also appear in any mucuous membrane, even the eyes. A small percentage of those people get cold sores, and an even smaller percentage get recurring outbreaks. But PLEASE, do not kiss him or let him put his mouth anywhere until it's completely gone -- you don't want to find out which of those groups you fall into, trust me.

I have such a strong strain of it that I have to take medication every day for the rest of my life, and I still get them once or twice a year. Without the medicine, I would get them 5-6 times a year.

Also, don't let him kiss you on the cheek or forehead, either. When we were in college, my husband actually got it on his jaw -- I didn't think you could get it there, but apparently you can, if you have any kind of tiny cut, etc. (he had been shaving). I felt SO bad!

LSU - you would know if you were getting cold sores. They start as blisters, and then cause your entire lip to swell, and then they burst and cause unbelievable pain. I have gotten mouth ulcers before, too, but cold sores are a whole different ballgame.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

halleybird wrote:

LSU - you would know if you were getting cold sores. They start as blisters, and then cause your entire lip to swell, and then they burst and cause unbelievable pain. I have gotten mouth ulcers before, too, but cold sores are a whole different ballgame.

Oh that does sound awful! I've never had one but I use to get it all confused so that is why I was asking about it since she hadn't described it. I finally got the right terminalogy last year!

Grace · Dooney & Bourke

Thank you for all the info. I do appreciate it!