Cold Sores

Cold sores are a very common issue. Most often, the culprit is oral herpes which can be contracted through direct skin contact (not necessarily in the genital area) with an infected person, and less frequently by indirect contact (for instance, by sharing lip balm or a virus infested shared towel). Oral herpes is a common and usually mild recurrent skin condition; most infections are unrecognized and undiagnosed. The virus travels through tiny breaks in the skin (or mucous membranes in the mouth and genital areas), so, healthy skin and mucous membranes are normally an effective barrier to infection. Learn more about the condition of cold sores with information on causes, symptoms, history, and treatments.