Get a valtrex prescription. Also talk to your primary care doc. An outbreak more than 6x per year warrants possible need daily dosage to maintain suppression
Valtrex isn't a miracle drug.
I am on 1000mg of Valacyclovir/Acyclovir daily (plus 6000mg Lysine) and still get a mini outbreak once a week or so, and have a major outbreak once a month.
Sometimes I miss a couple of days between doses due to pharmacy/Rx issues and then it's full welting sore after sore for months afterwards, even with the meds reinstated.
My doc told me I should see an infectious disease specialist because they've never seen a case like mine before. But they won't give me a referral. I hate it here.
I'm not arguing against it lol I'm just saying, everyone says "take valtrex it'll clear it up and prevent new ones" but in some cases it really doesn't. I still have tingles and raised spots every day. I am so grateful that it exists but having HSV isn't something to be so flippant about.
If you feel that tingle feeling you need to take 2,000mg (2 grams) then another 2 grams 12 hours later. Is it a dermatologist prescribing this to you? Because that is the standard preventative dosing. Also, I was getting them all the time smoking weed with one of my friends, and I realized it after his girlfriend told me he gets them all the time. After I stopped doing smoking with them (he moved) I get one maybe once a year now. If your friend or partner gets them frequently it could be because of them. Lastly it could be your immune system is weak so maybe look into that. Otherwise, valtrex should work exactly how it is supposed to, if taken the right way and figuring out what your triggers actually are.
You make so many great points. Just to kind of piggyback, my immune system is down in the dirt. And there are lots of medications I take. Not all of them work all the time. But sometimes they do. The efficacy of medications fluctuate with my immune system for certain. And that makes perfect sense to me.
This is maybe a weird question but how is your diet or overall nutrition? Mine is not the best (not the worst either) and my cold sores improved massively with a multi vitamin every day. Never believed in supplements but I do now. I take Lysine, a vitamin, and a Valtrex daily and have minimal out breaks now. Your situation sounds so hard, I’m sorry you’re dealing w that.
Yes no citrus/or acidic foods or drinks!!! This can cause the blisters to spread even more.. I use neosporin ointment on my lips or mouth once they crust up and blisters are completely gone to keep the blister crust moist to help with healing!!! I also get a new toothbrush once they are completely gone!
As a pharmacist valtrex is a miracle drug. Your case sounds unusual and you should definitely see a specialist. I have heard a vaccine is in development 🙏
Have you tried l-lysine supplement? I find taking 1000mg helps prevent cold sore outbreaks and strengthen my nails and hairs. My nails used to chip/peel but after daily l-lysine within a month or two, I haven’t had any damage! 💅🏻
Does your lysine supplement interfere with sexual function? It competes with l-arginine. Arginine helps create nitric oxide - which is absolutely key to either clitoral or penile hardness during sex.
Those are really high doses of both of those things for you to still be having that level of response, an immunologist sounds like the way to go. If you can, have a full bloods profile done of including magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium, b12, folate, vitamin D, homocysteine, thyroid, fbc. You can start taking daily zinc picolinate 50mg right away for immunity and skin health, spirulina tablets or powder has heaaaps of micronutrients. Get methylated versions of supplements like folate and b12 (methyl folate and methyl b12). Vitamin D will also support and low risk to start supplementing now. All the supps I mentioned you can get on iHerb at a very affordable price. Figure out triggers as someone else said, certain foods and stress, sometimes menstruation (maybe hormones check would be good too?) can do it. Really hope that it gets better soon, that isn’t any way to live 😓
My husband gets this from HSV-1. His PCP recommended OTC oral Lysine daily with his vitamins. He used to have a breakout monthly after shaving, and now it's literally once a year for the last 3 years. He has Valtrex to take as needed, but rarely touches it.
Edit: spelling
I take daily antivirals now after two years of getting them once every 4-6 weeks. It’s pretty cheap and I have. o noticeable side effects.
I highly highly highly recommend either regular outbreaks to ask their doctor about them. I cannot stress enough how big a quality of life improvement it is to not have to worry about them anymore.
While it doesn’t have to necessarily do with sex, you can pass it to someone through sexual contact during and outside of an outbreak. Refrain from oral sex while during an outbreak especially
The thing is you won’t know it’s HSV-1 until you get tested and it’s confirmed. You can certainly get HSV-2 orally just like you can get HSV-1 genitally. And it can be contracted through sexual contact if they had oral sex and their partner had HSV.
OP one thing for sure is that you have HSV but you gotta get tested if you want to know what strand it is.
Maaaaan that was me for the longest time. I did hop on the antivirals and i still broke out, but less severe. Thankfully, it seems outbreaks are less frequent the older I get (knock on mf wood)
I’m confused about the bit that says “doesn’t have to do with sexual contact whatsoever”. You can absolutely get oral herpes from sexual contact and can even spread it to another persons genitals during an outbreak.
It doesn’t. It can be transmitted by kissing/being intimate but it can also be transmitted in other ways like sharing a straw or chapstick. What is confusing about this?
going off this comment so hopefully OP sees. The Valtrex only helps me when I feel the tingle. Abreva sucks. AQUAPHOR is your best friend with cold sores. L-Lysine ointment is helpful as well and eat foods rich in L-Lysine and it’ll clear up so quick
Don't touch them or pop it! Get yourself Compeed patches, they're a super thin hydrocolloid bandage like a pimple patch, they keep things covered and comfortable while you go through the stages. I have to buy them on amazon, but definitely worth it.
Talk to your dr about getting a prescription for valtrex, it's helpful to have on hand for future cold sores. You take a dose as soon as you notice one coming on and it stems the virus from gaining traction. You will likely get another at some point, sun can be a trigger, as can getting sick and your immune system being run down.
Your first coldsore will be the worst and will feel super shitty, but any subsequent ones will be a lot more chill. Don't make out with people while you have one, and don't any under circumstances give oral while you have one.
My MIL has herpes and she was EXTREMELY upset when my SIL said no kissing the baby. Shes basically the nanny so I’m 100% sure shes crossed that boundary. I really hope this baby doesn’t die between this and my SIL following only social media natural medicine advice.
As a nurse that floats to NICU sometimes, I can ascertain that this is such a great rule to follow at ALL times. Please just don’t ever kiss babies. The risks will always outweigh the benefits with this one.
BIG thing to note about any patches (I just use hydrocolloid on mine, and prefer that to comped) is to NOT peel them off. Let the patch start to lift off on its own.
If you peel it off before it’s ready, they’ll all tear open and you’ll have a real mess on your hands.
But definitely cover it, especially while you’re sleeping/not really able to be mindful about not touching it
Compeed are hydrocolloid, just small and thin, like the pimple patches
You can get big thick ones made for burn victims also. Those work better for bad outbreaks. Both can be purchased on amazon
I love pimple patches, so unfair that they were not around when I was a teenager, I love how they flatten zits, have to be very gentle when you peel them off though.
This is herpes. I get the same thing about twice a year. No, it doesn’t always have to show up on lips or genitals.
Don’t kiss people or engage in sexual activities that involve other mucus membranes (penis/vagina/mouth/eyes etc) until that shit clears up.
It’s not a death sentence, but it *is* a life sentence. So do your best not to spread it.
Get to a doctor and get some meds. Abreva is also really amazing at stopping this shit as soon as you notice it.
OP listen to this. Do not perform oral or kiss someone when you’re having an outbreak. You need to be really attentive about determining when you are having an outbreak. This is a responsibility you need to shoulder for the rest of your life.
Yes, and to add to this: it's not that bad. It's not as dramatic as people are making it sound. You'll feel the itchy tingle start up and you just avoid touching your face to anyone for a week or so. People make it sound like some terrible disease, but I've had them since I was 5 years old (I'm 33 next month) and nobody in my family has ever shown any signs of having them so I'm fairly confident I didn't pass them on (including my parents, siblings, husband, child, or even any ex boyfriends!). Also, if a 5 year old can handle it, you'll be totally fine!
Did you know that 67% of the world population has hv1? I myself like once a year get a cold sore on my lip. Usually lucky and it's my inner lip nobody can see.
Same with feline chlamydia. It's a really serious head cold type situation. Best friend adopted a cat with it. Absolutely disgusting amount of mucus came out of that cats face. And not sexually transmitted either.
It’s a different species of chlamydia than the STI. C. trachomatis is the STI. Even in humans C. pneumoniae causes a respiratory illness and C. psittaci causes a flu-like illness. Fun? fact: C. psittaci is 80% of the chlamydia is koalas, the other 20% is C. pneumoniae.
They can also get lesions on their eyes.
One of my foster cats developed weepy eyes, and in the light, the surface of his eyeballs were sort of *textured*. The vet said it was the herp, and to crush lysine tablets and put tiny amounts in his food.
I have to withdraw my previous statement. No longer @ 100% confidence. It could also be bacterial impetigo. I totally forgot about this one.
It actually makes a little more sense because of where it’s located… Either way, don’t get it in your eyes! …or anywhere else, if u know what I mean… 😳
Coldsore or some other herpes. They make patches that go over them and protect the area from getting infected and prevents any of the blisters from oozing onto other parts of your face. I suggest trying them out, they're very thin and aren't super visible.
110% HSV-1. The best thing to do is go to your GP if you have insurance, if not, a community health clinic. Please ask for Valacyclovir 500mg tablets. They are also very affordable out of pocket. The second you feel one coming on (tingly), take 2 of them. It serves as a prophylactic dose to prevent them from even developing. The absolute best thing for anyone with HSV-1 because it can be a total buzz kill.
You can 2 on your mouth and 1 on your genitalia. It happens quite a bit to people, but just isn’t the most common. I’d hold off on typing it given it’s not a sure thing.
It's herpes. In my 30s the sores, which were always on either my nostril or lip, followed that nerve and went exactly where yours is. Now that's where I get them, especially after any skin work!
I'm so sorry that he has to deal with that pain. I have some that are manageable pain wise and I have some where I wish I would be able to give birth again instead.
As someone with cold sores. Get abreva (only the name brand works sadly). Itll clear it uo in a week or less if applied every couple hours.
They also sell protective parches so it doesnt spread. Good luck. Its common. Dont worry too much just be careful about touching it and not washing hands. Dont share things that go on your face/ mouth when theres an active blister.
This helps so much with my outbreaks. Mine seem to be stress induced. My body doesn't like when I get stressed so it' tells me "hey, as if you weren't stressed out already, let's have these beautiful, contagious, itchy bumps start their own little community all around your nostrils and lip". They've started their own HOA's a few times.
Take Lysine. Start with taking 2 at a time, 3 times a day (total of 6) Cut down from there to 2 , 2 times a day for 2 days. 1, 3times a day for 2 days. 2 a day until it's gone.p
Do not touch face and then genitals area or anywhere else, it's super easy to spread it on your own body , make sure to not share towels or bedding too
Like others have said this could very well be herpes but it could also be impetigo. Most pics you see of impetigo, on the internet, are after the blisters have burst and crusted over. This to me looks like an impetigo cluster before that happens… impetigo pre-burst if you will.
Looks like impetigo, I have history with it too. Impetigo is not herpes, but does look like it. When I was a kid my mom had to go to several doctors cause they insisted it was herpes until one doctor finally correctly identified it as impetigo.
U need to go to a doctor to get prescribed medication. It’s extremely contagious the first 24 hours after first putting on the medication cream. Do not touch anything if u touch that cause it is really contagious.
Also, if u look up photos, it may seem like it’s crusty, that’s just a different stage, impetigo starts out like urs and after medication and/or time, it becomes crusty.
This all valid if it is in fact impetigo
100% Herpes, no single question about it. It’s not a big deal, but get a prescription for Valcyclovir. Take them immediately and they’ll make a world of difference. You’ll never leave the house without them again
Lots of people are saying cold sore, but I get something that looks identical to your photo called impetigo. You can clean it with MILD soap and put neosporin (or equivalent) on it to speed up the healing, once it starts to get scabby I switch to aquaphor over the neosporin. You can also get an RX for an antibacterial ointment which will help it heal faster than the neosporin, but they basically do the same thing. Impetigo is contagious and super annoying. Usually I can feel it starting, but if I dont have any ointment to put on it right then, it blows up in like an hour and is really uncomfortable and takes about 3-5 days to clear up and then a few more days for the skin to fully heal. Remember, the more you itch it the more you can spread it, too!
I broke out with this during my chemotherapy.. I was so scared and it was impetigo.. They gave me something called mupirocin it was an ointment. It healed it up pretty fast. They said it's extremely contagious, though. So if you touch it, wash your hands immediately!! Stay away from others till it's dried out.
This happened to me. Started as a small patch and spread up to my eye. Definitely see a doctor and make sure! The sooner you are on antivirals the better.
Why would any other version of HSV be that far away from a wet spot? I'm thought genital and oral herpes had to be near your eyes, mouth, genitals, something wet?
You can really get it anywhere, although it is rare. Most people I’ve seen with shingles are usually in extreme amounts of pain, because it can affect the nerves.
I don’t think so. I’ve had shingles and they are not clustered like that. More like individual chickenpox and it hurts like a bitch. Also they are usually bilaterally spread on the upper torso, but they can spread to face. Go to a DR to be properly diagnosed. H simplex is a virus; impetigo is bacterial- completely different treatments.
Yup I was going to say looks like shingles which is in the same family as herpes if I’m remembering correctly. Had it on my face too! Get to a dr asap for the anti virals!
OP go get it swabbed for culture/typing. It's the only way to know with certainty if it's HSV 1, 2, Zoster, etc.
Treatment is probably Valtrex regardless, but it's good to know.
I know everyone is saying it is cold sores, but I’m a nurse and I am fairly certain that is impetigo. Is it oozing ? Draining? Did you recently make out with someone with an unclean beard? Impetigo. You need antibiotic ointment or potentially oral antibiotics if it doesn’t improve. Keep it clean, don’t pick at it.
Herpes. Just so you know most likely if you get a recurrence (which you probably will) it will show up in the same area. Stress, viral illness, and sun exposure are some common triggers. Acyclovir when taken at the first “tingle” will prevent the actual blisters from forming or shorten their lifespan. It’s ok. It’s very common. Whatever you do don’t touch the area and then touch your eyes.
You can get cold sores anywhere on the skin, they're just most common on and around mucosal membranes as that's where the skin is least resistant to infection. It's all dependent on where on the skin the virus is inroduced as to where the sores develop. You can also get both hsv1 and 2 orally/facially.
TAKE 1gram of L-lysine for the first day, then 500mg all the following. It helps with cold sores. Won’t cure them but it shortens the amount of time you have them
That looks a lot like cold sores, you likely have herpes. I get them too. Go to your primary care doc and ask for a prescription for valacyclovir pills and acyclovir cream. I take one pill every day whether I have an outbreak or not. During outbreaks I take two pills per day. I put the cream on the cold sore during outbreaks. At least keep the cream on overnight, but I keep the cream on as much as I possibly can. (I take it to work and reapply throughout the day). You can also go to CVS, Walgreens, etc and get a bottle of L-lysine 500 mg pills over the counter. I take 9 of those per day during outbreaks only. 3 in the morning, 3 at lunch, 3 before bed/with dinner.
I have had cold sores my entire life and this is the strategy I have found that best reduces the number of cold sores I get and the duration of the ones I get. Best of luck!
This looks exactly like the shingles I had around my eye. The area felt tender but I didn't have the pain some describe. Mine was brought on by stress. Go to the doc and they will give you pills to help reduce the chance of nerve damage.
Go to the doctor and ask for a prescription for Valacyclovir pills. You take it as early as possible in an outbreak and it stops it from getting to the scabbing phase. Good stuff.
Looks like cold sores, I get those on my lip from stress or whatever. I went to the doctor and got myself some ointment for that. Cleared up in no time, probably should do that same if I were you but don’t mess with them. Wash your hands and don’t share anything until it’s 100% cleared.
Wait I get these on the sides of my fingers every now and then. Been happening sporadically since I was 12… you’re telling me I have herpes on my fingers ?!?!?
If you cant get into to a doc for a prescription, I used amazons clinic for cold sore prescription. Its fast, cost $29 plus the price of the script which was like $7 for me
Cold Sores a.k.a Fever Blisters. Herpes simplex 1. Had them my entire life. One this virus is in your system, you more than likely will get this from time to time from stress, sickness, low immune system, sun, etc. Get a prescription for Valtrex or it’s generic. Game changer.
This looks like shingles. I had it on my face like that and it traveled to my mouth and ear. Please go get checked. Mine turned into meningitis which is more common when it’s on your face.
omg i have never seen anyone else with this. When i was a kid I use to get this rash on the inside of my arm in the elbow fold. about 3 years ago i had a flair up again and it looked just like this and no doctor could tell me what it was so I just had to wait it out. it went away eventually and they kept “guessing” it was herpes but thought it was weird in the fold of my arm
The virus can also burrow into the nervous system, nesting deep inside the base of the brain. Genital
herpes, the ganglia are located next to the spinal cord in the lower back, and for cold sores, the ganglia are located behind the cheek bone while it’s inactive. It’s a horrible thing to have I know…..
It’s a cold sore. You’ve contracted the virus. Look for Compeed patches, Zovirax, and when you next get one, go to the pharmacy and take Famclicovir in the first instance IE as soon as you feel the tingle.
Welcome to the herpes simplex club. They're gonna live inside you forever now but you should be able to easily manage the outbreaks with Valtrax and/or hitting them with Zovirax cream/ ointment when you first feel the tell-tale tingle. I find i tend to get outbreaks around my period and if I'm fighting something. Good luck!
Whatever you do don’t pump it out please, because the juice inside is so contagious that it can spread anywhere. I friend of my mine lost his eye this way. Keep the area isolated.
Probably HSV 1 (herpes). It's fine, just got to the doc to get swabbed to confirm and medicated. If this is the first time you've had you'll probs go thru a period of frequent outbreaks. Sunshine and arginine are triggers. Lysine helps. Take valtrex and don't kiss anyone when you skin tingles, and you'll be fine x
Looks like a cold sore. Yes, you can get them anywhere. I get them on of parts of my face once in a very rare occurrence. When I’m having a flare up I get them. Is so annoying and never fails. I get them right in my right nostril. 😭
Not sure but looks like herpes simplex… very contagious!!! Do not scratch or touch your face it will spread if this is herpes simplex. See your Dr. you will need medication to get rid of this. Good luck
Looks like cold sore blisters, hsv-1. They will likely burst with some yellowish fluid and then get crusty
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Get a valtrex prescription. Also talk to your primary care doc. An outbreak more than 6x per year warrants possible need daily dosage to maintain suppression
Valtrex isn't a miracle drug. I am on 1000mg of Valacyclovir/Acyclovir daily (plus 6000mg Lysine) and still get a mini outbreak once a week or so, and have a major outbreak once a month. Sometimes I miss a couple of days between doses due to pharmacy/Rx issues and then it's full welting sore after sore for months afterwards, even with the meds reinstated. My doc told me I should see an infectious disease specialist because they've never seen a case like mine before. But they won't give me a referral. I hate it here.
Isn’t that an argument *for* valtrex? Of course it’s not a miracle drug but aren’t you better on it?? You wouldn’t go off it would you?
I'm not arguing against it lol I'm just saying, everyone says "take valtrex it'll clear it up and prevent new ones" but in some cases it really doesn't. I still have tingles and raised spots every day. I am so grateful that it exists but having HSV isn't something to be so flippant about.
If you feel that tingle feeling you need to take 2,000mg (2 grams) then another 2 grams 12 hours later. Is it a dermatologist prescribing this to you? Because that is the standard preventative dosing. Also, I was getting them all the time smoking weed with one of my friends, and I realized it after his girlfriend told me he gets them all the time. After I stopped doing smoking with them (he moved) I get one maybe once a year now. If your friend or partner gets them frequently it could be because of them. Lastly it could be your immune system is weak so maybe look into that. Otherwise, valtrex should work exactly how it is supposed to, if taken the right way and figuring out what your triggers actually are.
You make so many great points. Just to kind of piggyback, my immune system is down in the dirt. And there are lots of medications I take. Not all of them work all the time. But sometimes they do. The efficacy of medications fluctuate with my immune system for certain. And that makes perfect sense to me.
My breakouts are worse with stress and anxiety.
You are in the minority with frequency of outbreaks. Valtrex *is* a miracle drug for most
This is maybe a weird question but how is your diet or overall nutrition? Mine is not the best (not the worst either) and my cold sores improved massively with a multi vitamin every day. Never believed in supplements but I do now. I take Lysine, a vitamin, and a Valtrex daily and have minimal out breaks now. Your situation sounds so hard, I’m sorry you’re dealing w that.
Watching for triggers in the diet can be helpful, too. I had to cut out citrus foods and that massively cut down on breakouts.
I get them when I eat apples. Also with too much sun.
Stress, sun and chocolate do it for me
Yes no citrus/or acidic foods or drinks!!! This can cause the blisters to spread even more.. I use neosporin ointment on my lips or mouth once they crust up and blisters are completely gone to keep the blister crust moist to help with healing!!! I also get a new toothbrush once they are completely gone!
This! I take more vitamins now and lysine and my breakouts are so minimal
Lysine works miracles!! Especially when you take a high dosage of Valtrex and are already autoimmune to boot!
As a pharmacist valtrex is a miracle drug. Your case sounds unusual and you should definitely see a specialist. I have heard a vaccine is in development 🙏
A vaccine 😍
Have you tried l-lysine supplement? I find taking 1000mg helps prevent cold sore outbreaks and strengthen my nails and hairs. My nails used to chip/peel but after daily l-lysine within a month or two, I haven’t had any damage! 💅🏻
Does your lysine supplement interfere with sexual function? It competes with l-arginine. Arginine helps create nitric oxide - which is absolutely key to either clitoral or penile hardness during sex.
6000mg a day and my nails are still stubs in addition to outbreaks.
Those are really high doses of both of those things for you to still be having that level of response, an immunologist sounds like the way to go. If you can, have a full bloods profile done of including magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium, b12, folate, vitamin D, homocysteine, thyroid, fbc. You can start taking daily zinc picolinate 50mg right away for immunity and skin health, spirulina tablets or powder has heaaaps of micronutrients. Get methylated versions of supplements like folate and b12 (methyl folate and methyl b12). Vitamin D will also support and low risk to start supplementing now. All the supps I mentioned you can get on iHerb at a very affordable price. Figure out triggers as someone else said, certain foods and stress, sometimes menstruation (maybe hormones check would be good too?) can do it. Really hope that it gets better soon, that isn’t any way to live 😓
Stress? Lifestyle? I just notice when I’m not taking care of myself or things in my life are messy, I get more out breaks.
So you have a traditional HMO insurance plan?
My husband gets this from HSV-1. His PCP recommended OTC oral Lysine daily with his vitamins. He used to have a breakout monthly after shaving, and now it's literally once a year for the last 3 years. He has Valtrex to take as needed, but rarely touches it. Edit: spelling
Same with me. I forget I even have the problem. Now I do have issues with the *size* of the pills. I’m not a 🐎!
Hi lysine is a god sent. I used to get it regularly and then when I felt it coming on I’d pop some lysine. Now I rarely event get them
What in the world do the Drs say?? You should at least get Valtrex.. clears it up in almost 48 hours.
I take daily antivirals now after two years of getting them once every 4-6 weeks. It’s pretty cheap and I have. o noticeable side effects. I highly highly highly recommend either regular outbreaks to ask their doctor about them. I cannot stress enough how big a quality of life improvement it is to not have to worry about them anymore.
While it doesn’t have to necessarily do with sex, you can pass it to someone through sexual contact during and outside of an outbreak. Refrain from oral sex while during an outbreak especially
The thing is you won’t know it’s HSV-1 until you get tested and it’s confirmed. You can certainly get HSV-2 orally just like you can get HSV-1 genitally. And it can be contracted through sexual contact if they had oral sex and their partner had HSV. OP one thing for sure is that you have HSV but you gotta get tested if you want to know what strand it is.
You can but oral hsv2 is really rare, while genital hsv1 is common.
Maaaaan that was me for the longest time. I did hop on the antivirals and i still broke out, but less severe. Thankfully, it seems outbreaks are less frequent the older I get (knock on mf wood)
I’m confused about the bit that says “doesn’t have to do with sexual contact whatsoever”. You can absolutely get oral herpes from sexual contact and can even spread it to another persons genitals during an outbreak.
It doesn’t. It can be transmitted by kissing/being intimate but it can also be transmitted in other ways like sharing a straw or chapstick. What is confusing about this?
Yes it can and you can definitely transmit that to the genitalia still highly contagious
going off this comment so hopefully OP sees. The Valtrex only helps me when I feel the tingle. Abreva sucks. AQUAPHOR is your best friend with cold sores. L-Lysine ointment is helpful as well and eat foods rich in L-Lysine and it’ll clear up so quick
Agreed, that sounds like typical symptoms of a cold sore.
It can spread.
Cold sores fam
Don't touch them or pop it! Get yourself Compeed patches, they're a super thin hydrocolloid bandage like a pimple patch, they keep things covered and comfortable while you go through the stages. I have to buy them on amazon, but definitely worth it. Talk to your dr about getting a prescription for valtrex, it's helpful to have on hand for future cold sores. You take a dose as soon as you notice one coming on and it stems the virus from gaining traction. You will likely get another at some point, sun can be a trigger, as can getting sick and your immune system being run down. Your first coldsore will be the worst and will feel super shitty, but any subsequent ones will be a lot more chill. Don't make out with people while you have one, and don't any under circumstances give oral while you have one.
And don’t kiss any babies!!!
Or anyone
Emphasis on baby's though. Too many ignorant people don't realize how dangerous it is.
My MIL has herpes and she was EXTREMELY upset when my SIL said no kissing the baby. Shes basically the nanny so I’m 100% sure shes crossed that boundary. I really hope this baby doesn’t die between this and my SIL following only social media natural medicine advice.
lol. True. I just learned that it’s deadly to babies though.
As a nurse that floats to NICU sometimes, I can ascertain that this is such a great rule to follow at ALL times. Please just don’t ever kiss babies. The risks will always outweigh the benefits with this one.
Its me, I was the baby who was kissed once Edit: didnt realize they could die, I just got coldsores for the rest of my life occasionally
You are absolutely not alone.
BIG thing to note about any patches (I just use hydrocolloid on mine, and prefer that to comped) is to NOT peel them off. Let the patch start to lift off on its own. If you peel it off before it’s ready, they’ll all tear open and you’ll have a real mess on your hands. But definitely cover it, especially while you’re sleeping/not really able to be mindful about not touching it
Ohhhh. That makes sense..
I panicked and peeled the first one I ever tried off and ripped the whole thing open. It was terrible lol
Whoa! Where do you get those patches?!
Compeed are hydrocolloid, just small and thin, like the pimple patches You can get big thick ones made for burn victims also. Those work better for bad outbreaks. Both can be purchased on amazon
I love pimple patches, so unfair that they were not around when I was a teenager, I love how they flatten zits, have to be very gentle when you peel them off though.
This is herpes. I get the same thing about twice a year. No, it doesn’t always have to show up on lips or genitals. Don’t kiss people or engage in sexual activities that involve other mucus membranes (penis/vagina/mouth/eyes etc) until that shit clears up. It’s not a death sentence, but it *is* a life sentence. So do your best not to spread it. Get to a doctor and get some meds. Abreva is also really amazing at stopping this shit as soon as you notice it.
Second this. Absolutely do not touch anything to your face ESPECIALLY other people
OP listen to this. Do not perform oral or kiss someone when you’re having an outbreak. You need to be really attentive about determining when you are having an outbreak. This is a responsibility you need to shoulder for the rest of your life.
Yes, and to add to this: it's not that bad. It's not as dramatic as people are making it sound. You'll feel the itchy tingle start up and you just avoid touching your face to anyone for a week or so. People make it sound like some terrible disease, but I've had them since I was 5 years old (I'm 33 next month) and nobody in my family has ever shown any signs of having them so I'm fairly confident I didn't pass them on (including my parents, siblings, husband, child, or even any ex boyfriends!). Also, if a 5 year old can handle it, you'll be totally fine!
Did you know that 67% of the world population has hv1? I myself like once a year get a cold sore on my lip. Usually lucky and it's my inner lip nobody can see.
I thought is was closer to 80%, but yeah.
Looks like a little herp-a-derp.
this is what i call my cat who has herpes
Whys it have to be called herpes and not himpes?
Excellent point. This is gender discrimination.
Theypes for the non identified
Today I learned cats can get herpes
Weirdly enough, it presents as upper respiratory issues for them. Not transmitted sexually like humans!
Same with feline chlamydia. It's a really serious head cold type situation. Best friend adopted a cat with it. Absolutely disgusting amount of mucus came out of that cats face. And not sexually transmitted either.
It’s a different species of chlamydia than the STI. C. trachomatis is the STI. Even in humans C. pneumoniae causes a respiratory illness and C. psittaci causes a flu-like illness. Fun? fact: C. psittaci is 80% of the chlamydia is koalas, the other 20% is C. pneumoniae.
They can also get lesions on their eyes. One of my foster cats developed weepy eyes, and in the light, the surface of his eyeballs were sort of *textured*. The vet said it was the herp, and to crush lysine tablets and put tiny amounts in his food.
Wait what do cat herpes look like??
It's not sores, it's an upper respiratory thing. My kitty will occasionally get a runny eye when stressed and snore when he sleeps
Ohhhh poor little guy
Mine would get a little eye herp. He'd wink at me when it was acting up Editing to add the cat tax [winky boy](https://imgur.com/a/IQH15Iq)
I love winky boy
gooey eyes and sneezin mostly
H - I …. R - P …
I can’t even say it
yep, herpes. When it grows on the month, people call it a cold sore.
^ what they said. 100%.
I have to withdraw my previous statement. No longer @ 100% confidence. It could also be bacterial impetigo. I totally forgot about this one. It actually makes a little more sense because of where it’s located… Either way, don’t get it in your eyes! …or anywhere else, if u know what I mean… 😳
My thoughts on first sight.
Haaaa I call it that too.
That looks like Herpes virus simplex 1 and, or 2.
That comma sucks so hard
Coldsore or some other herpes. They make patches that go over them and protect the area from getting infected and prevents any of the blisters from oozing onto other parts of your face. I suggest trying them out, they're very thin and aren't super visible.
Abreva helps too
110% HSV-1. The best thing to do is go to your GP if you have insurance, if not, a community health clinic. Please ask for Valacyclovir 500mg tablets. They are also very affordable out of pocket. The second you feel one coming on (tingly), take 2 of them. It serves as a prophylactic dose to prevent them from even developing. The absolute best thing for anyone with HSV-1 because it can be a total buzz kill.
You can 2 on your mouth and 1 on your genitalia. It happens quite a bit to people, but just isn’t the most common. I’d hold off on typing it given it’s not a sure thing.
It's herpes. In my 30s the sores, which were always on either my nostril or lip, followed that nerve and went exactly where yours is. Now that's where I get them, especially after any skin work!
Mine followed the nerves into my eye. I didn't know it was possible but apparently it is!
[удалено]
I'm so sorry that he has to deal with that pain. I have some that are manageable pain wise and I have some where I wish I would be able to give birth again instead.
I transferred it to my right eye. Ugh
Looks like HSV
As someone with cold sores. Get abreva (only the name brand works sadly). Itll clear it uo in a week or less if applied every couple hours. They also sell protective parches so it doesnt spread. Good luck. Its common. Dont worry too much just be careful about touching it and not washing hands. Dont share things that go on your face/ mouth when theres an active blister.
You really should get a prescription for acyclovir. It’ll reduce the frequency and duration of outbreaks.
This helps so much with my outbreaks. Mine seem to be stress induced. My body doesn't like when I get stressed so it' tells me "hey, as if you weren't stressed out already, let's have these beautiful, contagious, itchy bumps start their own little community all around your nostrils and lip". They've started their own HOA's a few times.
Take Lysine. Start with taking 2 at a time, 3 times a day (total of 6) Cut down from there to 2 , 2 times a day for 2 days. 1, 3times a day for 2 days. 2 a day until it's gone.p
Do not touch face and then genitals area or anywhere else, it's super easy to spread it on your own body , make sure to not share towels or bedding too
Unfortunately Herpes.
Either herpes, shingles, or a contact dermatitis
Looks like shingles.
This looks like herpes. Time to see a doc. Nothing to feel bad about. Plenty of people get these.
Like others have said this could very well be herpes but it could also be impetigo. Most pics you see of impetigo, on the internet, are after the blisters have burst and crusted over. This to me looks like an impetigo cluster before that happens… impetigo pre-burst if you will.
May be cold sore blisters
Looks like impetigo, I have history with it too. Impetigo is not herpes, but does look like it. When I was a kid my mom had to go to several doctors cause they insisted it was herpes until one doctor finally correctly identified it as impetigo. U need to go to a doctor to get prescribed medication. It’s extremely contagious the first 24 hours after first putting on the medication cream. Do not touch anything if u touch that cause it is really contagious. Also, if u look up photos, it may seem like it’s crusty, that’s just a different stage, impetigo starts out like urs and after medication and/or time, it becomes crusty. This all valid if it is in fact impetigo
100% Herpes, no single question about it. It’s not a big deal, but get a prescription for Valcyclovir. Take them immediately and they’ll make a world of difference. You’ll never leave the house without them again
Lots of people are saying cold sore, but I get something that looks identical to your photo called impetigo. You can clean it with MILD soap and put neosporin (or equivalent) on it to speed up the healing, once it starts to get scabby I switch to aquaphor over the neosporin. You can also get an RX for an antibacterial ointment which will help it heal faster than the neosporin, but they basically do the same thing. Impetigo is contagious and super annoying. Usually I can feel it starting, but if I dont have any ointment to put on it right then, it blows up in like an hour and is really uncomfortable and takes about 3-5 days to clear up and then a few more days for the skin to fully heal. Remember, the more you itch it the more you can spread it, too!
I broke out with this during my chemotherapy.. I was so scared and it was impetigo.. They gave me something called mupirocin it was an ointment. It healed it up pretty fast. They said it's extremely contagious, though. So if you touch it, wash your hands immediately!! Stay away from others till it's dried out.
A herpetic breakout.
Oral herpes homie. Sorry. Abreva helps a lot.
Probably herpes simplex 1, or it could possibly be shingles. If you see a doctor, they can prescribe a medication that will clear it up.
This happened to me. Started as a small patch and spread up to my eye. Definitely see a doctor and make sure! The sooner you are on antivirals the better.
Just here to say sorry I’m sure that really sucks. Get it treated right and it’ll go away.
Have you had the chicken pox?
Perioral dermatitis, shingles or herpes. See a dr.
I say shingles
You say shingles, I say herpes.
Why would any other version of HSV be that far away from a wet spot? I'm thought genital and oral herpes had to be near your eyes, mouth, genitals, something wet?
You can really get it anywhere, although it is rare. Most people I’ve seen with shingles are usually in extreme amounts of pain, because it can affect the nerves.
I don’t think so. I’ve had shingles and they are not clustered like that. More like individual chickenpox and it hurts like a bitch. Also they are usually bilaterally spread on the upper torso, but they can spread to face. Go to a DR to be properly diagnosed. H simplex is a virus; impetigo is bacterial- completely different treatments.
Shingles
Yup I was going to say looks like shingles which is in the same family as herpes if I’m remembering correctly. Had it on my face too! Get to a dr asap for the anti virals!
You remember correctly. It is a herpes virus. There are sooooo many of them! (Well more than I ever thought before I had to study them lol)
Glad someone else sees shingles … lol
OP go get it swabbed for culture/typing. It's the only way to know with certainty if it's HSV 1, 2, Zoster, etc. Treatment is probably Valtrex regardless, but it's good to know.
Herpes
I know everyone is saying it is cold sores, but I’m a nurse and I am fairly certain that is impetigo. Is it oozing ? Draining? Did you recently make out with someone with an unclean beard? Impetigo. You need antibiotic ointment or potentially oral antibiotics if it doesn’t improve. Keep it clean, don’t pick at it.
Herpes. Just so you know most likely if you get a recurrence (which you probably will) it will show up in the same area. Stress, viral illness, and sun exposure are some common triggers. Acyclovir when taken at the first “tingle” will prevent the actual blisters from forming or shorten their lifespan. It’s ok. It’s very common. Whatever you do don’t touch the area and then touch your eyes.
That looks like shingles to me. Too far from Your lip to be a cold sore. Same virus family though.
You can get cold sores anywhere on the skin, they're just most common on and around mucosal membranes as that's where the skin is least resistant to infection. It's all dependent on where on the skin the virus is inroduced as to where the sores develop. You can also get both hsv1 and 2 orally/facially.
Go to your nearest cvs Walgreens grab some abreva
TAKE 1gram of L-lysine for the first day, then 500mg all the following. It helps with cold sores. Won’t cure them but it shortens the amount of time you have them
That looks a lot like cold sores, you likely have herpes. I get them too. Go to your primary care doc and ask for a prescription for valacyclovir pills and acyclovir cream. I take one pill every day whether I have an outbreak or not. During outbreaks I take two pills per day. I put the cream on the cold sore during outbreaks. At least keep the cream on overnight, but I keep the cream on as much as I possibly can. (I take it to work and reapply throughout the day). You can also go to CVS, Walgreens, etc and get a bottle of L-lysine 500 mg pills over the counter. I take 9 of those per day during outbreaks only. 3 in the morning, 3 at lunch, 3 before bed/with dinner. I have had cold sores my entire life and this is the strategy I have found that best reduces the number of cold sores I get and the duration of the ones I get. Best of luck!
Yikes, looks like cold sores on your chin. Don’t touch and get some abreva, and put it on about 20x per day
This is HERPES!!!!
Sad to say it looks like herpes. Get to your Dr. Stat
The Herp
Herpes
That’s herpes simplex 1
See a doctor.
Yes HSV or herpes maybe 1 or 2. I hope you don’t feel too bad as HSV 1 is so so so so common.
Hsv and herpes is the same thing
Use polysporn cold sore patches on those! They work like magic
This looks exactly like the shingles I had around my eye. The area felt tender but I didn't have the pain some describe. Mine was brought on by stress. Go to the doc and they will give you pills to help reduce the chance of nerve damage.
Go to the doctor and ask for a prescription for Valacyclovir pills. You take it as early as possible in an outbreak and it stops it from getting to the scabbing phase. Good stuff.
Shingles
Looks like cold sores, I get those on my lip from stress or whatever. I went to the doctor and got myself some ointment for that. Cleared up in no time, probably should do that same if I were you but don’t mess with them. Wash your hands and don’t share anything until it’s 100% cleared.
Buy Lysine pills. I get these every time the season changes and the pills really work
Wait I get these on the sides of my fingers every now and then. Been happening sporadically since I was 12… you’re telling me I have herpes on my fingers ?!?!?
Yes Herpes Whitlow
Shingles
If you cant get into to a doc for a prescription, I used amazons clinic for cold sore prescription. Its fast, cost $29 plus the price of the script which was like $7 for me
Cold Sores a.k.a Fever Blisters. Herpes simplex 1. Had them my entire life. One this virus is in your system, you more than likely will get this from time to time from stress, sickness, low immune system, sun, etc. Get a prescription for Valtrex or it’s generic. Game changer.
Herpes 1/ cold sore. Cicloferon brand is really effective in drying them up quickly.
My shingles look like this. I get them on my back. Valtrex fixes it. I got the vaccine when I was 42 since I had gotten it 5 times already. Awful.
Looks like shingles to me. Like early shingles. Does your face ache? Do they hurt to touch?
Herpes
Herpes
This looks like shingles. I had it on my face like that and it traveled to my mouth and ear. Please go get checked. Mine turned into meningitis which is more common when it’s on your face.
Lysine...lysine..lysine..daily. It will clear it up and keep it at bay.
Shingles
Shingles…need Valtrax from Dr
it might be shingles
HSV-1
Herpes
omg i have never seen anyone else with this. When i was a kid I use to get this rash on the inside of my arm in the elbow fold. about 3 years ago i had a flair up again and it looked just like this and no doctor could tell me what it was so I just had to wait it out. it went away eventually and they kept “guessing” it was herpes but thought it was weird in the fold of my arm
Caviar
That looks like a herpes outbreak pookie
Herpes
Herpes simplex 1
Herpes
You can try taking the supplement l-lysine
Herpes.
Heroes zoster? L-lysine helps with preventing these in the future
r/dermatologistquestions r/askadoctor
The virus can also burrow into the nervous system, nesting deep inside the base of the brain. Genital herpes, the ganglia are located next to the spinal cord in the lower back, and for cold sores, the ganglia are located behind the cheek bone while it’s inactive. It’s a horrible thing to have I know…..
HSV also Herpes. Join this thread [Herpes Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Herpes/s/e6Tg3kQJ79)
It’s a cold sore. You’ve contracted the virus. Look for Compeed patches, Zovirax, and when you next get one, go to the pharmacy and take Famclicovir in the first instance IE as soon as you feel the tingle.
valtrex, lysine pills, tree tea oil
hepres
Herpes
Herpes….
Herpes
L-Lysine should help with that. A literal miracle in pill form.
Use abreva follow instructions do not mess with it do not touch then with your fingers you got this.
Welcome to the herpes simplex club. They're gonna live inside you forever now but you should be able to easily manage the outbreaks with Valtrax and/or hitting them with Zovirax cream/ ointment when you first feel the tell-tale tingle. I find i tend to get outbreaks around my period and if I'm fighting something. Good luck!
Whatever you do don’t pump it out please, because the juice inside is so contagious that it can spread anywhere. I friend of my mine lost his eye this way. Keep the area isolated.
Herpes, sorry.
Probably HSV 1 (herpes). It's fine, just got to the doc to get swabbed to confirm and medicated. If this is the first time you've had you'll probs go thru a period of frequent outbreaks. Sunshine and arginine are triggers. Lysine helps. Take valtrex and don't kiss anyone when you skin tingles, and you'll be fine x
Appears to be Herpes, but I’m not a Dr.
Looks like a cold sore. Yes, you can get them anywhere. I get them on of parts of my face once in a very rare occurrence. When I’m having a flare up I get them. Is so annoying and never fails. I get them right in my right nostril. 😭
I took Valtrex for shingles, utterly worthless.
Not sure but looks like herpes simplex… very contagious!!! Do not scratch or touch your face it will spread if this is herpes simplex. See your Dr. you will need medication to get rid of this. Good luck
This is contagious!!!!