What are cold sores? Are they STD's?

I have had cold sores since I was a kid/as long as I can remember. I get them once a year or every other year. I feel like I get these when I am under alot of pressure or stress. I just had a baby 3 months ago. I am experiencing some postpartum depressing, my hair is falling out, I just feel so ugly and insecure. My baby daddy is 12 years younger then me and he thinks cold sores are STD's. I have not had an outbreak being with him. But I feel like a cold sore is forming. I have Googled and it says cold sores are contagious and although HSV-1 isn't technically an STD, you can potentially catch the virus through sex and can be transmitted sexually as well.

Why do I feel embarrassed to tell him. When I know I’ve had these since my childhood and I am under alot of stress and pressure currently and I think this is the cause of my current outbreak? I feel like he is immature and doesn’t understand my PP depress and hair loss so he will definitely not understand this outbreak…

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You can also go to your doctor and get prescribed valaciclovir (same medicine people who do have type 2 take) . My friend has HSV1 and has taken this medicine for about 6 years and hasn’t gotten one cold sore! Also, more people than you think have HSV1… as embarrassing as it may be, try not to be embarrassing! I’m sure he would be very understanding!

Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. What are cold sores? Are they STD's?

Definitely stress or you’re diet

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As someone with hsv-2 (gentital) please please do not give oral sex with a cold sore. It can transfer to your partner but only during an outbreak. If you’re concerned go to your Dr. They can give you a medication to help suppress outbreaks. But I would avoid all sexual activity till it’s cleared up.

Cold sores are very common and very contagious (do not have oral sex if you or your partner has one) here is some information that will hopefully help. Please don’t feel embarrassed either it happens.

I too have had them since childhood, they come when I’m stressed or have a fever. Doctor prescribes me Aciclovir, as soon as I feel the itch I start taking them, blister pops but isn’t full of fluid, comes out already dried up.

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Cold sores are a form herpes. Most people think herpes and automatically think it = STD. Sorry you have to deal with all of that.

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Dont ever kiss anybody when you have one

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Cold sores are so normal though. If he makes you feel like they’re anything less he’s just being an uneducated ass. Ask your doctor right in front of him. That’ll set him straight, well, provided he’s smart and actually listens to medicine, science, and doctors at least.

Cold sores - Infection with the herpes simplex virus around the border of the lips.
Oral herpes spreads through close personal contact, such as kissing.

Once it’s in your system you are stuck with it for life.

Yea a cold sore is contagious as well because if the fluid in the blisters that form which means if you kiss your babies or someone else you can transfer the virus to them without having sex, hence the rule don’t allow anyone to kiss your babies!

Just be upfront with him and tell him

If you touch someone’s genitals with your cold sore you can give them genital herpes.

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When you feel it coming on put ice on it. Take L-Lysin daily for about a week.

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About 67% of the worlds population have HSV-1. Children get it from various ways as well and is very contagious. Very common!! The virus continues to live in an infexted person and blisters can be triggered by stress, illness, too much sun, etc

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It is technically a form of herpes. I have had them my whole life. (I use to get them a lot in the winter and when I had braces) my 10yr old gets them all the time also along with canker sores. I pre warnes my ex husband (he never got any) and I pre warned my current boyfriend of 4yrs hes never got any. And definitely don’t kiss anyone including kids, don’t share drinks. I use Abreva on mine as soon as I start to feel one. But its been maybe a yr since my last. And I know my 10yr old didn’t get from having sex or myself as I didn’t do that till I was 18. And I’ve had them since I was toddler.

Hair loss is part of post partum. Your hormones are haywire.
Find a good multivitamin and avoid as much junk as possible. Also, have your Dr check your Vitamin and hormone levels to see if anything is way off. Go from there.
As for the cold sore, get a prescription and avoid kissing anyone. You can soreas it to your kids if you have a cold sore and kiss them.
He needs to relax bc it’s not technically an STD but it is a form or viral herpes.

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Oral Herpes does not equal Genital Herpes

You can also get certain cold sores from vitamin deficiencies

Just explain to him until you’re feeling better you two can’t have sex. Sorry you’re going through that. There’s lots of stigma when it comes to HSV due to so many people being misinformed. Most people are even tested for it unless they ask.

You can get an antiviral tablet treatment from your doctor which will halt the development of the cold sore.
Be extra careful not to pass on to your baby, as it can be extremely dangerous for infants. No kissing bub, wash hands after applying cream, or touching your face etc.

Hair loss is probably a vitamin deficiency or hormone deficiency

Postpartum is probably a hormonal deficiency

I’d be more concerned with the 3 month old …do not kiss that baby because they do not have the immune system to fight off the infection and it can cause death in babies and younger children

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I read somewhere that about 60% of the population has some form of the herpes virus. Cold sores can be caused by stress.

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Cold sores are not stds but at the same time they can spread herpes to the genital area, it really is just herpes on your face. The stigma is the issue to why people think cold sores arent the same

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Cold sores are a form of Herpes simplex 1

Tell you man to educate himself or ask his doctor. :unamused::unamused::unamused:

I’ve had them since I was a kid too. It’s very common. Having HSV1 is not an STD. HSV2 is. Please don’t kiss anyone when you are having an outbreak. It is very contagious. I use tea tree oil and peroxide to dry it out. I get them when I’m stressed and also when I start to get sick or if I’m out in the sun for too long.

For hair loss, you can try making a hair mask with Aloe Vera plant, avocado, mayo, egg and honey. Aloe Vera helps with hair growth.

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I’ve had mine since I was a kid it’s a form of herpes but not like the genital herpes outbreak. I get them when I’m stressed tired sick overwhelmed etc I put abreva and and pill prescription and take lysine and it has helped the healing time the outbreak and shortens the virus

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Did you have Chicken Pox as a child? I had chicken pox at 12 and after that I started getting Cold sores once or twice a year. Is Chickenpox the Same as Herpes?

It’s not a STD unless you got it from sexual actions. It is a virus that is from the same family as chicken pox and sexual herpes but is not the same it’s like a sister to those viruses , it lies dormant around your mouth and spine and will come out seasonally ( when weather changes ) if you are ill with fever , run down or stressed and yes they are contagious but if you have them on your mouth and not your vagina then you will not pass them sexually unless you have a breakout and orally please your partner. Take lots of vitamin B12 and if it’s tingles just before you get one then put the relevant ointment on it as quickly as possible as you can make the outbreak last shorter period and sometimes catch it before it even blisters and it goes away. It’s contagious until it’s gone so don’t share drinks/ food or kisses when you have one and if you touch it was your hands before touching anything else.

I’ve had them since I was 5. No one in my family ever had them growing up besides me. My husband has not been affected in 19 years. My children get all the kisses and still no cold sores.

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Try not to stress. My son’s dad thought the same thing. If he is so worried, tell him to do his own research. YOU KNOW that you’ve had them since you were a kid.

Lysine helps TREMENDOUSLY. I get them when I’m stressed out when the seasons change. Once I feel my lip start to itch, I take a few lysine and it goes away. Dairy products help. Caffeine and citrus make them worse. Good vibes sent your way, mommy. :heart::heart:

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Use ice to stop them from flaring up

Cold sores are herpes simplex 1, aka oral herpes. It is an STD, yes, but that doesn’t mean it is only transmitted through sex. STDs are named that because of the swapping of bodily fluid. That’s how oral herpes is spread, through saliva. So you can get it from kissing, sharing lip products, sharing drinks, or even sharing pillows. It is extremely common (I think the most common form of STD, but don’t quote me on that without fact checking it), & used to never even be seen as anything taboo until there became a treatment for it. Part of the marketing for that product was to make it seem like cold sores were horrible & embarrassing. They’re not. I mean, they suck because they can hurt a bit, but they’re not a huge deal.
It is not contagious when dormant, only when you’re experiencing an outbreak. Outbreaks are often triggered by stress. & not just typical stress, but also things like being sick, having a baby, or even a burn from drinking something hot. Anything that stresses your system out can trigger them.
You are experiencing a lot. It makes sense you would have an outbreak right now.

I have herpes simplex 1. My husband does not. We have been together nearly 13 years, & he simply just doesn’t kiss me or share drinks/food when I have an outbreak. It isn’t a big deal. I got it my freshman year of high school from sharing drinks with my friends.

Ur stressing out causing u to break out. It isn’t std but can be spread like an std. no wonder ur bf is 12 years younger he needs to learn the right way.

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Most people have the virus even if they never have a sore appear.

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Definitely not an std, pretty sure it’s genetic and cold sores are not the same as genital herpes. I usually get my cold sores from stress, change of weather or being out in the sun. It’s only contagious to people who already have that form of the virus so my fiancé never gets cold sores. You can buy lysine pills on Amazon to prevent getting more cold sores

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Tell him to look it up on the computer.

Valtrex from your doctor for the cold sores.

Could be shingles. If you had chicken pox as a kid you can get shingles intermittently later in life. I get flare-ups whenever I’m stressed. I had a real bad case of pox as a kid. The shingles started when I was 19. A hard cluster of painful itchy pimple like sore things in a silver dollar size patch on my knee. I can always tell when I’m gonna get it because it will feel hot and itchy and sting like a slap. The lymph node in that leg groin area gets swollen and it will hurt in a straight line from my groin to that lesion. I’ll get flu like symptoms and fatigue too. Then the pimple frog egg looking cluster then it dries and fades all in all a month from tingle til healing. Happens some times a few times a year.

I get them too when I am under stress

They are a form of herpes but NOT an std. Certainly not spread from sexual contact of the lower region.

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My husband and his dad get them frequently and now our five year old does, has since he was about two. I feel like they have to be genetic since all the men in his family get it. :pleading_face:

Hsv1- cold sore, hsv2- basically mutated hsv1. Whether its 1 or 2, you can get either or on any location. An std is an std no matter how you try to dress it up but herpes is very common since people use touch as intimacy. Herpes is herpes no matter how you get it or what type/strain. Yes you can pass it along to your partner and your baby. Its any form of skin to skin contact and yes that means kissing and no, it is not genetic.

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I’ve also had cold sores since I was little. I’m sorry it’s embarrassing to you, I think it is to a lot of people. Your boyfriend needs to be educated properly. Tell him google is free lol. As always, no… Sharing your mouth or anything your mouth touches when you have an outbreak and it’ll be ok

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Nope it’s not an STD and over 70% of the population gets them

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You can also get cold sores when your immune system has been compromised. Its a virus lots of people carry in their body and does not go away. It’s like it dormant. Then, When something triggers it , the cold sores form from it. You can get it from kissing, too much sun, or even when your immune system has been compromised. Wash your hands good after touching your mouth where the blisters are. I currently woke up with one starting yesterday and I recently learned my white cell counts are low. I immediately put medicated blistex on mine and it dries it out . I only get one seems like every 3 to 4 years. Your bf is definitely being immature especially if hes giving you a hard time about your ppd and hair loss. Then again, hes a man and alot of men don’t understand these things. However, he needs to be supportive and help you through this not make it worse. Sit him down and explain it . HSV1 is not an std. HSV2 is. You’ve had them all your life. They are also genetic. Good luck momma and stay positive. You can get through the ppd . You got this

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Like 90% of us have the first virus … but most of us don’t realise we have it because we don’t flare up, it’s as easy as getting it from someone if you had a sip from their drink bottle while they have a flare up, or starting to get one
They are contagious AF
just make sure you don’t kiss him with one that is open otherwise he will catch it if he doesn’t have it already

And don’t be doing anything down south either with an open sore, because doing that can turn it into the second virus

And I would avoid kissing bubba too
I had a baby in may, also just been diagnosed with PPD and PPA
my hair falls out, non of my clothes fit because I got the belly pouch and I just feel so gross.
Because of the pandemic, once we are out of lockdown, asiding my immediate family and partner’s immediate family, I’m not letting anyone kiss our baby so she isn’t at a higher risk of catching anything .

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They can be transmitted sexually with an active sore but type 1 and type 2 are very different things. The type on your mouth is not an std

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Ive had cold sores most of my life i get them when overstressed. ,eat too much acid, salsa, v8,graofruit juice, when i go to the ocean, sun, they are very contagious. Dont kiss babys, or anyone while breakouts.

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I’ve had them my whole life…married 13 yrs, hub never got them…we have a 10 yr old, never had them. I get flares when sick or stressed. I have used any and everything and get the best result from (expensive) Abreva. I do make sure when I feel that tingle feeling or heat feeling on my lip to make extra attention to not cross contaminate with the other lip owners in the house…lol.

I’ve had cold sores ALL my life. It is not an STD. Go to your nearest pharmacy and buy an ointment called lysine. It works wonders!!! I struggled for years with it. I used everything from abreva to dr prescriptions and that’s the only thing that would cut the healing time. !

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You’re embarrassed because your bf is a child and needs to not only be educated in cold sores but post partum everything. What you feel is real. How you feel matters and if he isn’t gonna be there to support you he shouldn’t be there at all

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Dab a little tea tree oil on the spot 3x a day until it’s completely gone. I’ve had this since childhood as well and definitely didn’t get it from sex. I use the tea tree oil as soon as I feel a tingle on my lip and haven’t had a full blown cold sore since! Cheaper and better than any expensive medicine for it! :heart:

I want to roll my eyes at the people comparing it to an std. yes it’s a form of herpes. No it’s not an std. all medical professionals I’ve spoken to over the years have also stated this.

Hair loss is normal after having a baby love only cuz during pregnancy you don’t shed the hairs as much which make your hair appear thicker and then you have the baby and your body goes back to pre pregnancy and you shed the hairs you didn’t shed during being pregnant but you shouldn’t lose any extra and if you are talk to doctor :purple_heart: I hope this eases your mind somewhat and I would see a dr they can help give you something for postpartum and for coldsores but know you are not alone hun and dont be ashamed its more common then you know :pray:t2::heart::pray:t2::heart:

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Yes they are an STD but you probably got it cause a friend or family member kissed you when they had a flare and now you have it for life. DONT KISS OR GIVE ORAL WHEN YOU HAVE A FLARE! It’ll be transmitted and that person will then have it for life or get genital herpes from it. Don’t even kiss babies eyes cause they’ll get eye herpes. It definitely wasn’t your fault that you have it but it’s your responsibility not to spread it. Sharing cups, lipbalm, spoons, no double dipping, just cannot share anything that’s touched your mouth. It’s not genetic so your baby doesn’t automatically have it just because you do.

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No kissing or oral sex with cold sore that is how you transmit to others if oral sex can turn into hsv2

They can be transmitted so please be careful I had one and before it came out I kissed my niece N she ended up with the coldsore virus. X

It’s not an std unless you transmit it to a other person via oral sex

Unless you have hsv2 already

Which is genital herpes transmitted by sex or birth to child passing through birth canal

I went to school in the medical field and we learned that cold sores are in fact herpes. BUT there are herpes 1 and 2. Cold sores being HSV1 which is totally common. HSV2 is the bad one. The bf needs to talk to a DR.
To add, you can transfer genital herpes with HSV1 but it’s more common with HSV2. I’ve known people who have HSV1 cold sores all their lives and they don’t pass anything badly to others. With that being said don’t just go around telling someone with cold sores they have herpes. Since herpes are automatically seen as something terrible even though there’s 1 and 2.

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Lawd! At the miseducation of mommies in these comments!!! This is a viral infection that is spread via skin contact, and YES, it CAN be spread to the genitals. Call it a sexually transmitted disease or NOT, it CAN be sexually transmitted, whether type 1 herpes OR type 2 herpes, BOTH CAN occur on the mouth/face and/or the groin area!!!

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You’d be surprised how many of us actually have it. It’s a pretty big percentage. I would get them once or twice a year for as long as I can remember. I’ve never had a problem with it spreading to the downstairs or anything like that. He should read up on it and learn something and realize it’s very common

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U can also get a cold sore when u have the flu.

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Cold sores are herpes of the mouth

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus.

Yes it is considered an STD. If you have a cold sore and you give someone oral sex, then they can get genital herpes.

If you give oral sex to someone who is currently experiencing a herpes outbreak on their penis or vagina, labia, asshole. Yes, you can get herpes of the mouth, which are cold sores.

I’ve read little children get them on their cheeks many times from aunties, grammies etc… It can be as innocent as kissing little kids on the cheeks . Why I didn’t let anyone give my kids little pecks on the cheek. Lol. Without the fancy definition… cold sore…viral. Comes and goes…very common

I hit them with Vicks as soon as i feel a tingle. Only get them when i am run down. Vicks works for me.

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Herpes simplex can be transmitted through contact with a person who has it, or from surfaces (it can live a week on surfaces, and is unaffected by by most cleaners including bleach). There is no cure for it, although symptoms can be controlled with medication. Your S.O. needs to know this so he can have a conversation with his doctor. The big difference between HSV 1 and HSV 2 is location. HSV 2 is the one we think of as an STD, but if you have a break out on your lip and engage in oral sex, your partner now has an STD.

Coldsores are a common virus that 1000’s suffer with. Just tell him you’ve had then since you were a child and they appear during stressful situations. They’re highly contagious so yes sexually they will be too because they appear around you’re mouth. It doesn’t mean you’ve cheated or to give him an excuse to get silly over that

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cold sores is herpes semplex virus.

Herpes can only be transpited when there is an out break.

It’s super common, and while there is a lot of stigma behind it is nothing to feel ashamed about.

Talk to your Dr, there is probably medication to help manage it.

like others have posted you can transmit it through kissing and oral. but again ONLY when you have an outbreak

Cold sores are RELATED to heroes but not directly an std , I caught the STD because my now ex partner gets cold sores and they come back with stress ect , don’t worry mama your beautiful and your body is doing amazing things :heart: you got this x

Read this. Maybe it will help you and your bf understand a bit better. It is so common.

Herpes has different forms. I got herpes as a 3 month old because my cousin kissed an open cut on my face with a mouth full of popped cold sore blisters. Mine flare up when I am really sick and stressed.

Sometimes I get little coldsores in my nostrils :person_shrugging:

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Keep Abriva with you always it’s the best 20 bucks you’ll spend, use as it says at the first twinge and you wont get a bad break out and it wont be as painful. I stock up on Abriva and my cold sore ( HSV1) is way better and much less frequent. I do get it when I go from the forest type area to the dessert climate can also affect it .

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Cold sores are herpes. Herpes are an std.

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It’s a form of herpes and can be spread. My grandma gave it to my daughter when she was a baby and she gets coldsores to this day.

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Everyone has the hsv virus. Some are just dormant. Some aren’t.

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Lysine is a good cream for them to heal in within hrs. I get them frequently. And have started using that cream. Last I got one. Was during my pregnancy. And before that. They have it in any pharmacy. It’s that time of year that we start getting them.

Google is your friend…

Overview. Herpes infections are very common. Fifty to 80 percent of American adults have oral herpes (HSV-1), which causes cold sores or fever blisters in or around the mouth. Genital herpes, caused by HSV-1 or HSV-2, affects one out of every six people in the U.S. age 14 to 49.

I get cold sores with stress

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Be sure not to kiss your baby around the mouth area. It’s dangerous for infants to be exposed to the virus.

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I started getting mine after the 3rd grade when I got chicken pox. It’s the same virus

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Yes DO NOT KISS your baby it can be deadly for infants.

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No cold sores are not stds, however if you currently have a cold sore and can you come in contact with someone’s genitals then yes you can give them herpes down there. Do not give him oral sex when you have a Cold sore and you’ll be good. I know if female who got herpes that way from her first boyfriend. They were young and didn’t know. But also my husband gets cold sores and so do some of his kids. We don’t kiss when he feels one coming on and he stays away from that area lol and I’ve never had any cold sore myself or any problems down there.

Don’t scratch your lip. Your nails have bacteria that contribute to them developing

Also natural remedies that help my daughter, is diluted oil of oregano put on immediately, burns like hell but it helps heal it faster, also raw honey applied A few times a day for both of them. It must be true raw honey also

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Everyone carries this virus. My boyfriend gets them a lot and I just don’t give him on the mouth while he has one. (I don’t wanna pass to my baby) I think if he’s that immature you shouldn’t be with him.

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Talk to your doctor and scroll past half of these comments because some of these comments on here are wild :see_no_evil::rofl: this place is scarier than googling your symptoms :flushed:

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The obgyn said I tested pos for herpes and put me on valtrex before delivery. I told her she was crazy that I have never been told this by anyone including precious pregnancies (I’ve had 5 babies) and she asked if I get cold sores. I said yes I do, she said okay then that’s what it can be.

Use lysine pills to fight off outbreaks.

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I first got them when I was 11. I get them when I’m sick, stressed, out in the wind, or sun, or have dry lips. I use bag balm in the green and red can , vicks or a cream from the dr.

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Having a cold sore does not necessarily mean you have an STD. Most of the cold sores are caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which usually affects the lips and is not generally transmitted by sexual contact. Though less common, cold sores may be caused by another type of herpes simplex virus called HSV-2. This virus usually causes herpes genitalis, which is an STD in the genital area. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be passed on by saliva, body secretions, or oral sex.

You can take antiviral medication from your doctor… hsv1 which is ur cold sore can be passed to your partner if you give him oral while having an outbreak which would then cause him to have genital herpes hsv1 on the genital area. Also kissing babies whilst having an outbreak can be real bad for the baby. If I was you I’d do a lot of research or if you are really not sure on anything then contact ur local gum clinic… they will be able to give you tons of information x

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Lysine vitamins help me not get them.
I was told that mine is genetic. I get it several times a year. Usually if there is any trauma to that part of my cheek. (I get them on my cheeks)
Also, I have never passed it to my kids or husband.

I. Was. With. Someone. Younger. Than. I. Did notwork

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They aren’t always transmitted through sex or sexual activities and isn’t a form of STD