The herpes simplex virus is the cause of cold sores. Herpes simplex virus comes in 2 forms– type I and type II, although type I is usually the cause of cold sores. A person can contract this virus from contact with other people who carry the virus. Usually cold sores are passed from mouth to mouth, through contact with sores or infected saliva. The virus can be contracted even if there are no open sores, but people are most contagious when they have open cold sores. As the blisters begin to heal and scab over they level of contagiousness lessens, but a person can still pass the virus on through their saliva. Usually cold sores are passed from person to person, it is very rare for someone to catch herpes from a contaminated surface.

After a person experiences their first cold sore infection, the virus travels up the nerve cells to the ganglion where it stays dormant until the next occurrence. It is unclear exactly how it happens, but at some point the virus may start to multiple again and travel back down the nerve to cause another sore. Cold sores may recur at any time and they usually come back in the same place as the first infection, and sometimes there is no apparent reason for the recurrence. But, doctors have found that there are some things that may cause the recurrence of cold sores, including:

-A sickness such as the flu, a fever or a cold
-Stress or anxiety
-Injury to lips or gums
-Sunlight
-Hormonal changes, such as female menstruation
-Dental treatment or cosmetic facial procedures
-A change in a person’s immune system
-Skin trauma or unusual treatment to the skin such as pulling and stretching

If you have an open cold sore or have recently had an outbreak, you should avoid close contact with other people, especially infants, anyone with a suppressed immune system, and people who have weakened immune systems because of cancer, AIDs or other ailments.

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