With coming of colds many people discovered a cold sore on their lips – one or several blisters with clear liquid, which itch a lot and bleed after bursting.
It is both unpleasant and ugly going in public with such wound on your lips. We start using folk cauterants – spirit and garlic, one swears off eating from other people’s dishes to avoid infection. But real causes of this trouble and rules of curing are still a secret sealed with seven seals for many of us. Below you will find popular herpes myths.

1. Herpes cannot pass from lips to genitals

It can. A new seat of cold sore can appear on any part of skin with micro trauma. Thus, virus can be passed from lips or fingers to eyes and genitals.

2. Appearance of cold sore during pregnancy is dangerous for fetus

It depends. If a pregnant woman is a carrier of herpes virus and her antibody level is normal, then, most likely, there’s no danger neither for her, nor for her future baby: she will give him not only virus, but also antibodies for it. However, if herpes appears on the background of severe immunodeficiency, when a mother has few antibodies, fetus can be infected not only with herpes, but also other viruses (for example, cytomegalovirus), what can lead to development of severe central nervous system diseases. Nevertheless, there are efficient and safe medications, which provide birth of a healthy child while timely usage.

3. Ultraviolet lamp helps curing herpes

Quite the contrary, ultra-violet rays can activate virus

4. You should not moisten herpes ulcers

Water does not significantly affect herpes virus, but can provoke appearance of pain sense modalities because of damage of scab on the place of inflammation.

5. If you apply brilliant green on eruptions, they will close up quicker

Brilliant green has a light drying effect. However, it cannot remove pain, itch and quicken healing of ulcers.

HOW SHOULD I CURE ERUPTIONS THE RIGHT WAY?

On the initial stage of illness (literally in several hours) you can use zoster ointments. However, they will hardly bring you necessary effect 24 hours later. Such ointments do not kill herpes, but block its development and activity. But if this moment is lost, then only a doctor (virologist or immunologist) can cure cold sore. For this purpose doctor uses different medications – antiviral, anesthetics, normalizing immunity and general microflora of your organism. Topical treatment of mucous tunic includes anesthetics and remedies that hasten healing of ulcers. If you do not take care of yourself and allow disease taking its course, as most people do, serious complications will be a result.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF HERPES APPEARS FREQUENT?

First of all, such person needs taking care of his immunity, as its weakening provokes virus energization. Sport, healthy nutrition, healthy way of living will help you. Preventive measures include Skinner’s vaccine (use it only under a doctor’s control). Besides, while frequent, marked (when ulcers appear also on palate, internal surface of cheeks, tongue, tonsils) and lingering cold sores on lips, you should pass a HIV-test, as herpes can be one of its symptoms. So, if you have too frequent, lingering and extensive herpetic injuries on lips, you should pass a necessary blood test.