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July 1, 2008, 3:19 pm
Flag as Inappropriate pheinbaugh2  

Are cold sores really a form of herpes? I DON'T have them but I know people that get them. And that grosses me out. Can we catch it?!

Here is a pretty good overview on cold sores I found on Web MD.

What are cold sores?

Cold sores, sometimes called fever blisters, are groups of small blisters on the lip and around the mouth. The skin around the blisters is often red, swollen, and sore. The blisters may break open, leak a clear fluid, and then scab over after a few days. They usually heal after several days to 2 weeks.

What causes cold sores?

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of herpes simplex virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both virus types can cause lip and mouth sores and genital herpes.

The herpes simplex virus usually enters the body through a break in the skin around or inside the mouth. It is usually spread when a person touches a cold sore or touches infected fluid-such as from sharing eating utensils or razors, kissing an infected person, or touching that person's saliva. A parent who has a cold sore often spreads the infection to his or her child in this way. Cold sores can also be spread to other areas of the body.

More

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/cold-sores-topic-overview