Symptoms and Complications
People who get cold sores may feel some unusual sensations around the lips
in the 24 hours before the blisters appear, including tingling, burning, pain,
or numbness. This is called a prodrome or warning sign that cold
sores will appear at these spots. The skin turns red and blisters form. They
ooze a clear liquid for a few days that dries to a yellow crust over a period
of about three to five days. There is usually some pain in the first few days
after the cold sores break out, but this often disappears as the cold sore crusts
over. Complete healing takes from 10 to 14 days.
The condition typically causes a cluster of lesions or blisters at a
site around the lips. Areas other than the lips such as the inside of the mouth,
around the nostrils, or even the surface of the eyes, can also be affected.
It is possible to spread the virus to other parts of your body if you touch
the blisters and then touch yourself elsewhere. Cold sores inside the mouth
can be problematic, interfering with talking and eating. If the virus infects
the eye, it can damage the surface leading to vision loss. Very rarely, it can
get into the brain, causing viral meningitis.
Herpes simplex I never goes away completely, so cold sores can return
later on if they are triggered again. Most cold sores don't leave scars. If
an open blister becomes infected with bacteria, however, scarring may result.
People with weakened immune systems tend to get more cold sores and to tend
to heal slower.