EXPLORE THE STAGES OF A COLD SORE

There’s nothing like a cold sore for ruining your mood and knocking your confidence. What’s worse, these unsightly blisters that spring up on or near your lip – sometimes called fever blisters – can take up to 10 days to heal on their own.

Being able to recognize the beginning stages of a cold sore will allow you to act fast, and in turn help you minimize discomfort and speed up healing through the following stages. Spotting the early signs, even before the blister appears, lets you fight back with Abreva Cream to reduce how long your cold sore lasts.

Keep scrolling to familiarize yourself with the five typical cold sore stages, from the first tingle to the healing phase.

TINGLE STAGE

You might be surprised to learn that the stages of a cold sore can actually begin before you can see anything. This is what we call ‘the tingle stage’.

Technically speaking, the beginning of a cold sore is known as the ‘prodrome’ stage, which usually lasts from several hours to a couple of days. Though not everyone experiences this stage, if you do, you might feel a tingling, itching or burning sensation on your lip, mouth, or nose where a cold sore is imminent,ⁱ and the affected area may become red and swollen.

This early stage is your body's reaction to the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which is responsible for cold sores. Once you’ve caught the virus, it stays with you for life, but most of the time it lies dormant inside nerves in your face until something sets it off.ⁱ Find out more about the most common Cold sore triggers.

TIPS

Treating with Abreva Cream at the first sign or during the tingle stage will give you the best results. Left untreated, a cold sore can take up to 10 days to heal, but when Abreva is used at the first sign of a cold sore, healing can be shortened (median healing time: 4.1 days).

BLISTER STAGE

This is when you first see the blister. It probably looks like a group of small, painful bumps that may multiply or grow. When this is happening, your cold sore blister fills with fluid and the surrounding skin becomes red and swollen. A cold sore blister usually appears around your mouth or lips, though you can get them anywhere on your face, including around your nose.

You can soothe any pain or discomfort with over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Alternatively, local anesthetic creams such as lidocaine or benzocaine temporarily block nerve signals in your skin, numbing pain and stopping itching. Or, for instant relief, put ice in a bag and wrap in a thin cloth before placing it on the affected area for no longer than 20 minutes. Ice can slow blood flow to the affected skin, reducing the inflammation, swelling and nerve activity that lead to discomfort.^iv

TIPS

Never squeeze the blisters. Squeezing can lead to scarring.

ULCER STAGE

This can be the most painful stage, as the blisters burst and a shallow ulcer (or open sore) develops. You may also see a red ring of inflammation around the affected area.

Be sure to take extra care to avoid spreading the virus until your cold sore has completely healed and disappeared.

The HSV-1 virus is highly contagious. It can spread through skin-to-skin contact, including to areas like the mouth, eyes, or genitals,^iv and it can also spread through contact with sores or through saliva. In most cases, the virus causes a mild infection, but it poses a more serious risk for newborns and those with a weakened immune system. It can also be potentially sight-threatening if it reaches your eye, and is left untreatedⁱⁱ

Avoid touching your cold sore and always wash your hands after applying cream or before touching your eyes, genitals, or areas of broken skin. Avoid sexual contact (including kissing) and do not share any personal items that may have come into contact with your saliva, such as cutlery or toothbrushes.^iv It’s also a good idea to use a disposable applicator such as a cotton swab to apply Abreva cream, sunscreen, lip balm, or makeup to your cold sore or the surrounding area.

TIPS

Wash your cold sore with mild soap and water to help keep the area clean.

SCABBING STAGE

This is when your cold sore dries out and forms a yellow/brown scab. You may experience severe itching and burning. Additionally, as your scab shrinks, it may leave you with painful cracks, which are prone to bleeding. To ease discomfort, try a cream or balm containing protectants, such as allantoin, petrolatum, cocoa butter or glycerin.ⁱⁱⁱ

It’s a good idea to wear a sunscreen of at least SPF30 when outside. Sunscreen protects your lips while the cold sore heals and may help prevent future outbreaks as UV light can be a cold sore trigger for many people.ⁱⁱ

TIPS

Don’t peel off the scab as you could damage the new, delicate skin. Instead, let it fall off naturally.

HEALING STAGE

As your scab starts to come off, you may notice some dry flaking and residual swelling. Your skin may also remain slightly pink or red. The cold sore is completely healed when the scab and flakiness disappear, leaving healthy skin underneath. Cold sores typically don’t leave scars.

If you frequently get cold sores, keep a symptom diary to help you spot the triggers – avoiding or managing them may help prevent outbreaks. Discover more ways to maintain your lip care routine.

TIPS

Check whether you need to buy more Abreva so you’re prepared for the next tingle.