Should i drain cold sores

The first stage starts about 24 hours before the blister appears. The blister appears in stage 2…. Cold sores are red, fluid-filled blisters that usually form near your mouth or other areas of your face. There's no cure for cold sores and they may…. Without treatment, fever blisters can last up to four weeks. After treatment, you…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.

Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Risks Try this Healing time Takeaway What is a cold sore? However, popping a cold sore releases infectious fluid from inside the blister, increasing the risk of further cold sores, infection, and scarring. In this article, we look at what happens when someone pops a cold sore , what to do instead, and how long cold sores usually take to heal. Cold sores are small, fluid filled blisters that usually form around the mouth.

People also refer to them as fever blisters or oral herpes. Cold sores occur following infection with the herpes simplex virus HSV. Once a person has the virus, it stays in their body. People can, therefore, get recurring cold sores throughout their life. HSV is very contagious and spreads through oral contact, including kissing, sharing food and drinks, and oral sex.

Popping a cold sore releases fluid that contains the herpes virus. If the fluid transfers to other parts of the face, it may cause more cold sores to appear. Touching a cold sore also increases the risk of transmitting the virus to other people. People with broken skin, severe burns, or skin-related conditions, such as eczema , may be at risk for developing a larger skin infections as a result of HSV.

Although this is rare, popping a cold sore may allow it to happen by spreading the infected fluid. Popping cold sores may also irritate the skin, worsening the pain and swelling that these blisters can cause. Sometimes, a popped cold sore may leave a scar.

Cold sores naturally burst and then scab over during the healing process, and they usually heal on their own. It is not necessary to pop them. Instead, people with cold sores can try over-the-counter OTC topical treatments containing aciclovir Zovirax or penciclovir Denavir , which may speed up healing.

For subsequent outbreaks, the process might take one to two weeks. However long it takes for the cold sore to disappear, an outbreak goes through distinct stages before it finally heals. Stage One: This is when you can try to prevent the cold sore from erupting — when you feel the tingling, burning, or itching sensation around your lips or skin. Stage Two: The HSV-1 fluid-filled blisters appear, sometimes with multiple small blisters forming a larger red wound. This is when you can treat the cold sore in a recommended manner.

But no touching. If the treatment requires applying medicine to the cold sore, always use a clean cotton-tipped swab. Stage Three: After the blisters naturally pop, fluid might ooze out, the sore forms a scab. You'll need to clean the fluid off in a recommended way to prevent infecting other parts of your body. Stage Four: Finally, the scab will flake off, and the skin returns to normal. At last! With treatment, you might be able to accelerate the healing process. However, if you have health issues that affect your immune system, the healing process for your cold sore might slow down to four weeks or longer.

The Mayo Clinic recommends you contact your doctor if your cold sore doesn't heal after two weeks. You can potentially prevent a cold sore from erupting with certain treatments. For instance, since sunlight can trigger an outbreak, wear a lip balm with broad-spectrum protection and at least an SPF every day.

If you have Stage One symptoms, you might be on the cusp of an outbreak. You can then try these potentially preventative measures:. If you have a big day coming up, try stress-reducing measures like massages, meditation, and rest to reduce the chance of an outbreak. Take prescription medications. There are antiviral drugs that can help cold sores heal faster, including acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir and penciclovir.

If you're having frequent outbreaks or experiencing some of the serious side effects of having a cold sore, your doctor may consider prescribing antiviral medication. So you nipped your last cold sore flare-up in the bud like a champ , and it lasted less than a week — but here you are, just a few months later, and the cold sores are back. There's good news, and then there's bad news.

Let's start with the bad news. Instead, the virus travels back into your nerves, where it can lie dormant for long periods of time. When the virus reemerges, it typically does so in the same spot as before. But, here's the good news.