Cold Sore Treatment: Know The 5 Stages Of the Cold Sore Cycle

If you have ever had a cold sore, then you know how people stare at you when people see the blisters on your face. You wonder if you could ever answer the question, "How To Get Rid Of A Cold Sore?" You try and cover them up or even try to ignore them. But it's hard to ignore with the itching and the pain.


If you can recognize the signs and symptoms then you can stop searching and quickly start your cold sore treatment . These painful lesions are the result of an infection from the herpes simplex virus.

Unfortunately for most people once infected the virus sleeps and then reactivates. The reactivation leads to additional outbreaks.

There are five different stages of a cold sore. These are also called a fever blister or in the medical community recurrent herpes labialis. The cycle runs about 12-14 days.

1. Tingling is the first symptom people may notice. People describe it as a burning, itching or tingling sensation under the skin. The sensation can be felt on the nose, mouth or even chin. Occasionally people have reported the sensation on the inside of their mouth.

2. The second stage is blistering. Swelling also results from the infection. The blistering starts 2-3 days after the start of the tingling sensation. Blisters arise around the lip, mouth and surrounding areas.

3. The fever blister will continue to swell until it starts to weep or leak fluid. It will then open or ulcerate revealing a red colored center. At this stage the virus is highly contagious. It is also probably the most painful.

4. The crusting stage follows. The fever blister finishes its cycle of weeping. The edges of the lesion gradually fill in with a yellow or brown looking crust.

5. Finally the end stage of this cycle of recurrent herpes labialis happens. The body is able to overcome the effects of the virus and the healing process begins. The fever blister begins to get smaller. The crust decreases and the skin slowly returns to normal. This starts to happen somewhere around days 9 to 11.

The sooner you recognize the initial stage and its symptoms the sooner you can start your cold sore treatment . It is important to realize early and prompt cold sore treatment can stop the progression and prevent the spread to other people.