Signs and Symptoms of Cold Sores

• Cold sores appear most frequently on the lips, but can also appear on the nose, fingers, and inside the mouth. They are caused by exposure to the herpes simplex virus, and can manifest up to 20 days after exposure.
  
  Usually, the cold sores last about a week to 10 days, and can be quite painful. The sores eventually blister, then break and ooze, before growing a hard overcoat that sloughs off like a scab, leaving healed skin underneath.
  
  Once you have a herpes outbreak, the virus remains dormant in the body until the next outbreak. Outbreaks may be set off by a variety of elements including stress, sun, or fever.
  
  Cold sores may be spread by sharing utensils, drinking from the same glass, kissing, or sharing razors or even towels.
  
  

Covering Up Cold Sores

• Makeup may be used to cover up cold sores, which will help them appear less evident, but it will not treat the cold sore to make it disappear sooner.
  
  Covering the affected area with a makeup primer will help smooth the area and lock in moisturizer. Avoid using any oil-based moisturizer on the sore, as this may cause the sore to become larger and more evident if the oil clogs the pores surrounding the sore.
  
  Another way to use makeup to cover the cold sore is to use a concealer to cover the redness of the sore and allow it to better blend into the skin. Use a concealer that is moisturizing, otherwise it will cake and cause the sore to stand out even more.
  
  It is very important to use a light amount of makeup when covering a cold sore, as a large amount of makeup can cause the sore to become more painful or draw more attention.
  
  

Treatment of Cold Sores

• Cold sores will clear up on their own in a week to 10 days, but some medications will help speed up the process. Some topical creams and lip balms on the market include a topical numbing agent that will help kill the pain associated with the cold sore.
  
  Using a cold sore medication can be extremely helpful, especially if you start the medication at the first sign of the cold sore outbreak. This will help shorten the duration of the cold sore outbreak. Unfortunately, the healing time after the outbreak cannot be shortened, and the area under the "scab" of the sore will be tender for several days to a week following the outbreak.
  
  Another alternative is for your doctor to recommend an anti-viral medication to combat the frequency of outbreaks.