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Cold Sores

Cold Sores Overview

Cold sores are small, painful, fluid-filled blisters or sores that appear on the lips, mouth, or nose that are caused by a virus. The sores can be painful and usually last a few days. Unlike most viral infections, the cold sore virus is not completely eliminated by the body defenses. For this reason, cold sores often recur.



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Herpes Simplex Infections (Cold Sores, Non-Genital) - Describe Your Experience

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Cold Sores

Canker Sore Overview

Canker sores, also known as aphthous stomatitis, are among the most common causes of painful sores in the mouth.

  • From 20%-40% of the U.S. population have them at some point in their lives.

  • The peak incidence occurs among people in adolescence and young adulthood. They become less frequent as we get older.

  • They are not contagious.

  • Canker sores are not the same thing as cold sores. Cold sores ("fever blisters") occur on the outer lip, whereas canker sores are found inside the mouth.


Canker Sore Causes

No one knows what causes canker sores. The vast majority of people who develop canker sores do not have another problem as the cause.

  • The disease is suspected to result from a reaction of the immune system.

  • Additional causative factors may include the following:
    ...

Read the Canker Sores article »


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Herpes Simplex »

Herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) are DNA viruses that cause acute skin infections and present as grouped vesicles on an erythematous base.

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