Cold sores are painful sores that are caused by the herpes simplex type 1 virus.

After exposure the virus can hide in your body for years without an outbreak. Things that trigger the virus and cause an outbreak can be:-    too much sun exposure-    coming down with a head cold or infection-    menstruation-    stress

Cold sores can be spread from one person to another.

They usually show up on the lips and sometimes on the nose or the chin. They usually last from about 7 to 10 days and rarely scar. Over-the-counter medication can be purchased to help relive the pain that accompanies the sores. If you have a lot of outbreaks you should talk to Dr. Ban Barbat at her Shelby Township Cosmetic Dental office about being prescribed an anti-viral drug that can reduce the time it takes to heal and the number of sores.