The herpes simplex virus is spread by skin-to-skin contact, with kissing being one of the main ways the virus spreads. Blistered cold sores are highly contagious. The fluid inside cold sore ...

"Cold sores might seem like just a minor annoyance, but they can actually lead to some serious health issues," Dr Anil Sharma, a medical doctor at Sharma Skin & Hair Surgery, tells The Sun.

It is more likely to spread if there is a visible sore, particularly if it is in the blistering and crusting stage, but can be spread even with normal-appearing skin," says Jeffy. Important: Cold ...

“It’s natural to want to hide your cold sore with make-up but this might actually make it worse. Many cosmetics contain perfumes and other chemicals that can irritate damaged skin. People also ...

Various factors can activate the virus resulting in one or more cold sores. These include tiredness and fatigue, a break in the skin near the affected area, menstruation (periods), stress ...