Here's an odd but somewhat scary situation. I was with a girl earlier tonight in an area that we dark. We kissed on the mouth twice (no tongue, nothing prologued), and just after that, I noticed she had a cold sore on her upper lip! I'm freaking out because I've never gotten cold sores, and certainly would prefer not to! Does anyone know if a pair of brief kisses are something to worry about in this situation?

It all depends.  Do you know for a fact it was a cold sore and not a blister or a burn or maybe a zit?  If so, was it open as in raw looking, or was it hard sortof like a scab?  If it was scabbyish (my own new word hehehe) likely hood of getting a cold sore, if that's what it was is very slim.  If it was pusie (sp) looking and raw then you may have a greater chance.

I am not a doctor by any means but know quite a bit about cold sores and a lot of other STD's because I stud the nasty things a lot.  It may not have been a cold sore but instead a horrible zit that we girls do tend to get from time to time.  Or maybe she burned herself, doubtful but maybe.  Usually it's more difficult to get cold sores/herpes of the mouth unless you had more than a tiny bit of skin to skin contact.

The real only way to be safe is A) ask her what it was.  Or B) go to the doctor if your lip starts to crawl hehehehe.  I wish you the best either way and hope to hear an update.

Tasha (not the DR)

Thanks for your input, Tasha. It was open but kind of scabby looking. Definitely not pussy but open. I already did ask her if it was a cold sore (the moment I noticed it on her) and she said it was, but that it's not so easy to catch.  I don't know about that! She was surprised to hear that I never get cold sores, so she must have just presumed I already got them when she first kissed me.  Really bloody uncool. I'm taking Lysine tablets right now as preventative medicine.

Good advice already given.

It depends if your brief kisses were wet ones.

I would monitor any outbreaks for 2 - 3 weeks. If nothing develops, you should be safe.

And get it checked out!

Since cold sore are a type of herpes...I guess if you did get it...it's permanent. The good news is that it's not that big of deal.

you could ask your doctor for some acyclovir.  prompt, early treatment can in THEORY reduce symptoms and reduce likelihood of future outbreaks.  it may be about 2 weeks before you develop symptoms, if you do.  but there's certainly a chance that you won't develop symptoms, so I wouldn't sweat it.  of all the things that can go wrong in your body, cold sore is near the bottom.

from a medical reference (i won't reveal the website since it's subscription only):

"Prevention — There is currently no vaccine effective against HSV and, because most adults have been exposed to HSV-1, there are no recommendations regarding postexposure prophylaxis with antiviral medications for immunocompetent individuals exposed to a patient with HSV-1. Children, however, have been shown to benefit from antiviral treatment during periods of known exposure to active HSV lesions. In one study, 45 children exposed to herpetic gingivostomatitis in a daycare center were randomized to treatment with acyclovir (30 to 50 mg/kg five times daily) or no treatment. Among the 23 children randomized to treatment, none developed clinical HSV disease and only 8 seroconverted compared to 18 cases of clinical HSV infection and 20 seroconversions among the 22 untreated children.

Prevention of primary infections with HSV-1 and prophylaxis against recurrent attacks may be recommended in certain cases, depending upon the history of exposure, frequency of recrudescence, age, and immunologic status of the patient. Nonpharmacologic methods of prevention include the use of gloves and condoms to avoid direct contact with active lesions and the avoidance of excessive sun exposure in UV light-induced recurrent herpes labialis. However, when pharmacologic intervention is warranted, acyclovir is the drug of choice."

if it was a cold sore, then very irresponsible of her to even agree to meet with you, since she could transmit it to the genitalia area.  if it went there, anyway. generally before a first herpes outbreak, it is common to feel fatigued, feverish or in the case of a cold sore, a tingle on the mouth.  if any of these symptoms appear, i'd recommend you get yourself into your GP asap.  

the other thing that can accelerate an outbreak is stress.  try not to worry too much about it.  chances are you're fine, and just take it as a lesson learned to ask lots of questions of your provider pre-appointment.

anya
(a RN in 'real life')

-- Modified on 10/7/2007 3:42:36 AM

Cold sores ARE part of the Herpes Simplex 1 Virus.  Most people have been exposed to it and most don't exhibit symptoms.

These are different from "Genital Herpes."  Though HVS can infect via oral sores.

Suggest you google "cold sores" there's a pile of info.

Don't stress too much - if you got it you got it.  Too late to worry about it.  Learn about managing it.

And yes, ask the girl.

Best,
"Dr"  Ts Jamie  

(Not really a doctor - but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once...   )

Valtrex is a commonly prescribed medication and very effective for cold sores.

Also, you can put Alum, a spice you can buy at your supermarket.  Put it on as soon as you fell the bump forming on your lip.

if you get an outbreak, head to the Dr to get med's to calm it down.  


Shame on her if she had a cold sore and saw you.  I can see how the general public wouldn't be aware of the dangers considering the lack of public education, but not someone in this industry.

Lysine, hahhahhaha good idea.  I was going to mention that but in the past people have looked at me crazy in the past.  I have a chemcial imbalance in my body that causes me to blister on my lips, but the funny thing is when I was 6 the dr told me take the medicine and I would have no worries about getting them.  While mine aren't cold sores, Lysine still reduces the chances of getting them because my body is lacking the vitamine.  

Old grandma trick is what I like to call it LOL.

Tasha

Thanks Anya. Nope, her mouth went nowhere near any genital area, not even with latex. Hands did, but she wasn't ever touching her mouth during the time I saw her, so I'd think all is well there too. I'm pretty sure everything's going to be okay, but it's hard not to freak a little!

is more commonly used for canker sores rather than cold sores.  It's a spice used for pickleing products such as pickles, eggs, and peppers.  How it works on a cold sore, not sure.  How it works on a canker sore, I would guess pretty well considering canker sores are usually more open and wound like than a cold sore.  

Not saying you are wrong Nuvela at all, just my two cents hehehhehe and Grandmas old school ways again LOL.  (My mom had bad canker sores which caused need for Alum heeheehee.  Call me a country bumpkin)

Tasha

You don't know what you are talking about. Any of you!!!
FACTS:
Canker sores are Herpes inside the mouth.

Genital Herpes is not "different". They are both transmittable back and forth from mouth to genitals and visa versa. There are two strains ( 1 and 2) but they are the SAME.

Herpes is A BIG DEAL due to CD-4 cells being present at the surface of the skin which will make you a beacon for HIV to enter where the herpes are or were if not completely healed with new skin.
CD-4 cells are where HIV lives and they are concentrated at scabby-scabbyish areas of ALL herpes outbreaks and canker sores if the person has HIV. These CD-4 cells are penetrable by HIV.
This  kind of false reassurance can get us all killed.
Geez, I may get contacts after all so I can watch more carefully for abrasions on the mouths of my partners.
Please use the supplement BHT if you have ever had even an irritation or pain in or on your mouth and or genitals.
Use preventative medicine as well if you are a carrier of ANY Herpes/canker sores for your own good.
My last 4 boyfriends were HSV negative for 1 and 2 so I always take BHT to protect them from "cold sores".
A lot of strippers and ex- strippers have had cold sores and I kissed A LOT of them so I always take BHT to keep my mouth and lips safe at all times for my partners.
I would never even consider this risk even if I have burned my lips and mouth on hot food.
I am careful if I get chapped lips. I don't use my mouth if they are.
Herpes is a gateway for HIV. Better look again at the info on the net. I will follow up with the links tomorow so you can read it yourself and post more links.
Please do the research and stay safe and satisfied.
I care so much for everyone in this thread and I want you all safe and healthy.
Keeping my mouth a safe place to play!
http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/sfcityclinic/stdbasics/herpes.asp

And BTW, It could have been syphilis on her mouth . It looks the same as a cold sore!
I am changing my menu.
Military and blood doners for me from now on, thank you!!-- Modified on 10/9/2007 1:31:58 AM

-- Modified on 10/9/2007 1:36:16 AM
this site explains in detail exactly what I was saying.
VERY SERIOUS!!
http://www.hivplusmag.com/column.asp?id=542&categoryid=4

-- Modified on 10/9/2007 2:36:36 AM

From the April 2005 issue

HIV and Herpes: Dangerous Partners


By Dan Bowers, MD

In the past year there has been a lot of eye-opening information emerging on genital herpes that is affecting how we clinically suspect, diagnose, test, and treat the disease in both HIV-negative and HIV-positive adults.

We now have Food and Drug Administration–approved blood tests for antibodies to HSV-1 and HSV-2, two of the most common herpes virus types. Surveys show that the prevalence of HSV-2 is almost 1 in 3 in the general U.S. population and as high as 50% to 60% among HIV-positive men and women.

Much of the data comes from better methods used to identify the presence of HSV on the skin, even when herpes lesions aren’t present. Compared to the old methods of viral culture and identification from swabs from the skin, a new test—PCR (polymerase chain reaction)—is four times more likely to detect the presence of HSV. PCR also distinguishes between HSV-1 and HSV-2, the latter of which causes 98% of genital outbreaks.

Through this more sensitive testing, we now know that genital herpes appears in many forms other than the standard painful blistery eruption. And while we used to think that herpes was present on the skin only when such lesions were present—and thus it was the only time that virus could be transmitted to a sex partner—persons infected with HSV-2 have now been shown to have detectable virus on their skin an unnerving 10–12 days each month, even when they are otherwise symptom-free. Up to 70% of HSV transmissions occur during these asymptomatic times. Even worse is the fact that within the first year of acquiring HSV-2, the number of days of viral shedding is even greater, boosting transmission odds even more.

The herpes simplex virus lies dormant along a nerve root under the skin. When it activates, the skin or mucous membrane typically blisters and then erodes into an open ulcer. But we now know that at other times there may be microscopic ulcers present, and these account for the asymptomatic viral shedding and the atypical presentations. In these ulcers, big or small, are large numbers of activated CD4 cells. Just like HIV, HSV infects and then reproduces in these cells.

Because large numbers of CD4 cells are present in these microscopic lesions, there are often high levels of HIV there as well in people who are HIV-HSV coinfected. HIV viral loads throughout the body also have been shown to rise during herpes outbreaks. Because more HIV is present both on the skin and potentially in sexual fluids, the odds of transmitting the virus to sex partners is boosted.

The presence of microscopic or visible herpes lesions on HIV-negative people also makes them much more likely to become infected with HIV—four to five times more likely, according to some studies, because HIV can easily enter through these open sores.

Fortunately, we now have data that shows daily HSV suppression with any of the three antiherpes medications—acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir—can reduce the days of HSV shedding in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative men and women. And although there are no definitive studies yet to prove that such herpes suppression strategies can help lower HIV risks, many clinicians believe that preventing these herpes outbreaks—especially the unnoticed microscopic kind—does reduce the odds of HIV transmissions.
As such, I highly recommend that testing for HSV antibodies and the use of herpes suppressive medications, if needed, be a serious topic for discussion between every patient—HIV-positive and HIV-negative—and his or her clinician.

Bowers is board-certified in family practice and is a senior partner with Pacific Oaks Medical Group, one of the nation’s largest practices devoted to HIV care, located in Beverly Hills. He has served on the boards of AIDS Research Alliance and Lambda Legal. He is on the editorial board of Postgraduate Medicine.

Please don't assume that I am unaware of std's and the precautions to be taken.

you left out the fact that his risk for getting HIV is much higher if he was infected.

-- Modified on 10/9/2007 4:31:27 PM

I assumed he could find this out after he determined if he had herpes