How do I Get Rid of Cold Sores?

Answer: You can't dispose of either of them easily; you usually have to wait until they go away. What is a Cold Sore? Unlike brothers-in-law, cold sores are not irritants brought on by marriage but are small, painful infections that attack skin and nerves, look like chicken pox, and are caused by the herpes simplex virus.

They can appear on various parts of your body but usually show up on the lips and, less commonly, on the nose. They start invisibly with a tingling sensation, followed two days later by the red, fluid-filled pustules that we call cold sores or fever blisters or, simply, “those disgusting looking things." And there they sit, painful to the touch, for a week to 10 days.

Unlike canker sores, with which they are often confused, they seldom appear inside the mouth (Tips on how to relieve pain from canker sores). During that 7-to-10-day period, the blisters break, ooze, and form a yellow crust. They thus get even uglier.

The scabs then fall off, and the skin heals without scarring. During that period, the sores are communicable through direct contact with others (or with yourself) or through an intermediary like a towel or razor. So, if you can actually find someone who will kiss you on the lips during that period, refuse them that dubious privilege.

After that's over, and your skin is back to normal, you might be fooled into thinking the virus causing the infection has died and gone off to virus limbo.