What are colds sores?

Cold sores are groups of fluid filled blisters, which may grow in size causing irritation and pain. The blisters associated with cold sores may weep and then crust or scab over. A cold sore outbreak usually starts with a tingling sensation around the mouth, chin, nose or other areas of the face.

Cold sores are a highly contagious common illness, caused by a strain of the herpes simplex virus called Type 1 (HSV-1).  There are two types of Herpes Simplex Virus:

HSV1 - the most common type usually causing cold sores (oral herpes)
HSV2 - causes genital herpes

Cold sore symptoms

The symptoms and stages of a cold sore attack can be different for everyone:

You may show no symptoms at all. You may have trivial symptoms such as a small spot, which you do not realise, is even a cold sore. A cold sore outbreak may start with a tingling sensation around the mouth, chin, nose or other areas of the face before the blisters appear.

For most people cold sores can disappear within a week to 10 days.

Reference: www.netdoctor.co.uk and www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk