Skin Care Tips and Information

Causes of Fever Blisters

Fever blisters, also known as cold sores, refer to lesions that develop due to an infection. They usually appear around the nostrils, cheeks, lips and chin. The infection is caused by the herpes simplex virus and tends to recur in the same place. There are two classifications of the herpes simplex virus. Type I affects the mouth and surrounding areas and is known as oral herpes, while type II infects the genital areas, and is referred to as genital herpes.
When the infection occurs, the virus moves through the nerves after entering through the nerve cells. The virus then remains in the ganglion of the nerve where it stays dormant. This virus can start multiplying again at later instances and move towards the skin, resulting in blisters in the same place. There are certain conditions that are involved in the recurrences of the viral infection. Cold sores generally tend to form during a cold or flu. Excessive exposure to the sun may also trigger fever blisters in some individuals. Imbalances of the immune system due to inadequate nutrition or physical and emotional stress can lead to the development of fever blisters. Other conditions associated with fever blisters are trauma or injury to the skin and stress. The herpes simplex virus can spread through direct contact with an infected individual. The infection is very contagious when the blisters are active. Once they dry up and form crusts the risk is reduced. However, the virus may sometimes be contained in the saliva even in the absence of sores.

Home Remedies for Fever Blisters

• The aloe plant is a very effective natural remedy against several skin infections, including fever blisters. Rubbing the gel of aloe vera leaves over the affected areas will alleviate itching and tingling. It will also help to quicken the healing process.
• You may even apply cornstarch to the area to ease discomfort.
• The application of ice works very well in restricting the spread of the virus over the skin. Rubbing ice over the sores several times a day helps to prevent them from developing further.
• Another beneficial home remedy is to add a couple of drops of the extract of grapefruit seed to olive oil and apply to the affected area.
• Lemon balm is also known to ease the pain and burning caused by cold sores.
• An effective herbal remedy for fever blisters involves consuming a blend of calendula, Echinacea, lomatium, burdock and oats tincture. Half a teaspoon of this mixture, taken four times a day helps to expel toxins from the body.

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This entry was posted on Friday, March 12th, 2010 at 6:52 am and is filed under Skin Infections. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.