Q: I have lip herpes several times a year. Is there any way to prevent shoots from reappearing?
Labial herpes usually Start with a tingling on the edge of the lip, followed by painful bumps full of liquid that end up bursting, suppurating and forming a crust before healing. This cycle can be repeated every few months.
Also known as heating or lip fire, Labial herpes is caused by the herpes simple type 1 (VHS-1) virus, other than the virus that generally causes genital herpes.
According to Christine Johnston, professor of infectious diseases at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Washington, These injuries are “antistnetic and painful”in addition to being frequent: approximately half of the population in the United States has VHS-1.
Next, we explain how to treat and prevent lip herpes.
What causes lip herpes?
The herpes virus It is highly contagioussaid Dean Blumberg, head of Pediatric Infectious Diseases of UC Davis Health. It is transmitted by close contact with an infected person, either when kissing or sharing food or drinks.
Identify when someone is contagious is not always easy, since The virus can be transmitted even without the presence of a visible injury.
Blumberg explained that, after infection, Labial herpes does not always manifest immediately and even some people never develop an outbreak. However, in those who suffer from it, it can occur recurringly throughout life. The frequency of episodes varies: some people have outbreaks once a year, while others experience them several times.
What is the best treatment for lip herpes?
According to Blumberg, most outbreaks disappear by themselves in approximately one week.
Nevertheless, Doctors usually recommend oral antivirals of sales with recipe, such as acyclovir, valacyclovir or family. These drugs are highly effective, said Blumberg. Taking them as soon as the first symptoms appear – as a tingling or sensitivity around the mouth – can reduce pain, accelerate healing and even prevent the formation of the injury, Johnston explained.
For those who suffer from six or more episodes a year, doctors can suggest suppressor antiviral therapywhich consists of taking antivirales daily to reduce the frequency, severity and duration of the outbreaks. This treatment also reduces the risk of spreading other people.
There are topical free sale treatments, such as those that contain docosanol (Abbrevas), who claim to cure the herpes lip quickly, in just two and a half days. However, doctors do not recommend them.
Topical antivirals are less effective than oral, since they do not penetrate nerve cells where the virus remains latent and fails to stop their replicationexplained Cindy Wassef, dermatologist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey. In addition, topical treatments do not accelerate the healing of sores as much as oral antivirals, Johnston added.
Some free sales products can help relieve pain while the lesion is cured. Among them, creams with steroids and anesthetics, according to Wassef, and analgesics such as paracetamol or aspirin, recommended by Blumberg.
It is also advised Avoid acidic food, such as citrus or vinegar, which can cause irritation. In contrast, cold drinks, ice palettes and ice cream can relieve discomfort.
Can you cure lip herpes?
Although individual outbreaks cure, There is no way to eliminate the organism virus, so there will always be a risk that lip herpes reappearsWassef said.
“The VHS-1 is a chronic infection,” Johnston added. “At the moment, there is no cure.”
However, avoiding triggers, such as sun exposure, can help prevent outbreaks. Blumberg recommends the use of sunscreen or lip balm with sun protection factor (FPS) of at least 30.
Ongoing research
Scientists work on the development of a herpes vaccine, although the research is still in an initial phase, Johnston explained. Until now, most of the studies have focused on the Simple Herpes virus type 2, causing genital herpes. However, any advance in this field is expected to also be applied to the herpes lip.
In addition, Therapies that alter the virus DNA in the body are being explored. A 2024 study injected genetic edition molecules in mice, eliminating 90 % of the virus involved in the herpes lipstick and 97 % of the virus responsible for genital herpes. The authors concluded that the genetic edition could be a way for the cure of both diseases, although it is still necessary to continue investigating.
For now, the only way to prevent lip herpes is to avoid initial contagion, which is difficult, since, as Johnston pointed out, “it is a very common virus.”