I have been told by the gal who is performing the laser removal of my facial hair that there is a risk factor of getting cold sores and this is “new”. As a matter of fact I do get cold sores after my treatments. What’s the deal??
Several things trigger cold sores and injury to the lip from excessive exposure to bright sunlight and ultraviolet rays is certainly one of those triggers. It stands to reason then that heat injury to the lip area from laser hair removal can be added to this category. Another trigger is emotional and physical stress, so now you have three triggers against you, as laser is painful in this area.
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus. Little virus particles lie dormant,or asleep, underneath the skin on a nerve until something triggers it to come to life. when you start to feel the TINGLE, you can use antiviral creams such as Denavir or Zovirax that can lessen the severity and duration of the core sore event. They are both FDA APPROVED. These drugs interfere with the virus’s ability to produce more and more particles. If you rub the cream on the area, wash your hands thoroughly afterwards, because herpes simplex is very contagious and you can spread the virus to other parts of your skin.
These drugs do not cure or prevent cold sores, they just manage the outbreak,so it is not necessary to use the cream prior to laser. Also, you are still contagious when using these meds. Be sure and tell your practitioner if you feel like a cold sore event is going to happen.
Good luck with your facial hair removal.
Dee
It should be noted that no one is saying you have contracted an STD, just that cold sores spring from this process. I know a few people who are allergic to apples, and if they drink anything with apple juice in it, or eat an apple, they get cold sores as one of the side effects of exposure.
You may do well to do a yeast cleansing diet to lessen your chances of spontaneous break outs.
I do not know if it will help you but I use Lysine to combat cold sores/canker sores that I usually get following dental work. It works well for me and caan be purchased at basically any grocery store vitamin section. It is an amino acid so pretty safe on the body.
Hopefully it will work for you,
Erin
You are correct! L-Lysine Amino Acid is very good at combating internal viruses.
dhafey, I’d just like to ask; cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, but aren’t there two types of herpes? Isn’t there a type I and Type II, or a Type A and a Type B? The lesser one can cause cold sores, but doesn’t the second one too? Is it that the lesser, more common one only causes them around the mouth, and the more harmful one (“Zoster”?) causes them around the mouth and genital area? I’d just like to know.
There are two immunologic types of herpes simplex virus.
Herpes simplex - 1 is the one commonly referred to as cold sores.
Herpes simplex - 2 is refers to genital transmission of this virus.
Both produce skin lesions and both have certain triggers that “ignite” them.
The next type of herpes is herpes zoster. It is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. This stuff really hurts and covers a large area and attacks people usually over the age of 50. For the most part, one attack brings immunity, thank goodness.
On another note, my home computer has been down for two weeks, so I sneak onto one of the doctors computers when I am able to at work, meaning, I usually don’t have much time to answer questions. So, I apologize for the lag time in answering your question, but things should be better by next week.
Dee