Can Herpes and Cold Sores Be Passed After The Cold Sore Has Healed?

The truth about cold sores being passed on

With so much talk about how contagious cold sores are people are often worried about whether the virus can be passed on. It is a fact the the infection is contagious just before it starts to heal. There are different stages to the cold sore and at different stages there are different levels of viral activity that can be passed on. During the beginning when the virus begins by a tingling sensation and itching and burning follows, at this stage there is a low chance of the infection being passed on, it is still growing and multiplying from the inside and there is a low chance of the virus being passed on.



During the blister stage the chances of the herpes simplex being passed on is slightly higher however since everything is still contained within a sac the likelihood is still low. When the sac starts to fill with fluid and you have begun the rupture stage this is when the virus is at its highest stage. Most of the time cold sores are passed on at this stage and while you should do everything to avoid touching, you should implement best practices such as washing hands and avoiding any contact. Try and keep the area clean by washing it with antibacterial soap and use viral preparations such as Neosporin or other remedies such as Tea Tree oil. If you can contain the virus at this stage then the liklihood of passing it along is very low.


When the cold sore starts to heal and begins to turn yellow and crust the likelihood of herpes being passed on is still high, however it is lower than when the sores ruptured. Again you should try and keep the area clean and sterile and avoid any contact. When the infection has healed completely and the scab has formed and gone this is when the Herpes Simplex virus has deactivated and at this point the chances of Herpes being passed on is very low.


My advice would be at every stage you should ensure that you keep the region clean with a good quality antibacterial soap, avoid touching the area and avoid contact. If you follow these steps then you will be certain that the virus is not passed on.