Do I Have A Cold Sore Or Is It Something Else Like Acne?

Do I have a cold sore or is it something else?

Many people are unsure whether they have a cold sore or not, one of the most common question that sufferers ask at the beginning is do I have a the sore or is it something else? The best way to determine whether you have the virus or not is to visit your local doctor. It is not worth self diagnosing yourself with a problem that may just be something else like a rash or another form of acne. If you are not able to get to a trained physician then here are some guidelines that you can follow to determine whether you have the infection or not.



If you feel a tingling sensation followed by swelling and itching then it is likely that it is a cold sore. If pain persists and you can see tiny white points appearing then this further strengthens the diagnosis. If a blister forms and fills with fluid then it is certain that this you have the virus. Do not treat this as anything else if you think that this is herpes as popping or picking the infection will only make it worse. You have to have to let the sore run its natural course. By picking and popping the affected area you will become more susceptible to further outbreaks and what should have taken a few days to heal will turn into a great episode.


If you are the kind of person who just cant leave a cold sore alone then I would recommend that you treat the area by regularly washing the area with soapy water to keep it clean, use a petroleum based product like Vaseline to protect the area and use products such as Neosporin to treat the actual virus. This method will give your hands plenty to do and at least you will know that you are doing something rather than nothing to treat the cold sore.


If you are worried about how you will look with your cold sore or if you have a important meeting or interview then there are many methods that you can use to conceal the virus. Sometimes just Vaseline or Lip Balm does the job, if your sore has swelled up and looks red then you should cool the area with ice until the swelling goes down, use a warm compress to relax the skin and then apply foundation to conceal the virus completely. Using this method you can let the infection run its course and use the remedies that you have and not be concious about the way you look.