Cold Sore - What Does it Look Like? | Stages of Cold Sores
Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, are small sores which appear on and above the upper lip, the corners of the mouth as well as on the face itself. Cold sores are very common and can be spread through sharing the same soda as someone who has a visible cold sore. They are a viral infection caused by the herpes simplex two virus. There is absolutely no cure for cold sores and people usually know when one is about to start.
Cold sores are red blisters which may vary in size. There may be more than one cold sore appearing on the face at any one time. They usually appear as blisters on the lip which are filled with liquid and can be very painful if popped. Cold sores usually cause itching and pain but disappear within two weeks. They will generally appear over and over in the same area and will stay very close to the mouth if not directly on or above the lips.
Cold sores have different stages
The reason cold sores last so long is that they go through a process of forming, breaking down and healing just as a cut on the body would. This process can take a week to two weeks to complete.
A person will first notice tingling or redness in the infected area. Then the cold sore blisters form leaving very small fluid filled pouches. At this point, the infected person will know that they have a cold sore by the appearance of these blisters. Sometimes, blisters may form so closely they become a larger blister. After a day or so, the blisters mature and pop on their own. At this point, the cold sore will appear as a red scab. Now it can be very painful and because it is an infectious wound, it is more contagious. The last days of the cold sore are the healing stage and a brown scab may form over the area. If the scab cracks open, like any other scab, it may cause bleeding to occur. After about ten days, a yellow scab forms over the cold sore and it eventually goes away.
Conclusion
So please remember that cold sores go through may different stages, changing their appearance through the days or weeks. If a suspected cold sore does not change its appearance, then it is most likely just a cut. Try to remember these stages so if one is infected, the cold sore will be recognized and not spread on to others. The cold sore starts out as a tingling, then the cold sore shows itself in the form of very small blisters (which may group together and appear bigger) and goes on to become a red sore. The red sore is most noticeable even by those who have never had a cold sore. The cold sore goes from brown to yellow in the final stages of healing.