We need to get over ourselves a little bit when it comes to cold sores – 80% of us carry the virus that causes cold sores, so it’s an issue that has the potential to affect a whole heap of Kiwis – yet stigma and shame around the lip infection is at an all-time high. We myth-bust some cold sore facts with a pharmacist and offer up some advice on how to treat the bloody things when they pop up.
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If you suffer from cold sores, two things – one; you’re among a whopping 80% of Kiwis who carry the HSV-1 virus which causes them. Two: you’ve probably allowed a cold sore or two to utterly get in the way of living life.
Capsule reader Sarah* knows that feeling all too well. She’s suffered from cold sores her entire life, with seemingly little respite between bouts of the unsightly lip sore, and, as she says, they’ve become her biggest insecurity.
“I’ve had cold sores since I was in high school and I remember begging my mum to let me stay home when I had one,” she remembers. “I used to get teased so much – when they found out cold sores are caused by the herpes virus because of course, kids – they didn’t know the difference. Honestly, it still haunts me sometimes, and I know it shouldn’t because it’s high school for God’s sake!”
Even now at 29, Sarah declines social engagements and works from home when she has an outbreak, and it’s something she’s absolutely sick of.
“I have a life – I don’t have the patience or the ability to pause everything just because there’s something on my lip.”
Sarah is FAR from being alone here (I’ve had a few in my time and I remember one instance trying to cover it up with Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse to horrific results – I bet you can see the flaky mousse-y mess now). According to a recent study, conducted by APOHEALTH Famciclovir Once, four in five (80%) of cold sore sufferers in New Zealand admit that outbreaks of the common virus negatively impact how they feel about themselves. From feelings of self-consciousness (58%) to embarrassment (46%) and unattractiveness (41%), cold sore sufferers are choosing to hide away from social situations and dates, in a bid to avoid feeling embarrassed.
The statistics do indeed read like something out of our high school years – 50% of the 2019 respondents to the study have a fear of being judged by others and 57% admit they’ve changed work or social plans. It’s time for a change – and it turns out it’s actually quite easy to beat cold sores at their own game.
So what can we do about it and how do we launch ourselves away from our traumatic teenage vibes because honestly, we’ll all do anything not to be 15 again, right? Pharmacist Amelia Gardner tells Capsule that the stigma of a cold sore is rooted in its origins – the herpes virus.
“People get freaked out when they hear the word ‘herpes’,” she tells. “Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus – it’s type two that causes genital herpes, and I don’t think the younger generation, specifically, quite get the difference.”
So, basically, herpes needs better PR?
Laughing, Amelia agrees. “Exactly – there are two strains. And, like you say, 80% of people carry this virus, we think you probably get it from your mother. Saliva is how it’s passed on, so if you’re kissed as a baby… it’s as simple as that.”
According to the study, 21% of Kiwis don’t actually understand that cold sores are caused by a virus at all, and 22% don’t realise that they can’t be completely cured. Education, evidently, is very much needed.
Myth Busting Cold Sores: What ARE They and More Importantly, How the Hell Do You Get Rid of Them? Amelia Lays it Out:
- I’ll tell you now, old wives’ tales don’t work! Ice, toothpaste, Vaseline, vinegar?! None of it will get rid of a cold sore. Go to the pharmacy and get an oral or topical treatment.
- Some people believe it’s a lower socio-economic problem – like they are caused by mouldy bathrooms or dirty kitchens. It is not – the only way you can contract cold sores is saliva.
- Others think that cold sores pop up when you’re stressed – there is some truth to this. Cold sores are infections, so they can increase in times of stress, yes. Stress is a trigger – with an opportunistic infection we might fend it off if we’re in tip-top shape. Hormonal changes and low immunity are also triggers.
- We need better education and treatment. People are hiding away when they have a cold sore – the statistics are really sad. Whereas they could just pop down to the pharmacy and treat the cold sore, lessening the spread.
- If you’re a common cold sore sufferer, there are so many things you can do to prevent them in the first place. Wind and sunburn are the worst – it’s an opportunistic infection, so it likes a lip that’s burnt by wind or sun.
Bottom line, according to Amelia: at the first sign of a cold sore, toddle on down to a pharmacy and ask your pharmacist for advice on how best to treat it.
“We just need better education around them – honestly, having a cold sore is NOT the end of the world!”
Want to know more about APOHEALTH Famciclovir Once? Check out these key facts:
One single dose – that’s all
APOHEALTH Famciclovir Once can treat a cold sore outbreak with a single dose of 3 tablets.
How does it work?
APOHEALTH Famciclovir Once contains the active ingredient Famciclovir 500mg, an antiviral that works by reducing the ability of the virus to reproduce, shortening the duration of the outbreak and helping to relieve cold sore symptoms.
Tingling, itching or burning – take action!
Early treatment delivers best outcomes. If you suffer from recurrent outbreaks of cold sores, you may wish to consider having a pack of APOHEALTH Famciclovir Once on hand in your medicine cabinet so that you can act quickly. Ask your pharmacist or doctor if APOHEALTH Famciclovir Once is right for you.
APOHEALTH Famciclovir Once, Pharmacist Only Medicine, for the treatment of recurrent cold sores. Always read the label. Use only as directed. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional. Arrotex Pharmaceuticals (NZ) Ltd, Wellington.
*not her real name
