This Is What Really Causes Cold Sores

Crusty, painful, blistery, fluid-filled — these are not the ideal terms someone would want used to describe their lips, but it is precisely how to describe those unwanted cold sores perching on your pucker. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, approximately 50 to 80 percent of American adults are affected by herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV), the virus responsible for cold sores. They also estimate that approximately 90 percent of adults have been exposed to the virus at least once by the age of 50. So while the good news is, you're not alone, the bad news remains — you're not alone.

Many people get canker sores and cold sores mixed up, and it is not hard to understand why. The terminology is similar, and both terms refer to an uncomfortable sore generally in or on the mouth. But in almost every other way, canker sores and cold sores could not be more different.

Although uncomfortable, most people will likely get a cold sore at one point or another in their lives. Also commonly known as fever blisters or oral herpes, more than 50% of Americans have the HSV-1 virus (via Cleveland Clinic). These highly contagious fluid-filled blisters typically form around the mouth. However, while cold sores may be unsightly, they are not serious or a cause for alarm.

Having a cold sore is more than just an aesthetic nuisance, as the pesky blisters can cause pain, burning, and itching (via Medical News Today). These sores, sometimes called fever blisters, tend to come and go, and those living with them grow accustomed to learning the triggers that might cause an outbreak (via Healthline). Common causes include extreme weather, a weak immune system, stress, and hormone fluctuations. Some people claim that even eating certain foods can provoke an outbreak.

If you have ever had a canker sore, you are well-aware of how irritating it can be. Canker sores are painful oval-shaped ulcers within the mouth. They are typically yellow or white and circled by a ring of inflamed red tissue. Unlike cold sores, which typically occur outside of the mouth, canker sores are not contagious (per Healthline). That being said, many people experience canker sores at some point, which begs the question: Why?