How to Contract Cold Sores

Cold sores are very common--about 80% of Americans have been exposed to them, many at a young age. They are lesions that usually occur on the mouth, lip and facial area. Cold sores are a form of herpes typically caused by Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV1). They're commonly known as fever blisters, oral herpes or herpes labialis. Cold sores are very contagious and are spread through contact with the fluid from the cold sore blisters or the saliva of an infected person.

Instructions

How You Can Get Cold Sores

• 1

  Rub against the infected area of someone's cold sore or get kissed by someone who has an active cold sore, and the skin-to-skin contact with the cold sore puts you at risk.

• 2

  Share a bite of food or a drink with someone who has a cold sore, and you could get the cold sore virus through the infected person's saliva.

• 3

  Use a drinking glass, eating utensil, lip stick, lip gloss, lip balm, toothbrush, face cloth or towel that's been in contact with an active cold sore. Despite the fact that you didn't come in skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, you are still exposed indirectly through those items having been in contact with the active cold sore.