Getting a cold sore is embarrassing. If you’re prone to them, you probably can’t keep it a secret. They are not subtle and can turn pretty unsightly in just a few days. But, the symptoms will usually be experienced before any appearance of a blister shows up.
If you only get cold sores once in a while, though, it can be tempting to try to hide them, or even ignore them. While it may be hard to ignore the pain they cause, going on with your life regularly usually isn’t a problem.
However, if you have a date or a steady partner in your life, your cold sore may affect them too. Should you fight through the embarrassment and tell them? Or, should you ignore the blister, and go through life normally?
To get a more accurate answer, it’s important to understand more about cold sores. We’ll then take a look at the pros and cons of telling your wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend that you carry the cold sore virus. We’ll then provide our recommendation so that you can make a better decision.
When To Tell Your Partner That You Get Cold Sores
Cold sores are a result of the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1). The virus itself is extremely contagious. Thankfully, it typically lies dormant inside the body once it has been contracted. You may have contracted it a long time ago and don’t even realize it.
Several things can cause cold sore flare-ups. Some of the most common factors are:
When you do have a cold sore, they are highly contagious, even before you see a blister. You may feel symptoms a few days before you see the sore appear. Those symptoms typically include things like itching and a tingling sensation around the mouth.
If you’re dating someone, telling them, you have a cold sore (also known as oral herpes) can help to prevent them from contracting the virus as well. Cold sores can be contracted through kissing very easily.
However, they can also be caught by sharing utensils or drinks. You can even contract a cold sore by sharing towels. Anything that touches your sore that your partner handles increases the risk of spreading the virus. Unfortunately, we don’t often think about everything we come into contact with each day. It isn’t that easy to avoid touching the same things your partner does, which makes it hard to keep the virus a secret.
Whether they already have the dormant HSV-1 virus or not, exposure to your cold sore could either give them the virus or trigger an outbreak of their own. Unfortunately, without proper care, it’s a cycle that could keep going back and forth between the two of you. Some people find that cold sores make life a misery.
How to Avoid Telling Your Girlfriend or Boyfriend about Getting Cold Sores
If you are dating someone seriously, building up trust and honesty is important. If you have a first date lined up, or are just casually dating, your preference can determine how you handle the cold sore.
Stay Away Until the Cold Sores Are Healed
If you truly do not want to tell someone you’re dating that you have a cold sore, the best thing you can do is avoid them for a while, and start a treatment plan to heal the blister. Trying to hide your cold sore otherwise will be difficult.
Some people choose to cover their blisters with makeup. However, that could potentially make things worse. If the sore is opened, the makeup may infect it. The good news is that you can cover up cold sores with medicated strips.
All symptoms must be completely gone for the cold sore to no longer be contagious. Make other plans for several days, so you don’t have to face your partner. It’s never a good idea to not tell your partner you have a cold sore and continue your relationship as normal.
While the blisters are nothing to be ashamed about, not telling your partner and giving them the virus can lead to bigger relationship problems. It can break trust and even create some animosity. It might not even be an option if you get cold sores regularly.
Start a Treatment Plan or Conceal Cold Sores
Cold sores will eventually go away on their own. But, treatment options can help to take away pain and speed up the healing process. Try to avoid going on dates for those days, until the sore is completely healed.
Treating your cold sore to make it heal faster is a great option. It will lessen the time you have to be away from your partner without telling them so that you can get back to normal as soon as possible. Applying HERP-B-GONE cream can heal cold sores in as little as 2 to 4 days.
There are some effective treatment options for fever blisters. They include everything from over-the-counter medications like Abreva to home remedies like lemon balm.
Not only can these solutions help to speed up healing, but they can also help with discomfort and pain that can typically come with blistering.
Honesty Is the Best Option When It Comes to Cold Sores
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, about 90% of Americans have been exposed to HSV-1. If you experience a cold sore, there is a good chance your partner also has the virus that can cause an outbreak as well.
With statistics that are so high, you don’t need to be embarrassed about getting a cold sore. It’s understandable to try and hide or avoid the unsightly blister that shows up. But, not telling your partner can put them at risk for the same thing. In the end, that could be even more embarrassing, especially if you’ve tried to keep it from them. Worse still, they might think that you got the cold sore due to cheating on them.
While the option of hiding your sore and avoiding your partner or not dating for a while may make it easier in the short term, it’s not a good idea for a committed relationship. It’s more likely that your partner will be respectful and understanding of your situation if you are honest with them.
So, if you do have a cold sore, or are prone to outbreaks, telling your girlfriend or boyfriend as soon as possible is the best option. Not only can it prevent the cold sore from spreading to someone you care about, but it creates openness and honesty in your relationship.