Herpes labialis Health Article

Symptoms

Warning symptoms of itching, burning, increased sensitivity, or tingling sensation may occur about 2 days before lesions appear.

• Skin lesions or rash around the lips, mouth, and gums
• Small blisters (vesicles) filled with clear yellowish fluid
  • Blisters on a raised, red, painful skin area
  • Blisters that form, break, and ooze
  • Yellow crusts that slough to reveal pink, healing skin
  • Several smaller blisters that merge to form a larger blister
• Mild fever (may occur)

Signs and tests

Diagnosis is made on the basis of the appearance or culture of the lesion. Examination may also show enlargement of lymph nodes in the neck or groin.

Viral culture or Tzanck test of the skin lesion may reveal the herpes simplex virus.

Treatment

Untreated, the symptoms will generally go away in 1 to 2 weeks. Antiviral medications taken by mouth may shorten the course of the symptoms and decrease pain.

Herpes sores often come back again and again. The antiviral medicines work best if you take them when the virus is just starting to come back -- before you see any sores. If the virus returns frequently, your doctor may recommend that you take the medicines all the time.

Wash blisters gently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus to other areas of skin. An antiseptic soap may be recommended. Applying ice or warmth to the area may reduce pain.

Expectations (prognosis)

Herpes labialis usually disappears spontaneously in 1 to 2 weeks. It may recur. Infection may be severe and dangerous if it occurs in or near the eye, or if it happens in immunosuppressed people.

Complications

• Spread of herpes to other skin areas
• Secondary bacterial skin infections
• Recurrence of herpes labialis
• Generalized infection -- may be life-threatening in immunosuppressed people, including those with atopic dermatitis, cancer, or HIV infections
• Blindness

Herpes infection of the eye is a leading cause of blindness in the US, causing scarring of the cornea.