Causes of herpes on the face, treatment, prevention

They say about herpes: “small – and vicious.” After all, the size of the lesion is small, but subjectively it is very worrisome. Many of us wondered: “Which doctor should I go to for the treatment of herpes on the lips in order to drive out the disease once and for all?” – because this disease can recur more than once, appearing at the most inopportune moment.

Herpes is a viral disease that manifests itself as small infiltrates that develop into vesicles (cavities with fluid). Symptoms of a herpes simplex infection are too typical not to recognize painful blisters that torment a person for several days. Theoretically, pathology can develop on any part of the skin of the human body. But most often the virus “likes” to infect:

• the mucous membrane of the lips is a record-breaking site “visited” by the pathogen;
• the border of the mucous membrane of the lips and skin around the mouth;
• conjunctiva;
• cornea;
• external genitals (in both men and women).

Unfortunately, injections or pills to prevent herpes have not yet been invented. Therefore, you should study the information about him well in order to successfully fight the disease at the first signs of manifestation, and, if possible, prevent it. Especially it is worth fearing herpes on the lips in women in early pregnancy. Its presence means that a viral agent has entered the body of the expectant mother, which can affect the intrauterine development of the fetus.

Factors leading to the onset of the disease

The herpes virus may be present in our body, but not manifest. The disease begins to develop under certain factors – the virus is activated. The reasons for the appearance of herpes on the face are the same as the reasons for the appearance of herpes blisters on other areas of the skin:

• hypothermia;
• violation of the regime of work and rest;
• hypovitaminosis (regardless of the season);
• overwork ;
• chronic disorders of the immune system.

For relapses, it is also important that a periodically ill person does not attach importance to herpes and lets everything go by itself, each time expecting that “it will pass by itself.”

Symptoms of a herpes simplex infection

There are few signs of herpes, but they are all very characteristic. Therefore, difficulties in differential diagnosis almost never arise.

The main symptoms of infection with herpes simplex, which is the most common form of herpes lesions, are as follows:

• painful swelling of the tissues appears in the affected area;
• after 1-2 days it transforms into a denser infiltrate;
• the infiltrate turns into a bubble of liquid;
• the bubble bursts, a painful ulcer forms in its place;
• ulceration dries up and becomes covered with a new layer of epithelium – the wound heals.

The way lips look after a herpes, they do not look after any other skin disease: the swelling disappears, but the sore cannot heal for a while. It is covered with a yellowish film, which constantly “slides” from the wound surface, thereby exposing the wound and delaying the process of regeneration of the epithelium at the site of injury.

Diagnosis of the disease

Herpetic vesicles look so characteristic that they cannot be confused with morphological signs of other diseases – neither with an abscess, nor with specific ulcerations, nor with an allergic rash. In the majority of cases, the diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical manifestations .

A blood test for antibodies to the herpes simplex virus is an indirect method of identifying the pathogen in the body. It can be used if the body’s reactivity (the intensity of the response to external harmful agents) is low, and the infiltration does not develop into characteristic vesicles, which raises the question of clinicians: is it herpes?

Herpes simplex, which is manifested purely by a rash on the face, should be distinguished from herpes type 6, which is characterized not only by a rash, but also by a sharp increase in temperature.

How to get rid of persistent herpes on the lips

Herpes is the competence of a dermatovenerologist. How to treat different types of herpes with antiviral-meds-info.com, an exclusively qualified doctor will tell you, given:

• features of the immune system of a particular person;
• the degree of weakening of the body at the time of the disease;
• tendency to relapse.

Medicines that are used for herpes on the lips:

• antiviral drugs in the form of ointments and gels (acyclovir, herperax );
• immunomodulators that increase the body’s resistance (cycloferon, arbidol);
• at the stage of herpes sores – emollient balms with petroleum jelly and allantoin.

Many people wonder how to quickly cure a cold on the lips in adults in 1 day (based on the analogy with the influenza virus, a cold sore is meant by a cold on the lips). Answer: if the process has developed beyond the stage of infiltration – nothing. The vesicle must go all the way from its appearance to self-opening , the formation of the wound surface and its healing, and this will take on average 2-3-4 days. An ointment for a cold on the lips, which would speed up this process, has not yet been invented.

But if you just felt the characteristic pain and found a swelling, physiotherapy methods (UHF, microwave) can contribute to the reverse development of the infiltrate, and it does not transform into a nasty bubble that spoils the anatomical aesthetics.

The medicine for herpes on the lips of a child should be used strictly according to the doctor’s instructions – regardless of whether it concerns immunomodulators or antiviral drugs.

You can read more about what treatment methods are used for herpes on the website of our clinic https://www.dobrobut.com/ 

Prevention

The secrets of prevention, how to get rid of the constantly appearing herpes on the lips and reduce the possibility of its recurrence, are quite simple:

• according to all the rules, heal fresh herpetic eruptions using antiviral and drying ointments;
• strengthen immunity with the help of immunomodulators, vitamin therapy;
• do not touch your lips to common utensils without further processing.

Personal relationships with herpes in a partner also need to be adjusted for prevention – in other words, to avoid kissing (not only on the affected lips, but also in intimate places where genital herpes can develop. Even if the herpes “popped out” “just” on the lips – it is possible that the pathogen may be located on the mucous membrane of the genital organs, although their morphological changes have not yet been observed).

Knowing how the herpesvirus type 6 is transmitted in children (and it is transmitted through breastfeeding and through saliva, most often from the mother), it can be prevented as follows:

• suspecting you have a disease, do not kiss the child;
• do not water the child from your own mug;
• suspend breastfeeding;
• not to “cleanse” the baby’s fallen pacifier or nipple in a quick way, by sucking them in the mouth (an archaic method, which, nevertheless, for some reason has taken root among mothers).