Cold sores are bad news. They’re painful and highly contagious. They can be quite embarrassing too, considering that they grow on your face for the whole world to see. Add to that the fact that they’re actually signs of an STD.

What’s even worse is that there are no vaccines for cold sores. This means that if you don’t want to contract the disease, you really need to be extra careful. It also means you can’t be immune to cold sores. Read on and learn more about cold sores and the herpes simplex virus.

The Herpes Virus

The first type of herpes simplex virus, HSV-1, is closely associated with oral herpes. The second type, HSV-2, is linked to genital herpes. In truth, however, both types can cause either oral or genital herpes.

It’s just that the majority of oral herpes cases are due to the first type of herpes virus, and the majority of genital herpes cases are due to infection with type 2 herpes virus. But if you give oral sex to someone who has genital herpes, you will most likely acquire HSV-2 oral herpes.

If you’re the one with oral herpes and you give your partner oral sex at a time when you have cold sores, your partner will most likely develop genital herpes caused by HSV-1. That can happen simply because skin contact with a herpes blister is enough to transmit the virus.

Of course, it also means that if you kiss someone who has cold sores or have sex with someone who has genital herpes, chances are high that you will contract the disease as well. In short, if you want to avoid the disease, you simply need to abstain from skin contact with the affected area.

Oral Herpes Symptoms

In cases wherein HSV-1 does cause symptoms to appear, the most common are cold sores. When herpes blisters form, they’re typically accompanied by fever and pain, especially during the first outbreak. Other common symptoms of HSV-1 include muscle pains and swollen lymph nodes.

In many cases, however, oral herpes doesn’t cause any symptoms at all. It’s also possible that you have acquired the virus a long time ago but it has stayed dormant inside your body for years, which is why you’re not showing any symptoms.

If you’ve already been infected with the virus, kissing or having skin contact with someone who has oral herpes may trigger a cold sore outbreak for you. However, if you’re one of those who don’t show any symptoms at all, you might think that you’re already immune from cold sores.

Nonetheless, you might want to consider having yourself screened, just to confirm whether you’ve got the virus or not.

Herpes Virus Asymptomatic Shedding

Most people who experience cold sore outbreaks already know that they have to avoid skin contact with other people to prevent the virus from spreading. What’s problematic, however, is the fact that there are times when the herpes virus doesn’t cause any symptoms even when it’s active. You may be unaware that you’re shedding or spreading the virus.

Asymptomatic shedding means that your body is releasing the virus even when you’re not showing any signs or symptoms of cold sores. Since the virus is active, it means that you can transmit the disease to the people around you when you’re going through asymptomatic viral shedding.

You may wonder how you possibly acquired oral herpes when you haven’t kissed or had oral sex with anyone who has herpes. It’s possible that the person who passed the infection to you was going through asymptomatic viral shedding.

Is Sex Still Possible?

Even if you have cold sores, it’s still possible for you to have sex with your partner. If your partner doesn’t have HSV, it’s best that you take precautions so as to prevent the virus from getting passed on. For instance, you should refrain from kissing your partner when you have cold sores.

You should also abstain from giving your partner oral sex, as this might cause her to develop genital herpes. If you wear a mask or some type of a barrier so that your cold sores don’t touch your partner’s skin, sex would still be possible.

You really only need to prevent your partner from getting in contact with your cold sores or the viral fluid oozing from your herpes blisters. If you can find a way to do that, then you should still be able to enjoy sex even during a cold sore outbreak.

On the other hand, if your partner also has oral herpes, then you should just agree on what you should do when one is going through a cold sore flareup. Just because you both have herpes doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be taking any precautions.

Even if you’re both HSV-1 positive, you could end up triggering an outbreak for each other when you kiss or have sex when one of you has cold sores.

Can Cold Sores Affect Your Sex Drive?

By itself, oral herpes doesn’t really affect one’s libido. However, other symptoms associated with cold sores may stop you from getting in the mood for sex. For instance, when you’re suffering from pain and discomfort, you might prefer resting instead of engaging in any strenuous sexual activities.

If you feel that your sex drive is on the decline, you can remedy that by taking Male UltraCore, one of the most effective male sexual enhancement supplements. What’s great about Male UltraCore is that it contains various antioxidant-rich natural ingredients that can help boost not only your sexual performance but also your immune system.

Male UltraCore is formulated using a unique combination of Long Jack, zinc, KSM-66 Ashwagandha, and fenugreek. On top of that, Male UltraCore also contains Tribulus terrestris, Horny Goat Weed, Maca, and many other herb-based aphrodisiacs and sexual enhancers.

The main active ingredients of Male UltraCore are proven effective in improving erection quality, testosterone levels, sex drive, and sexual stamina. And because these natural ingredients are antioxidant-rich, you also get to enjoy various health benefits like improved fertility and stronger immune system.

Increase Your Testosterone Levels with Testosterone Boosters

Male UltraCore is a premium testosterone boosting supplement that is designed to maximize test levels, increase your performance and drive, and give you harder and fuller erections.