What are Cold Sore Symptoms?

Some people who carry the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) virus experience no cold sore symptoms at all. For those who do, mild-to-severe symptoms appear around the lips or mouth area.

Cold sore symptoms you may experience

• Pain
• Itching
• Dryness
• Cracking
• Redness
• Scabbing
• Irritation

Before a cold sore blister appears, some people even experience a sore throat, fever, swollen glands or painful swallowing.

Most cold sore symptoms go away in 7–12 days, but there are ways to reduce future outbreaks, like avoiding triggers.