Myth vs fact

[slick]

Hi Terri,

I need your expert advice as I am a little upset and confused about something right now.

I was at a party tonight when I was kissed on both cheeks (European style) by a woman who had a healing cold sore on her upper lip. I saw her two weeks ago when the sore was fresh, and though it has faded, it’s still there. It happened so quickly I hardly knew what happened.

When I got to my car (about 10 minutes later) I squirted some hand sanitizer on a tissue and applied it to my cheeks. I figured this might kill the virus.

I don’t have any noticeable abrasions on my cheeks and I am certain there was no lip contact.

I went online and a did a quick Google search, “cold sore from kiss cheek,” which turned up a myriad of results. One source said, “Most people get HSV-1 when they are a child and an aunt kisses them on the cheek.” Another source said it is highly unlikely to be infected this way. Frustrating that there doesn’t seem to be a consensus.

I guess my question is this: assuming I was infected (how could I not? She had an active cold sore…) does that mean I would get a sore on my cheek where she kissed me? Or would it manifest itself on my mouth?

For the record, I was tested for both HSV 1 & 2 several months ago and came back negative for both.

Thanks Terri.

[Terri Warren]

I doubt very seriously that you will get herpes from a kiss on the cheek, even if they person had a healing cold sore. The skin on the cheek is too thick for virus to penetrate and make a lesion. In addition, you used hand sanitizer, which should take care of any linger virus, of which I doubt there was much. I think you are good!

Terri

[slick]

Thanks for the quick reply, Terri.

I thought it was simply skin to skin, especially if one has a lesion, but it sounds like it depends on thickness of skin. But then I don’t understand how people could get lesions on their buttocks as it seems like that area would have pretty thick skin as well.

[Terri Warren]

I can definitely help you with that question! When people acquire genital herpes through a sexual contact the virus set up shop in the sacral ganglia, which is at the base of the spine. When it decides to re-emerge, and we don’t know why it does exactly, it can travel along any nerve that comes from the sacral ganglia. That nerve group supplies the area of the body from about waist to mid thigh, basically the area covered by a pair of boxer shorts. So it can show up on the genitals, buttocks, abdomen or thigh just by traveling along slightly different nerves to get to the surface of the skin.

Does that help?

Terri

[slick]

That DOES help. So people generally don’t get it down there from contact ON the buttocks, but because of the “highway” the nerve travels on, it CAN appear on the buttocks in addition to the genitals or anywhere else in that region.

Terri, I think I have a real problem. Despite you telling me that I am safe from from the cheek kiss last night, I have spent the larger part of today worrying about it. One of my friends thinks I need therapy, and he is probably right. Sometimes I think it would be better to just go ahead and get a cold sore so I can stop worrying about it.

Just feeling very lost and ashamed about this paranoia problem of mine.

[Terri Warren]

Have you ever been tested to know if you already have HSV 1?

Terri

[slick]

I did get the igg test several months ago and came back negative. Frankly, I was really surprised since most people seem to have it.

[Terri Warren]

About 56% of people between the ages of 14 and 49 are infected with HSV 2 in the US. Also, the ELISA test that is used for screening testing for herpes simplex misses 1-2 out of 10 infections with HSV 1. It is not as good as the HSV 2 test that picks up 97% of infections if the waiting time from exposure to testing is observed (12-16 weeks).

I know you are worried right now, but I believe this worry will pass if you give it some time.

We have used all the questions in your subscription. If you have more questions, you can certainly renew your subscription.

Terri

[slick]

Hi Terri,

I just purchased another round of questions to follow up with.

If you recall above, I was kissed on the cheek by a woman who had a healing cold sore. There were no visible cuts or abrasions on my check, and when I got to my car 10 minutes later, I applied hand santitizer to my cheek for insurance. This was January 22. Nothing happened.

Four days ago, on Tuesday, I went on a date which ended in a very long and passionate kiss. This woman had no visible signs or symptoms of anything.

Friday morning I began noticing a little redness on my upper lip –– right where the lip and skin meet. There was no sensation, it was just slightly raised and red. I so I assumed it was a pimple.

This afternoon, 24 hours later, the red bump is still there, perhaps a little more pronounced. There is still no sensation, unless I touch it, and appears to have a head, much like a pimple. What concerns me is that I never, ever get pimples here. I am concerned it is the beginning of a cold sore.

If this were the beginning of a sore, how quickly would it form, blister, and pop? I have another date with the girl from Tuesday this evening and am mortified about the possibilty of passing something to her.

I feel fine, maybe a little run down, but not experiencing flu like symptoms, itchiness, tingling, or any of that, so at what point can I stop worrying about this?

[Terri Warren]

It’s so difficult to sort out what might be going on with your lip. Do you want to send me a picture? Usually, a cold sore will emerge within a day or two. If it is a cold sore, the good news is that you aren’t going to give something back to the woman who gives something to you.

And I seriously doubt that what you have is a cold sore, at least from what you’ve told me so far. Normally a cold sore would have significant sensation – tingling, creeping, etc.

Do you think you could be overobserving symptoms?

Terri

[slick]

Terri, thank you for your quick response. I could absolutely be overobserving. I put some spot treatment acne medication on this morning, and while it hasn’t gone away, I don’t think it’s gotten any worse. Here are 2 pics in different light:

[Terri Warren]

Well, I certainly can see what you are talking about. This could be a pimple for sure. If this changes dramatically or increases in size, please see a clinician for an in-person evaluation.

Terri

[slick]

Hi Terri,

Over 24 hours later, and the thing hasn’t changed in appearance, gotten bigger, etc. It also hasn’t disappeared. Based on what I know about cold sores, it doesn’t seem like one to me. I think just because it’s on the edge of my lip that it has my attention. It doesn’t seem like a pimple either. Maybe an ingrown hair? I guess there’s nothing to do except wait. Man, I wish this thing would be gone by morning so I can stop worrying.

[Terri Warren]

Have you considered going to a clinician and having a professional look at it for you?

Terri

[slick]

Good morning Terri.

Thank you for your response.

I didn’t consider it because it’s not fitting the description of the life cycle of a cold sore: burning, itching, redness, blister, pop, weep, scab…. it just doesn’t seem to fit what I have. Plus you said earlier that if it changes dramatically in appearance or increases in size to go see someone, but it didn’t do that.

I also took into account that I have a history of over observing this kind of thing 🙂

Do you think I’m making a mistake? Please give me your thoughts.

[Terri Warren]

I don’t know for sure, I just most often prefer that people who have visible symptoms see someone local because it’s hard to really sort out pictures. It isn’t changing at all?

Terri

[slick]

Thank you Terri.

It’s faded quite a bit. I believe it is an unfortunately located zit.

[Terri Warren]

Good.

Terri

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