What are cold sores?
You’re probably familiar with cold sores, which develop along your lips. Cold sores come from a virus called HSV-1, which can remain inactive for months or years between cold sores. When active, the virus causes a lesion made up of small blisters, which soon develops into a small ulcer.
Often, cold sores appear because of a trigger. Right before they develop, you might notice a tingling or burning sensation along your lip. A painful sore begins to appear with sun exposure, stress, a traumatic injury, or a compromised immune system. Even after it goes away with or without treatment, it can eventually redevelop in the same area.
Triggers for Cold Sores
- Sun exposure
- Stress
- Traumatic injury
- Compromised Immune System
Treating your cold sores with advanced therapies from Dr. Jacobs and Dr. Bogart can prolong the time between your cold sores or prevent them from returning entirely. The sooner you seek treatment for a cold sore, the higher chance you have at success.
What are canker sores?
Canker sores aren’t the same as cold sores, but they’re similar. They develop inside your mouth and come from an autoimmune response. Your immune system mistakenly attacks the tissues within your mouth, causing an ulcer to form. If you look directly at a canker sore, it appears white or yellow in the center with a red, inflamed border. Your canker sore might appear:
Triggers for Canker Sores
- Sun exposure
- Stress
- Traumatic injury
- Compromised Immune System
Canker sores usually hurt or feel tender. They commonly develop during or after periods of intense physical or emotional stress and can come back intermittently throughout your life.
How are cold sores and canker sores treated?
Dr. Jacobs and Dr. Bogart treat cold sores and canker sores with noninvasive laser treatments in their office. They use a powerful laser light to heat your sore, stimulating the healing mechanisms within your skin or tissues. The heat from the laser also effectively kills the virus causing your cold sore. The treatment lasts about 15 minutes and results in immediate relief from your pain and sensitivity. Each sore only requires one laser treatment and heals quickly after.
Laser treatments for cold sores and canker sores are not painful. All you’ll feel is a bit of heat as the laser stimulates a healing response. If you get another sore in the future, it is unlikely to develop in the same place, and you can come back for another round of treatment.
If a cold sore or canker sore is affecting your lips or the inside of your mouth, don’t hesitate to book a laser treatment by phone or online at the office of Dr. James Jacobs & Dr. Tara Bogart today.
