Crusty, blistering and peeling: where do cold sores come from and what can you do about them?

Three quarters of Australians are living with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), an infection which causes cold sores. These tiny fluid-filled lesions and blisters sit along the mouth and nose area. This is not the same virus that causes genital herpes, HSV-2, which is present in about 13% of people worldwide. In most cases, the body is quite good at suppressing HSV-1 with help from the immune system. This means that not everyone with the virus knows they have it. However, sometimes the virus can overwhelm the system and present as a cold sore, which is a highly contagious sore on the mouth.