Herpes Labialis

Herpes labialis or "herpes orolabial" is a lip infection by herpes simplex virus.
Infected lip causes small blisters or sores on or around the mouth commonly known as coldsores or fever blisters.

The wound usually heals in 2-3 weeks, but herpes virus remains dormant in the facial nerve, after orofacial infection, periodically reactivating (in symptomatic people) to create a wound in the same area of the mouth or face at the original site of infection. 64% of adults in the United States are carriers of the virus that causes cold sores, and more than 50 million adults in the United States have symptoms of this disease every year. Pain sufferers have high levels of pain and frequency of which varies from about 12 or more in a year.

Most people have 1-3 attacks per year. The frequency and severity of outbreaks usually decreases over time. The virus is transmitted from cold sores and also when there are no symptoms, because it can make copies of itself on the skin without blisters.

This phenomenon is called "asymptomatic shedding". 80% -90% of adults under age 50 with HSV-1 pass to someone close to him.