Cold sores or impetigo

[Theodore1]

Hi my daughter is now twelve years old she gets this up to a eight times a year since she was six months old it first got diagnosed as impetigo for about her fifth time she got it then for the last ten years it's been diagnosed as impetigo once again it was by a temp dr at our local surgery the dermatologist diagnosed it as cold sore herpes this sore nearly always starts in the same place middle of her cheek then quickly spreads around the same side of her face since it got quite bad we took her straight to the Drs that's when they said it was impetigo again we are so confused as even the Drs dermatologists cannot decide what it is it all started when the mother in law returned back from a holiday covered in sores around the mouth I told her not to kiss her but she said you are not stopping me from kissing my granddaughter and she kissed her on the cheek and whilst she kissed her their i thought she would not catch what she had as I was not aware about how contages herpes ,impetigo was I thought it was on the lips only and every time my daughter comes out in this awful rash I have to be so brave and strong for her but deep down I'm cringing from the in laws ignorance does anybody else suffer from the same thing and what do you do about this as nobody can get to he outcome of this neither I or the wife have this as since it first occurred we have always used our own flannels towels etc

Please help with any advice you can

[lovesradio]

The problem with both impetigo and herpes is that the symptoms are quite similar and so are the treatments. Our son developed impetigo on a ski holiday around his mouth and chin as he was wearing his buff headwear round his neck and up over his chin. Both thrive in warm damp conditions though I think impetigo is a bacterial infection and herpes is viral, but I could be wrong.

[Serendipity16]

When I get cold sores they tend to get infected with impetigo then I need antibiotics. Hope this helps

[Theodore1 in reply to Serendipity16]

Hi thanks for replying

Are your symptoms as bad as my daughters !!

What do you do to help eliminate

Regards

[Serendipity16 in reply to Theodore1]

Hi

At most I get two or three a year (not so many), always when I am run down or have been on a boat (sunlight reflected off the water - UV trigger). For me they are usually around my mouth, most often just under my mouth. The worst ones I had started abroad after boat trips and covered half of my chin, I didn't get these properly treated until I got back (impitigo by then). Often for me I dont get the tingle when you are supposed to put zovirax and I see the blisters as my first sign. By this point I dont know if the cream is very effective. I find showering usually makes them worse and gets to the impitigo stage (yellow/ weepy etc) quickly after this. I think most times I had cold sores I have needed antibiotics. I get ulcers very often that also get bad (and last one need antibiotics) waiting for blood results now but not sure they will explain. B12 injections initially seemed to help reduce frequency of the ulcers. Had the ulcers since I was a toddler, 1st cold sore/ impitigo at 17.

Hope this helps a little

[Serendipity16 in reply to Serendipity16]

Also UV lip balm / face cream may help limit UV trigger?

[emmengb]

I have had cold sores since I was six years old. I got a very bad case with lesions inside my mouth at that age for which I was given antibiotics. Since then I get them mainly on or around my mouth.

Triggers can be tiredness, feeling run down, exposure to sunshine. I recently tried some immune boosting pills with selenium/vitamin type stuff from over the counter at pharmacy and it seems to reduce the occurence.

A colleague of mine also has this condition and used some electronic zapping device which she says works quite well.

[WayneMitchell323]

Hi, That's similar to what I've been getting. I think I'm getting some success with hibi scrub (can buy over counter but mine is prescribed; it's a surgical soap) and also a chlorhexidine mouthwash. It seems as though cold sores become infected with bacteria and become impetigo. Most GPs seem to prescribe fucidin cream (for me that seems to worsen it for some reason). Swabs can be taken from the nose and courses of clindamycin can be given. There are tablets and typical forms, although i didn't find it that successful. Also naseptin can be given and applied in the nose. I would say though that hibi scrub and chlorhexidine mouthwash (available at poundshop or as corsodyl) are effective and don't have as many issues as antibiotics. Although the mouthwash can stain teeth but the stains are fairly easy to remove. Hope this helps.

[tas123456]

Hi, have you confirmed what it is? My six year old has the exact same thing on cheek. I have not been able to find anything that looks the same except for your daughters photo. It also comes up several times a year. Trying to get in to see a specialist. Has anything helped treat or prevent whatever this actually is? No one has been able to diagnose his either. Thank you