Causes of Fever Blisters (Cont.)

What Causes Fever Blisters to Return?

Many factors appear to weaken the body's defenses and trigger an outbreak of herpes. This includes such things as:
 
  • Fever
  • Illness, such as the common cold or flu
  • Emotional stress
  • Injury to the mouth
  • Exposure to sunlight or UV light
  • Exposure to cold weather or wind
  • Hormonal changes, such as with pregnancy or menstruation
  • Fatigue.
     
One study indicates that susceptibility to herpes recurrences is inherited. Research is currently under way to discover exactly how the triggering factors interact with the immune system and the virus to prompt a recurrence of fever blisters.
 

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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD