Oral herpes, or herpes labrialis, is caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1. The most noticeable symptoms of oral herpes are small raised sores that appear on the skin of a person's lips, mouth or gums. Oral herpes can be spread through contact with the affected areas. Unless treated with a topical cream, oral herpes outbreaks continue to occur.
Initial Infection
Symptoms may not appear during the initial infection of oral herpes. Instead, the virus remains in the nerve tissue of the face. Within one or two weeks, the first mouth ulcers start to appear. However, the sores can take up to three weeks to form, according to the National Institutes of Health. The first lesions last 7 to 10 days, then begin to heal. The virus can stay dormant until another breakout, and subsequent sores are typically less severe.
Warning Signs
Before new herpes sores form, warning signs can appear, according to the National Institutes of Health. Itching and burning, tingling and increased sensitivity start in the area where blisters appear. The warning signs begin two days before a breakout and stop when the sores form. Triggers for oral herpes outbreaks include menstruation, sun exposure, fever and stress.
Blisters
There are stages of the oral herpes blisters, according to the National Institutes of Health. The sores begin as small, painful blisters filled with a clear yellowish fluid. The blisters start on a raised, red and painful skin area. Then the blisters that formed break and begin to ooze. The yellow crusts that form from the fluid fall off to reveal healing skin. In addition, some of the smaller blisters can group together to create a larger blister.
