Cold sores are misunderstood.  First off, let’s clear this up this whole cold sore misunderstanding. Cold sores are not a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD). Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1) is not sexually transmitted. Only the Herpes Simplex Virus-2 is sexually transmitted.

So, what triggers cold sores to break out?

Here’s a clue. Have you ever noticed they seem to pop up whenever you have an important date or appearance to make? Well, that’s because stress is a major trigger of cold