AIBU to work from home because of a cold sore?

I have horrendous cold sores several times a year. I have about as front stage role as you can possibly imagine. I wouldn’t dream of going off sick. Get cold sore patches, take lysine and know that this too will pass!

I get cold sores frequently. I have never given a second thought to going into work with them. Sure, they're unsightly and I'm quite vain so they do bother me a bit for aesthetic reasons, but I'm not in the habit of making out with my colleagues so I present no risk to them at all. I just look a bit ugly for a week. The only transmission is via direct skin to sore contact. Via objects is only if whatever the item is (a cup, for example) has warm pus from the sore on it (nice). I'd never be in that position with a colleague, we have communal mugs but we don't tend to make communal drinks that we all share from the same mug, so again, no risk at all.

No one has ever commented on it to me. If I found out that someone was going into a flat spin because I had a cold sore and was sitting at a hot desk they might use later then, as someone who also struggles with anxiety, I'd encourage them to seek help for their health anxiety tbh. I don't lick the desks or phones or wipe my cold sore on the keyboard so there's no need for them to be concerned.

I'd honestly cancel the private GP appointment. It's unnecessary expense and they won't give you any additional help to what you get over the counter unless you have very severe or frequent outbreaks, in which case they might prescribe Aciclovir. The patches make my cold sores significantly worse and prevent them drying up and healing for me. Put some Zovirax on, keep them clean, don't fiddle with them, they'll clear up in a few days. Get some decent moisturiser for once they're cleared up, Zovirax dries out the skin and you can get localised flaking for a while once the sore clears up.

I wouldn’t think twice about working from home.

Makes sense to WFH if you have that option, I'd do the same, I don't see the issue. It's embarrassing having to go into the office with something really noticeable on your face! I worked from home for a week when I had a gross shingles rash on my forehead, nobody minded.

I've had cold sores regularly since primary school. When I was young, they would take over most of my chin. Nowadays its not so bad. Having lived with loads of different households over the years, no one but no one has caught them. My mum used to put surgical spirit on them to dry them out. Time is the only thing that works. As a fellow sufferer you're being OTT, it's not a disease and is hardly contagious

If it’s fine for you to wfh, then do that.

I think you’re being very dramatic to question whether it’s “acceptable” for people with a cold sore to leave the house (“is it really acceptable to be in public…?”).

You can’t catch cold sores from inanimate objects.

cold sores are spread by things like kissing, or skin-skin contact (eg you touch the cold sore then touch someone’s lips).

i wouldn’t stay off work for a cold sore

don’t touch it and touch anyone’s lips or bits and you’ll be fine

You know it isn’t airborne? Unless you are planning to kiss all your colleagues, they’ll be fine. And it does not prevent you working. YABVVVU.

Saddened that normally you have to go into the office 3 days a week when you can do your job largely wfh.

I suggest offering to go in later in the week. I think an overreaction but I don't think you want to have to spend three days answering questions from everyone, even though well meant and out of concern.

@PoolDepth oh stop it! This can’t be real, surely? Unless it’s taken over your whole face, then a GP appointment and prescription for a cold sore is OTT and avoiding work is ridiculous. If you do hide because of it, you should be sacked!

I also get cold sores, and regularly too. I use over the counter Zovirax and get on with my life as normal except I don’t kiss my H for a few days.

My mums had them my whole life and neither myself, my dad or my brother have ever got them.

Jesus Christ!!!!
Get some Zovirax from the chemist, wash your hands regularly, don’t snog your colleagues and don’t share a mug with them!!!!

Just stick some perfume on them.

Yes it stings for a short time but will soon dry them up and, FGS, cancel the bloody expensive Doctor appointment. (He/she must think you hilarious for paying all that money over a cold sore. 🙄)

Christ, what a drama about nothing. WFH or don't WFH. It's a cold sore, not the plague.

Who the hell would contact a GP over this?!

You know what it is.
You know what the standard procedures are for healing are.
You know there's no magic cure but time and a few things that you can do to help.

What on earth is the point?

I have a little sympathy for your self-consciousness.

I have often had cold sores and gone on to school/work or whatever and carried on with life as normal but I did once get a huge crop of them like you and I rang in sick. Way before the days of working from home. My mouth was swollen and sore and I felt a bit rubbish too. I think that has happened to me twice over the years where it’s not just one cold sore but a cluster of them. Coincidentally the second time it happened a guy in the company but who worked at a different office was off for the same reason. We hadn’t been in contact in anyway but it did lead to some joking. I remember speaking to him afterwards and we reckoned we were both a bit low immunity wise at the time and the virus was able to really get hold more than normal.

So I don’t think you are unreasonable at all. You are still working. Just from home.

Why do you think it wouldn't be acceptable to go outside with a cold sore?

Unless you're snogging your colleagues or wiping your mouth on them, why on earth would it be an issue?

Your DH is right, you need to get a grip here.

I get cold sores. I’ve never considered staying home from work. I put on a Compeed patch in the morning after I do my teeth, throughly wash my hands, and don’t touch it again until after work.

If the patch comes loose at work I go to the loo, wash my hands, put on a fresh patch, wash my hands, and carry on.

Someone commented once that I ‘had something on my lip’. I said yes, and just carried on.

Its worth paying for the Compeed cold sore patches - the own brand ones don’t stick as well.

As long as you weren't trying to French kiss me or were picking at it before telling me to relax and breathe to perform a smear test, I wouldn't give a monkey's.

What job do you do where your lips and mouth come into contact with colleagues or clients, can't you just use universal precautions. If you feel unwell then go sick, if it's because you feel self conscious wfh or go into work.

If you think your boss will be fine with it, i dont see why not tbh. Not sure why all the shocked responses, if you otherwise have a good sick/office attendance record and you can entirely do your work from home it's not the end of the world. I used to manage people and managers do expect to be told white lies about sick sometimes, if its not going to affect anyone else and you are otherwise a good employee I just cant imagine caring about this. I get coldsores and they are so uncomfortable and I would feel better at home, I often get flu symptoms with them too. I think people who only get minor ones might not get how bad they can be!
I dont think anyone at work will be looking at you like an infection site though!

No, I'd just "ouch" poor sod. I certainly woukdn't be concerned to meet somebody with a coldsore or ban them from my house. My grandad used to get them, my gran never did.

Do you habitually snog your work colleagues?

You have a couple of coldsores, in the old days we used to dab alcohol on them and they cleared up quickly.

I cannot recall anybody going to the GP about a cold sore on the lips, unless of course they were multiple and frequent.