Cold sores, will she always get them now?

[linspins]

My dd, 12 yrs old, got a cold sore today, and she's never had one before. I get them but I've tried to be as rigorous as I could with hygiene so none of my kids catch them from me. Poor dd is distraught, crying, saying she's got them for life now. I think that's true, so I couldn't think of anything consoling to say to that. 
Is it true that she will now be prone to them? They are such annoying things, always popping up at the worst times. I'm sad for her.

Yes the virus will stay in her system now. It may or may not flare up again.

I'm pretty sure it's a virus you never get rid of, I am also a carrier. I get one maybe once a year, I sometimes go years between breakouts. They're awful and can be painful, I feel for your dd.

I'm afraid so, I got my first when I was 12, I'm quite lucky that I only get one about twice per year but they're awful, poor DD, hopefully hers will be infrequent too.

The virus stays but a lot of people have good enough immune systems that they never get cold sores. I’m prone to them and read that it’s an unlucky minority of people with the virus who actually get recurrent outbreaks.

I got one aged somewhere around 10yrs old, must still carry the virus as I believe that's how it works, but I've never had another since. Even when REALLY run down. So she may not keep getting them. There is hope!

I got my first at 28 and another 3 at 30. Never had another but understand I will always carry the virus. They are so painful and hideous, I always hide if one appears. Shameful

I had one once when I was 12. Never had one since, I'm 34 now. Hopefully I haven't just jinxed myself.

Yes she will always have the virus but Zovirax and other cheaper versions are really good at stopping it in its tracks if you start using at the first tingle. She could have developed all sorts of far more horrendous diseases or conditions so I would try not to let her dwell on it too much.

Poor girl. I had my first coldsore around that age. I probably only got about 3 over the next 10 years though so hopefully she may not get them very often. From then on I've probably had them a little more often but they're often very small and go away within a week. Tell her that they are really common, I think more people have the virus than don't.

I find the patches make me feel a lot better when I have one. It stops it being as sore and stops you touching it directly.

I hope your daughter is ok.

My husband uses liquorice rescue lip gel and also the lip balm. Cold sore goes away quickly and if he catches it very quick it doesn't appear at all.

You can also get antivirals from the GP or online pharmacy.

Hi all,
Thanks for the reassurance that they might only arrive infrequently. I know there are far worse things, so we will count ourselves lucky. Still feels very rubbish when you're 12.
Mine seemed to get triggered by bright sunlight, stress, my period or trauma to my lip, like biting it. Several triggers at once leads to a cold sore for me if I don't pounce immediately with Zovirax. Bloody painful too.
Hers hasn't developed in to the full weeping crusting sore, it was quite small. Fingers crossed she only gets them rarely.