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| |  Cold Sore Causes/Treatments Guide Available to Educate Consumers LIBERTY CORNER, N.J., Sept. 17, 1996 -- It's a blemish uglier and more embarrassing than a big pimple... it's a sore more painful than a scrape or bruise... and it's caused by a virus contagious enough to be spread simply through kissing. IT is a cold sore (also known as a fever blister). More than 60 percent of Americans have suffered from one at some point in their lives, with almost 25 percent of them experiencing recurrent outbreaks. For as common as cold sores are, most cold sore sufferers and non-sufferers alike don't know why they appear in the first place. In a recent survey conducted by the makers of new Viractin(R) Cold Sore & Fever Blister Treatment, only a third of those asked knew that bacteria do not cause cold sores, and that sores last longer than two or three days. In fact cold sores, the liquid-filled blisters that erupt around the lips and sometimes spread to the nose or chin, are caused primarily by herpes simplex virus type 1. An outbreak can typically last six to 10 days. The virus is related to, but not the same as, the HSV-2 virus which causes genital herpes. The survey also found that people know more about the factors that can trigger a cold sore than how they originate. About half knew they can be spread by kissing. A variety of stimuli can trigger cold sores, including colds/flu, stress, fever, sunlight, cold weather or menstruation, among other things. The virus also is spread by skin-to-skin contact. To avoid outbreaks, sufferers should wear sunscreen lip balm and use moisturizers to prevent chapped lips. When an outbreak does occur, no product can make the cold sore immediately disappear. However, Viractin Cold Sore & Fever Blister Treatment, a new over-the-counter remedy available in gel or cream, has a unique patented formulation that penetrates to provide relief from the pain and itching. While most other cold sore treatments only coat the sore with a protective film, Viractin products provide fast relief by getting into the skin to relieve the pain and itching. "No over-the-counter cure exists for cold sores," says Deborah Graham, senior product manager of Viractin Cold Sore & Fever Blister Treatment. "We know that cold sores can be very painful, and often embarrassing for sufferers. So we wanted to offer a product that truly alleviates the pain and itching to help ease the trauma that accompanies a cold sore." To learn more about cold sores, consumers can visit "The Lip Source" at www.coldsores.com. Besides seeing a cold sore grow in six animated stages, surfers can try to guess the face behind nine of the most famous artistically rendered lips -- from Whistler's Mother to Mona Lisa. If visitors guess all nine correctly, they are eligible to win the Viractin Vanity Pack, which includes a handy vanity case, compact mirror, mousepad and sample of Viractin cream or gel. Consumers can also learn more by writing for a Guide to the Causes and Treatments of Cold Sores and a free sample of Viractin cream or gel at: Viractin Free Sample Offer P.O. Box 7713 Viractin is a registered trademark of ViroTex Corp., licensed by Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc., of Memphis, Tenn.
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