While many focus on stress or diet, environmental factors like sunlight can be overlooked. It is not a guaranteed trigger for everyone, but there is a notable pattern for some users in this community.
UV radiation may suppress local immune responses in the skin, potentially allowing the virus to reactivate. I have noticed a strong correlation between long beach days and a tingle a few days later.
Using a high-SPF lip balm seems to mitigate this for me, though it is admittedly hard to isolate from other factors like windburn or dehydration.
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Absolutely. I always get a cold sore after a weekend at the lake if I am not careful. The sun is a major factor for me.
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Do you use a specific brand of lip balm? I find some of the medicated ones actually make my skin peel, which makes things worse.
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I have heard it is the heat as much as the UV. The skin gets inflamed and the virus takes advantage of the repair process.
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For me, it is about keeping the internal system strong before the sun hits. I have been using TonicGreens (got mine here) for a few months now and it has really helped shorten my outbreaks and keep my immune resilience up during the summer. It is a solid super anti-oxidant blend.
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Interesting. I usually just load up on Lysine if I know I am going to be outside all day, but the UV theory makes a lot of sense.
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Do not forget about high altitudes too! If you are skiing, the UV is even more intense and the dry air does not help.
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Is there any actual study on this? I have never noticed a difference with the seasons, but maybe I am just lucky.
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Thanks for posting this. I am heading to Florida next week and I will definitely be packing the extra strength sunscreen now.
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