Cold sores are a possibility

Ronald Shelton, MD answers: Can a chemical peel cause a cold sore?

I have a tendency to get cold sores and I was wondering if having a chemical peel can bring these out.  I am thinking about starting a series of glycolic acid or possibly salicylic acid peels and need to know.

 


Ronald Shelton, MD
15 months ago
By Ronald Shelton, MD - Manhattan Dermatologic surgeon
Yes. A cold sore can be brought out by stress including fatigue, illness, excessive alcohol consumption, excessive sun exposure or certain lasers and chemical peels. Very mild peels do not need treatment to prevent cold sores usually, but medium-depth peels, or strong glycolic acid peels might. Your physician can prescribe an anti-viral medication to take during the peel and after for several days to decrease the chance of a cold sore from occurring.
 
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More answers to “Can a chemical peel cause a cold sore?”

A: Yes, prior to any facial laser ablative procedure or...

Steven Wallach, MD
16 months ago
By Steven Wallach, MD - Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Yes, prior to any facial laser ablative procedure or chemical peel, I place patients on anti-viral medications to avoid "cold sores" or herpetic lesions. These can cause devastating problems if not adequately treated. 

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