Question: About 7 years ago I showed signs of cold sores. Whether I got them from a previous relationship, my husband, or (what I suspect) a lipstick sample counter isn't certain. I was on Valtrex for a long time but it did not help at all.. Eventually (as in 2 or so years later) I stopped having constant flare ups. I have since then have had brief recurrences maybe one a year more or less.. Now I have another one after another extended time of being symptom free. I am concerned about a few things, one is it possible to reinvent myself with a lipstick I bought at a drug store that looked unused but wasn't sealed, (why do they sell unsealed makeup and why was I dumb enough to buy it? But I digress. My other concern is, if I touched my mouth to lick sauce off my fingers at a picnic and used the bathroom several hours later, is it possible I may have spread it to my genitals? I got a flare up of cold sores and (and vulvodynia, and unrelated issue I've had off for and on for years) a few days after using the lipstick and going to said picnic. Since I already get pain downow there with no visible symptoms it's hard to know what to look for, but is it likely? And is it likely to"re-catch" cold sores from a lipstick? I'm trying to recover from the OCD-like handwashing and paranoia my initial experience with cold sores gave me, but I feel it resurfacing

Even if it the touching down there was several hours later with a dry hand? I am pretty sure I washed my hands before touching the area anyway, but can't say 100 percent. I have no sores down there, just pain which I have vulvodynia so it's not uncommon fot it to hurt. I have had it for years, I also had no sign of cold sores at the time this would have happened if that plays a part. The flare occurred 2 days later on my lips only. I guess I'm just concerned about the timing of things and if you already have the virus doesn't your body give you antibodies to help you resist getting it in other areas which lessens the likelihood? And since cold sores lay dormant in your nerves would using a lipstick balm with the virus really reactivate what you already have? Should you get a new lip balm after the sores heal, if it does or can in fact reinfect you?

I understand there are no guarantees, I just wanted to see what the likelihood was and make sure I understand correctly the virus and how it works when it's in your system already for years. There's a lot of conflicting information out there.

Thanks for responding.