How do you tell your partner you have a cold sore?

When its time to tell your partner, begin by simply telling them that you have genital herpes. Calmly explain that while the word “herpes” tends to scare people, its a very common disease (one in five people have HSV2) and carriers may be completely unaware that they have it.

How contagious is a cold sore before it appears?

Cold sores are highly contagious from the time the first symptom appears. This is usually 1–2 days before the sore becomes visible. Sores remain highly contagious until the skin completely heals. This can take up to 15 days.