In reality there are six stages of a cold sore, but most books and guides talk about five stages only. Never showing signs or symptoms including any pain, stage six is in reality the first one. At this point in time a cold sore is present but not visible, and is therefore in the latent stage. The herpes virus that is responsible for cold sores is not active and is hiding in the nerve ganglia. About 33 percent of the people who are infected with the virus stay in this stage, where there is no pain, and they usually do not even know that they carry the infection in their body. A latent cold sore's ability to stay dormant for so long makes it necessary to conduct a blood test to see if some people have it. If you are in this stage of cold sore development, you need not do anything about it, not even medicines, for the virus remains inactive.

Prodome is the name given to the first of the palpable stages of a cold sore. The dormant virus wakes up and moves to the surface of your face through the nerve endings. The virus has begun to take root when you feel dryness, itching and burning or tingling sensations. This will last for up to two days before it progresses to stage two.

Pre-sore or inflammation is the second cold sore stage. The nerve cells are infected by the virus, oftentimes resulting in redness and irritation. Small painful groups of blisters resembling pimples will form on the skin and this is usually the first indication. At this stage headaches and fevers often begin.

The third stage of your cold sore's path occurs when you see the small pimples bursting open and becoming one large, open sore. Cold sores can sometimes cause the victim to become bedridden due to intense pain. At this stage, any discharge is likely to contain viruses; hence, this is the most infectious period. A cold sore is contagious to all other parts of your body, as well as the bodies of others.

The scab formation is the fourth cold sore stage. This stage has a considerable amount of discomfort, particularly with movement, as the scab begins to crack. When the pus is seeping from the sore it is still in a very infectious stage. A scab will probably develop and fall off a few times while the cold sore is in this stage. Next you will probably feel discomfort from the new skin forming under the scab and this can become quite itchy.

The fifth and final of the stages of a cold sore is when the scab falls off and new skin is revealed. The recovery is complete when the new skin regenerates and the millions of damaged or dead cells are replaced. The patient shouldn't feel this final healing process, and the tenderness will subside in 2 weeks.

Cold sores not only cause you considerable pain, they can also ruin your appearance. The good news is that there are ways to help them heal faster, and even preventative programs that can help you avoid future outbreaks completely. You can learn more about natural cold sore treatment at Cold Sore Home Remedies.