Nothing in JAR FCL 3 or the FAR's about cold sores. You can hold a license and you can take a job. You just wont pull quite so many cabin crew when your face looks like you tried to drink sulphuric acid
Want to find advice on how to prevent the sores, and minimise the effects once you have them? Best place in the world to look is web forums for professional symphony wind players -- cold sore lesions can have major effects on playing brass and reed instruments.
Basics:
Get them once, got them for life. Then, cold sore outbreaks usually follow after you put some stress on your body.
Avoid:
Eating chocolate. Getting sunburned on face, lips or nose. Excessive alcohol consumption. Generally allowing yourself to be 'run down', insufficient rest, etc.
Junk food - burgers, tacos, pizza, anything that is pre-made and 'cooked' by heating it in a microwave. Fries/chips, sweets/candy, soda/softdrink. In other works, fast foods and highly processed foods. How do you tell? Fresh foods need to be peeled, or carved, squeezed, etc. Not opened as in opening the plastic or other man-made container!
Do:
Eat a balanced diet. Include fruits, grains, cereals. Learn to cook or prepare your own meals. Take adequate rest. Exercise (general well being, and to avoid cumulative effects of workplace stress).
Prophylactics:
L-lysine (lysine hydrochloride) amino acid supplements are favoured by some cold sore sufferers as a preventative dietary supplement. Cheap and can be found in supermarkets.
Warning signs:
Appearance of cold sore vesicles often preceded by 'pins-and-needles" sensation in affected area. I have found that immediately applying an ice cube to the affected area continuously for 30 minutes or more can limit the size of sores.
Applying medicated creams (Zovirax is good) is also very effective in early stages. Betadine iodine solution is popular among professional musicians.
Yes, I get them
Worst outbreaks tended to be in teenage years. Cannot say whether that was due to all the crazy things that your body does when it reaches that stage -- most likely it was all the rubbish I ate and the unhealthy lifestyle!
I find that cold sore outbreaks are a very good indicator that I have been under pressure, or haven't been looking after myself.
Give up chocolate, give up junk food, limit yourself to 3 alcoholic drinks in any one day and 6 in any one week, wear sunscreens on nose and lips, and get good rest.
