Chances are if you haven’t heard the phrase “will you shift my mate?” you haven’t grown up in Ireland.

The constant quest to get the shift a rite of passage for every young ‘un in Ireland. The old ‘shift and drift’ is the most character building occurrence in a young teens life. And with a country so eager it seems few things could come between a shifter and their cold sloppy glory. Except, apparently, a cold sore. In a recent survey undertaken by Cymex Cream, almost 2 out of 3 of people said that cold sores are what turns them off kissing mostly. Bad breath, unsurprisingly, is also a big turnoff, as is a bad kissing technique. And while some may protest that their first kiss was in Wexford at age 11, the reality is that those surveyed revealed their first romantic encounter actually happened between the age of 15 and 19. If you are looking forward to a date with someone you hope will be a keeper, having a cold sore is the last thing that you want. There are ways to try avoid getting one: don’t share lipsticks, cups or towels and don’t pick a cold sore as this will only spread the virus. Also, know what your cold sore triggers are and try to avoid these situations for example try using a lip sun block if sunlight causes attacks, minimise your exposure to stress and try to eat a healthy diet.