Medical experts finally weigh in on the rumoured Love Island USA cold sore outbreak

I fear I still haven’t been able to escape the cold sore allegations that have been plaguing the cast of Love Island USA since the first kissing challenge.

Pictures of Nic with marks on his lips, believed to be cold sores, quickly went viral as did those of Austin, who also appeared to have a similar spot on his lip.

Talking to The US Mirror, medical experts, Dr Steven Goldberg and Dr Nicole Tang both weighed in on what exactly is going on with the so-called cold sore outbreak this season of Love Island USA.

Dr Goldberg noted that whilst he “cannot make a clinical diagnosis from a photo alone,” the two close-up photos of contestants Nic and Austin’s with their lesions “are consistent in appearance with cold sores, also known as herpes labialis.”

However, he also added that not all lesions are automatically cold sores and it could instead be “angular cheilitis (irritation or cracking at the corners of the mouth)” or an “allergic reaction.”

Dr Tsang, however, doesn’t think what Nic and Austin have are cold sores, explaining: “The image of the contestant Austin, seems to reveal one lesion located beneath each nostril and an additional lesion at the oral commissure.

“The distribution and appearance are inconsistent with herpes simplex virus infection (cold sores).

“Instead, the presentation is more suggestive of pseudofolliculitis or razor bumps, likely exacerbated by the hot and humid climate conditions consistent with the filming location in Fiji. Even something as simple as using an older razor or sharing one could have caused this.”

She continued: “Again, the image of Nic does not seem to demonstrate any indications consistent with a cold sore. The contestant’s lower lip shows clear signs of trauma, consistent with a busted lip. Physical injury, such as from a head impact, is highly probable.”

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