When the seventh season of Love Island USA premiered, an X user had a prophecy:
“The entire Love Island franchise can be brought down by a single cold sore.”
Dramatic? Yes. A joke? Probably. Were they wrong? Not exactly.
Let me explain.
For those who are unfamiliar with the show, Love Island is a reality dating series about a group of hot young singles who live together in a tropical villa in Fiji over the course of the summer. There, they flirt, couple-up, and compete for love—and a cash prize—while navigating jealousy and romantic drama.
Given the setup, it should surprise no one that there’s a lot of physical contact. Beyond the intimacy the islanders initiate themselves, the show regularly throws in spicy challenges.
There’s the infamous Heart Rate Challenge, where contestants wear revealing outfits and give each other lap dances. Sometimes there are role-play games (think doctors, nurses, and firemen). And of course, there are many challenges that involve kissing.
Needless to say, the islanders are swapping spit more than college kids in Cancun on spring break, so a cold sore outbreak wasn’t just likely—it was kind of inevitable.
However, it’s not exactly an ideal situation for a reality show that sells itself on sex to suddenly remind viewers of the very real risks of hooking up with strangers.
(Cold sores are very common. Between 50 and 80 percent of adults carry HSV-1, the virus that causes them. It often lies dormant but can be triggered by stress, sun exposure, or illness.)
The cold sore chatter kicked off on social media, when viewers noticed that Nic, a 24-year-old nurse, Ace, a 22-year-old dancer, and Austin, a 26-year-old MAGA-adjacent pool technician, were all allegedly sporting what appeared to be—or at least were construed by viewers as—cold sore-like bumps on their lips.
And like anything else online, once one person pointed it out, suddenly everyone saw it. First, viewers were baffled that producers didn’t cancel any and all kissing until the supposed outbreak was under control.
“Nic really got a cold sore and they be doing a kissing challenge?” one viewer asked on X.
The situation also raised questions about what happens behind the scenes. Do contestants get tested before filming? What protocols are in place if someone tests positive? People wanted answers!
According to a former contestant on 2008’s the Real Chance of Love, who commented on a TikTok about Love Island, reality stars get tested for everything before going on the show. And If one person in the cast test positive for HSV-1, then everyone is reportedly put on Valtrex, an antiviral medication commonly used to treat cold sore outbreaks.
It’s also sparked a wider conversation about sexual health, with sex educators posting videos to explain what the virus is, how it spreads, and why people shouldn’t be shamed for having it.
Of course, there were also many posts claiming the outbreak was bound to happen, given the amount of smooching going on.
“Except there [is] actually nothing close to love on that island, just drama and cold sores,” an X user wrote.
Well, if nothing else, the sighting of apparent cold sores have caused a dramatic off-screen side plot among fans this season.
