. Should I toss out my lipstick after having a cold?
No. You can use it safely after having a cold because that virus should die quickly. Plus, it can’t reinfect you. "Your body has built up antibodies against the virus," says Neil Schachter, a professor of preventive medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, in New York City. But strep throat is another story. "These bacteria may be able to survive longer," says Schachter. So throw out the lipstick or you may risk reinfection.