A new “Love Island” couple is drumming up tons of gossip after episode 12 dropped on Peacock this week. And no, it’s not Jeremiah and Iris (though Huda, we do express our condolences). We’re talking about Nic and his alleged cold sore.

Following the episode on June 15, fans took to social media to express their concerns over a suspected reddish bump on Nic’s bottom lip visible several times during the episode and in the prior episode’s “Aftersun” footage.

Viewers were particularly heated about the alleged cold sore after the “Got Wood?” challenge where our Love Islanders-turned-lumberjacks were encouraged to make out with multiple contestants. “WTF was on [Nic]’s mouth and everybody’s making out and kissing him and shit. When he kissed Olandria, I wanted to die . . . I was like do not give my good sis that cold sore,” influencer Mariah Rose said in a TikTok video.

Fans have also been quick to point out the presence of other “bumps” among the islanders, particularly on Austin’s face, raising questions about pre-show health screening and the general safety risks of kissing so many people. “Guys, we have to talk about all the bumps going around Love Island. No one should be swapping spit like that and the proof is starting to show. There’s bumps everywhere,” stated one concerned TikToker. “Why are the islanders getting so many pimples and cold sores,” another wrote, captioning the video “who’s got the herps?”

To be clear, no one on the show has “the herps” officially (also, please don’t call it that). It has not been confirmed that Nic or any other “Love Island” contestant actually has herpes simplex virus type 1, or oral herpes, which is known to cause contagious cold sores (though one TikTok sleuth did go as far as to ask ChatGPT for analysis). It’s also important to note that while cold sores are always a sign of a herpes simplex infection, per the Cleveland Clinic, “not every bump or irritation on your lip is a cold sore.” It could be a pimple, which are not at all contagious.

Regardless of the potential diagnosis, I’d like to petition to end the cold sore shame right here. There’s enough herpes

A new “Love Island” couple is drumming up tons of gossip after episode 12 dropped on Peacock this week. And no, it’s not Jeremiah and Iris (though Huda, we do express our condolences). We’re talking about Nic and his alleged cold sore.

Following the episode on June 15, fans took to social media to express their concerns over a suspected reddish bump on Nic’s bottom lip visible several times during the episode and in the prior episode’s “Aftersun” footage.

Viewers were particularly heated about the alleged cold sore after the “Got Wood?” challenge where our Love Islanders-turned-lumberjacks were encouraged to make out with multiple contestants. “WTF was on [Nic]’s mouth and everybody’s making out and kissing him and shit. When he kissed Olandria, I wanted to die . . . I was like do not give my good sis that cold sore,” influencer Mariah Rose said in a TikTok video.

Fans have also been quick to point out the presence of other “bumps” among the islanders, particularly on Austin’s face, raising questions about pre-show health screening and the general safety risks of kissing so many people. “Guys, we have to talk about all the bumps going around Love Island. No one should be swapping spit like that and the proof is starting to show. There’s bumps everywhere,” stated one concerned TikToker. “Why are the islanders getting so many pimples and cold sores,” another wrote, captioning the video “who’s got the herps?”

To be clear, no one on the show has “the herps” officially (also, please don’t call it that). It has not been confirmed that Nic or any other “Love Island” contestant actually has herpes simplex virus type 1, or oral herpes, which is known to cause contagious cold sores (though one TikTok sleuth did go as far as to ask ChatGPT for analysis). It’s also important to note that while cold sores are always a sign of a herpes simplex infection, per the Cleveland Clinic, “not every bump or irritation on your lip is a cold sore.” It could be a pimple, which are not at all contagious.

Regardless of the potential diagnosis, I’d like to petition to end the cold sore shame right here. There’s enough herpes