Ah, cold sores. Good times! 🙂 There is nothing worse than a cold sore staring back at you in the mirror. And, if you can’t hunker down in the darkness of your basement and wait it out, there are a couple of things you can do to minimize the appearance and duration of a cold sore.
- Run to the pharmacy and grab some Abreva. It’s over the counter {fair warning: it’s a bit pricey}, but it will take that baby down pretty quick {it won’t cure it, but it will minimize the symptoms}. It’s important to do this at the very first sign of a cold sore, though, for it to work effectively.
- Apply a cold compress–or even better apply moistened and then frozen green tea bags. It will help with the inflammation and take some of the red out. This is a good one if you are looking for a little more natural solution.
- If you really want herpes to forget your name, you can get a prescription from your doctor. This might be an option if you are getting cold sores frequently.
- Little known fact: Visine will take the red out. Put a couple of drops on your cold sore before applying your make-up. It will reduce the redness {and appearance} of the sore. Meanwhile, make sure you wash your hands after applying make-up to a cold sore–or throw the application sponge away. You can totally spread cold sores if you aren’t vigilant.
- Avoid the sun like the plaque when you have a cold sore. It can aggravate them and make them worse. While you are at it, try to minimize stress–stress also makes cold sores worse. {Both of those can trigger the cold sore in the first place}.
- Like I said, cold sores are contagious, so no making out with the cute pharmacy tech. This is the time to go into make-out seclusion. Even is there is no pharmacy tech in the picture, avoid kissing anyone, sharing toothpastes, toothbrushes {if you share a toothbrush, you’ve got other problems}, etc. Keep hands clean too-you can spread cold sores to other parts of your body, particularly your eyes {closest mucus membrane}.
- Okay, so this one pretty much applies to all of the life’s unfortunate mishaps, but practice a healthy lifestyle. Get plenty of sleep, water, healthy diet and exercise. It will minimize the inflammation in your body, and make cold sores a waaaay less common occurrence.
How about you, do you have any tricks to getting rid of a cold sore faster?
~Mavis
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Rochelle says
Tons of water and lysine will stop a cold sore from developing if you’re fast enough. Either way it will speed up the healing process. Abreva or Oral B in addition if not fast enough with the water/ lysine.
Jodee says
When i was a kid we always put alum on it (Like the stuff you use for pickling) – i got a block of it from Amazon not too long ago and it dries them right up.
Mavis says
I never would have guessed to use alum. Glad to hear it works!
Dee says
I’ve used abreva and campho phenique and they work ok. Lately I have been dabbing tea tree oil on them (I get one on my lip and 2 in my nose). The lip and one of the nose ones have been gone for years. I’d like to say it is the tea tree oil’s doing but who knows. 🙂
Mavis says
Tea tree oil? Who knew it helped with cold sores. Thanks for the tip!
Cheri says
Lysine. Lysine. Lysine!! If you have this virus in your body, it can be triggered when your arginine/lysine balance is out of whack. Take note of what you ate prior to an outbreak. Foods that increase arginine (thus triggering an outbreak) include chocolate, nuts, red wine, and orange juice. Next breakout ask yourself if you recently ate an abundance of any of these foods, particularly chocolate or nuts. Taking lysine, as soon as possible if you feel an eruption coming on, until you feel it subsiding, in my experience, will significantly shorten the outbreak/healing curve.
Pene says
also put lysine ointment on the cold sore. Peanuts, stress and being sick are my triggers.
Susan says
My sisters and I have had cold sores since we were kids. They are awful — painful and unsightly! When I get one, I assume it will be painful and visible for two weeks minimum. Ugh! We have tried everything from Lysine to Abreva, and while that worked a bit, it didn’t help a ton. I finally got a prescription for Valtrex from my dentist . This is an antiviral drug used to treat cold sores (i.e., herpes). This has by far made the hugest difference. I take usually 2 pills total, 12 hours apart, as soon as feel one coming on. I get a cold sore 1-3 times a year, and this has made them so much less painful and heal MUCH more quickly. Has anyone tried this? I was surprised I haven’t heard many people mention this (not just here).
Krista says
For the Abreva, which variety would you suggest? I see it comes in a spray, patches, and a cream.
Crystal says
Ibuprofen helps a lot for me. And I also found an awesome antiviral ointment available over the counter in Mexico that is the most amazing thing ever for cold sores. I make sure to bring a few tubes home or have someone visiting pick some up for me.
Oh, and keeping straws on hand to drink through at home, since cold sores can make holding a glass to you mouth painful.
Deanna says
Definately Lysine! I take one 1000mg tablet every week and then take it daily when a cold sore does come along. Also a liquid called Curasore – can be hard to find but less than $5.00 a bottle. Dab it on the cold sore, it contains either so you will see stars for a second, but it dries out the cold sore.
Donna says
My daughter and I get cold sores several times a year. We visited our local nurse practitioner once and she recommend using a type of sulfur tablet that is normally used to treat stomach ulcers. We would dissolve one In a small amount of hot water to make a paste and apply. We saw a drastic difference since using this. Normally by the next morning you would have a dry patch forming where the sore was. It’s not the prettiest on the lips but even if it gets into the mouth is not a danger. And yes I’ve used abreva quite often. This is my go to choice when I do not catch it in time or when abreva fails.
Laura says
Drop the abreva and get some good old bactine !! exact same ingredients but and about 1/4 the price.. I have been using this for awhile now and if you catch it early it zaps it fast and it dosen’t hurt as much..
Mary P says
Abreva is absolutely the best! I just had the beginning of a cold sore and the Abreva kept it from breaking open and spreading.
Erin says
Ms. Mavis and readers of her blog,
The answer is LEMON BALM. It’s a very pretty green herb…there are different types….this one has shiny leaves….it is NOT the one that is similar to a scented geranium. Eat a leaf or two every time you are out in the garden. It doesn’t taste bad. I used to suffer since I was a kid with HUGE ones ALL winter. Since I learned this trick from an “old wives” gardening book I have had seriously 4 very tiny ones in 14 years. As well my sweetheart of 9 years started eating a leaf or two ONCE a year and has had only one or two cold sores a year. It is easy to grow, makes a nice tea too! Good Luck!
Patti says
Erin, you really have my interest. I’m a huge fan of trying natural remedies first. My husband and son suffer from cold sores, inside their mouths and on their lips, especially if they are getting sick or in the sun unprotected. Cold sores run in my husband’s family. As a retired RN, I would prefer to use drugs as a last resort. That said, I don’t get them, so my husband has tried lysine and Abreva. Lysine didn’t help him and he had mixed results applying Abreva to external ulcers. When my son was in 5 th grade, our dentist wanted to put him on Rx drugs for them, but the pharmacist did not recommend it. I grow common lemon balm in my garden, available at most markets that sell herbs, great lemon scent, low growing, kind of a wrinkled leaf…is this the herb you are speaking of? (I’m not familiar with other varieties)
Marianne says
A friend told me that she swears by using Tea Tree oil at the first signs of getting a cold sore and that it works like a charm. My toddler just got one and I’ll need to try this out.
Lissa says
ICE! Not a cold compress– we are talking straight ice on the spot at the first tingle. Freeze that sucker. I tried Valtrex and it caused more frequent outbreaks– it does help the outbreak go away faster but more come back later. Someone suggested getting it very, very cold with ice and now my cold sores are gone, completely gone, in 2 days or less. They never get big and a scab never forms at the end. To be specific: I put an ice cube on the sore. Keep it there for as long as you can stand it and repeat as often as you can. I usually do it while I’m driving in my car. It’s free and I promise it works. It does for me anyway.
Wendy says
I’ve been told that beeswax used as a lip balm will get rid of cold sores. I don’t get them so I don’t know if it works, but it does keep my lips from getting chapped.
Lisa says
I gotta chime in here 🙂 Alum (the mineral) in rock form it really works!!!! I keep a little rock of alum in my purse and if I feel even the slightest twinge of a cold sore coming on I lick the alum rock and apply directly on the spot. for a sore that is full blown already lick and apply directly on the sore it dries it out and it’s gone in no time at all…….Did I already say it really works??? Got this from my dear ole grandma love and miss her every day ~