What are the best ways to get rid of cold sores fast? Our guide outlines the ways to fix and prevent cold sores with home remedies naturally.
Do you get afflicted with cold sores and want to get rid of the blisters quickly? We’ll tell you what really helps against cold sores (the herpes simplex) and which home remedies you can safely forget.
On average, it takes a week for the cold sore to heal. This week you are guaranteed to ask yourself: What helps against cold sores? And can I somehow speed up the healing process? After all, you want the unpleasant disruptive factor on your face to disappear as fast as possible.
Almost all people carry the cold sore herpes simplex virus
First of all: Cold sores, also called herpes labialis or herpes simplex, are not dangerous or bad. A full 90 percent of people carry the virus. We usually become infected with the very common virus as a child and then carry the virus within us for life. Whether or not it breaks out is a bit of a luck. Just because you carry the virus – like most people – does not mean that you always have nasty blisters on your lip.
Best ways to get rid of cold sores fast
But if the cold sores should break out in you, these tips, home remedies and medication will help!
Home remedies for cold sores
There are a lot of supposed home remedies for cold sores circulating on the net. But only a few of them really help. You should stay away from familiar home remedies such as toothpaste, tea tree oil or vinegar for cold sores. Because they only provide additional irritation to the inflamed areas of the skin.
It is different with honey as a home remedy for cold sores. A study in 2005 came to the conclusion that honey can have a positive effect on the duration of the outbreak, as well as the course and healing time in cold sore attacks.
However, honey was used in addition to an antiviral cream. The conclusion of the study: honey as a home remedy for cold sores can be a supportive measure for drug therapy with acyclovir preparations.
Another cold sore home remedy that can help is lemon balm oil. Laboratory tests at the University of Heidelberg have shown that the essential oil can block herpes viruses and thus ensure that the cold sores disappear faster or are milder. This is not yet definitively proven by studies. If you want to try the home remedy: Simply dab the lemon balm oil carefully onto the affected skin area several times a day. It’s best to use a clean cotton pad for this.
Quick help: ice cubes against cold sores
Ice cubes can also help against herpes or alleviate the symptoms if blisters have already formed. Some sufferers also swear by ice cubes to prevent or mitigate an approaching outbreak. The ice cubes cool the corresponding skin area at the first signs such as tingling or itching and thus provide relief. However, studies have not proven whether local cold can really prevent the formation of blisters.
Important: Make sure that you never put the ice directly on the skin, as this can lead to frostbite.
Medications
According to studies, special creams against cold sores, which contain virus-inhibiting agents acyclovir or penciclovir, are considered to be the most effective therapy to get rid of cold sores fast. They can shorten the duration of the herpes outbreak and reduce the symptoms.
Apply the creams to the affected area several times a day according to the instructions on the package and then wash your hands thoroughly.
An alternative to creams that do without virus-inhibiting ingredients are herpes plasters that are stuck directly onto the affected area. The herpes patches protect the affected skin area from external irritation and prevent the virus from spreading as the infectious blisters are covered with them.
Insider tip: lip balm against cold sores
Cold sores can be very uncomfortable. Special lip care can help against annoying symptoms such as itching, tightness and tingling.
The insider tip for those afflicted with cold sores: Manuka lip care stick with manuka oil, shea butter and cocoa butter. According to the more than 200 top ratings on Amazon, the herpes should disappear faster thanks to the lip balm and the symptoms such as tingling, burning or itching should hardly be noticeable after application.
Kissing prohibited!
Remedies for cold sores or not: If you’ve got it, you should be careful. Herpes is very easily transmitted. During this time, be twice as careful when washing your hands. Never touch the blister with dirty hands, just leave it alone.
If you objected to it with your fingers, you should of course wash your hands immediately. As long as you have herpes, you should avoid lip contact with others. That means: kissing and sharing glasses are prohibited!
Cold sores can also appear on the eyes, nose, or in the mouth
Unsightly, but true: Herpes is not only found on the lip. Special forms also occur on the nose, eyes, cheeks or the oral mucosa. In such cases, it is best to clarify with your doctor what will help. He will prescribe you the right remedy for the herpes.
How to prevent cold sores
Stress, strong sunlight, hormones, cold: there are many causes that can lead to a new outbreak of cold sores. It is therefore important: Make a note of the situations or the time of year in which you are struggling with cold sores.
- Have you been in the sun often?
- Did you have a lot of stress?
- Was your immune system weakened by other illnesses?
If you know which triggers for your cold sores are possible, you can prevent it better. By trying to avoid these situations.
If the cold sores came when you had a lot of stress at work, then try to reduce your stress level through various measures such as endurance sports or mental training. If the cold sores come mostly on vacation, then try to avoid strong sunlight. You can also pep up your immune system with exercise and a healthy, vitamin-rich diet.
In conclusion
Pretty common: Herpes is a virus that – once in the body – stays there. Our immune system doesn’t recognize the viral DNA as a threat, so it doesn’t fight it. It hides in the nerves and in certain situations creates new viruses that take care of the vesicles. Dermartologists recommens that you consult your dermatologist early if you have frequent cold sores .
Important note: The information in this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for a doctor’s diagnosis. If you are unsure, have urgent questions or have complaints, you should contact your doctor.
