Cold Sore cure..

miss_daisy

GalwayGunner wrote: »

Hey guys,

I'm a long time coldsore sufferer so hopefully this might be of some help to you...

I get coldsores quite regularly unfortunately and when I get em they're usually big, obvious and it could be 6 to 7 days before the sore/scab completely disappears. For me they always seems to come in threes and a couple of times I even got them on the tip of my nose!! ;-(

I have done all the research and know that they generally occur when you're rundown or in extreme temperature and I've tried Lysine (which worked for a while) and of course a dozen different Aciclovir creams (which NEVER works).

I did however consult a dermatologist who recommended that I try the tablet form of Zovirax (prescription needed) so what I have been doing is when I feel the coldsore begin to 'tick' I take one Zovirax tablet every 3 hours and avoid using any of the creams at all (I've found rubbing the cream on the sore increases the risk of it becoming infected and subsequently results in scabbing).

I've discovered this either stops it completely from ever breaking out or if it does break out its usually dead and nearly completely invisible within 24 hours.

This isn't a complete solution but 24 hours is definitely a lot better than 6 days ;-)

Hope this helps!

I think Ive heard of those Zovirax tablets, but arent they on prescription and pretty expensive, ?? Like, €200 expensive per course?

philipb

I get coldsores if I get really run down or sunburnt on my face/lips, so generally happens if I'm away in a hot country and going out a lot.

I find Zovirax actually drags the whole thing out longer as it stops the coldsores from scabbing. It also means you're touching the thing and probably spreading it around unwittingly.

Lysine I find halves the length of the whole thing, and sometimes when you take a load of it as soon as you feel the tingle it never even appears.

Big_G

Zovirax only works before the little vesicles or blisters burst. After that it is only a waste of time. It needs to be applied by a gloved hand or cotton bud.
Don't touch the cold sore directly with your hand.

After the vesicles burst, aciclovir is a waste of time. At this stage, prevention of secondary infection is important. Use savlon skin healing cream or if you can get it on prescription fucidin cream (fusidic acid 2% cream, no hydrocortisone).

In the clinic we occasionally use low dose laser photonic energy for these once the budding phase is over and also for mouth ulcers to induce healing. Works well.

Spring17

A treatment that really works is nail varnish remover; dab some on cotton wool/cotton bud & hold on cold sore for 10 minutes; it stings a lot but you will see a major improvement within an hour! Nothing worked for me like this before & I've tried everything; taking lysine (cold sores still appeared), anti-viral creams on first tingle (I think the moisture brings them out!), stress management, dapping with alcohol; with none of these have I seen an improvement but with the nail varnish remover I did after the first go!

prevention wise I think avoiding dry lips is a big one; every time I get a cold sore its after a bout of dry chapped lips. I hope this works for you too.