Cold Sores - My Home Remedies

Home Remedies for Cold Sores

WARNING: This home remedies site is intended to be archival in nature. The natural remedies here are submitted by numerous people from around the world, and we have no way to test or verify every remedy. As such these home remedies should be used for academic purposes only. Never use any home remedy or other self treatment without being advised to do so by a physician.

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Cold Sores Home Remedies:

Submitted by Erin at 2007-07-25 14:53:28
I woke up and my cold sore was already open, but this is what I did to have it gone by the next morning...I melted an entire ice cube on my sore, even tho it's a little painful at first..Then dab the sore to dry it and put rubbing alcohol on immediately after with a Q-tip..I did this once every 30 min. to an hour, and by the next morning, you couldn't see a thing!!!
rating: 7 (33 votes)

Submitted at 2006-06-15 19:11:41
When you first fell a cold sore coming take Lysine Tablets, 2 tablets 3 times a day. Starts fighting off the cold sore before it forms. Also put the Lysine topical cream on. Helps it from getting really big and helps it heal up really fast!
rating: 7 (50 votes)

Submitted at 2006-06-09 14:22:39
hand sanitizer directly on the cold sore. it burns very little bu dries it up quick.
rating: 6 (32 votes)

Submitted at 2005-11-07 17:07:44
When you feel it starting to come out take a Q-tip and soak an end in mouthwash.Next apply the soaked end to it and hold for several minutes.I use this all the time and find it works best.
rating: 6 (22 votes)

Submitted at 2004-07-14 22:19:37
Take L-lysine, found in the vitamin aisle. Take it as soon as you feel the tingle. Take 3 times a day. Usually the cold sore never develops.
rating: 6 (93 votes)

Submitted at 2005-06-15 09:54:27
My great grandmother has always told me to put fingernail polish remover on my cold sores to dry them out and that has always worked for me. It stings a bit at first but then goes away. You have to repeat it a quite a few times each day until it is gone.
rating: 6 (79 votes)

Submitted by Melissa at 2005-09-08 11:10:55
My Doctor suggested this and it works like a charm. Take a tube of chap stick PLAIN flavored , break open a capsule of benadryl and sprinkle the powder on the top of the chap stick , rub on the cold sore so as to make a paste of balm and benadryl powder. First day will dry it up ...and within 3 days no sign of a cold sore at all!!!! taaaaaaaaaaaa dahhhhhhhhhh
rating: 6 (67 votes)

Submitted by Holly at 2004-12-23 20:45:23
Want to dry up and heal a cold sore? Dab rubbing alcohol on it several times a day.This stings a bit for a few seconds...but works like a charm!
rating: 6 (80 votes)

Submitted at 2005-08-01 17:18:58
My Dad swears blind that putting aftershave on a cold sore a few times a day dries it out and gets rid of it quick.
rating: 6 (49 votes)

Submitted by shannon z at 2005-10-12 10:29:56
i take the lysine tablets when i feel a cold sore coming on. i take about 3500 mg a day and also i found this new lip balm that is called morgans lysine lip balm as many times a day that i remember. it took my 1 day to get them dried out. this has been a real life saver. i get about 5-10 cold sores about 2 times a month and this has been the best thing for me. good luck
rating: 6 (8 votes)

Submitted at 2005-05-20 07:44:23
Dab Tea Tree Oil on it several times a day. Works very good!!
rating: 6 (18 votes)

Submitted by SG at 2005-01-14 13:42:34
Take a Lysine supplement once a day to prevent cold sores.
rating: 6 (42 votes)

Submitted by Mary at 2005-07-27 14:38:02
I make a salt paste with just plain salt and water and smear it on my cold sores this waorks great for me scabs by the end of the day and you can use it in any phase of the cold sore.
rating: 6 (43 votes)

Submitted by Jessica at 2007-10-23 02:47:04
I'm 20 years old, and boy i hate getting cold sores. i've tried everything, yes lemon balm, rubbing alcohol, ice, abreva, lysine, NOTHING seems to work. Just today i got one. its not as big as the others i have gotten but its sure is jsut as painful and ugly. right above my lip under my nose too..GROSS. i remembered i had proactiv refining mask...it contains sulfur n some other stuff that heals pimples, so i said hey y not. i cleaned it off with some rubbing alcohol n applied the sulfur mask to the cold sore. no more pain.. no itchiness, and the swelling went down sooo much its crazy.. i still have it n n plan to leave it on over night. this is exciting if it works!!!
rating: 6 (5 votes)

Submitted by amya ricks at 2004-11-08 14:17:08
Now this might sound horrible, but when you feel a cold sore forming put ear wax on it and it will never grow. My whole family does this and it works great.
rating: 6 (36 votes)

Submitted by Commonsensia at 2006-08-16 02:26:30
I have found that once it appears, you can take and melt 1 ice cube on it. Yes it is a bit uncomfortable till the area goes numb from freezing. But it has work many times over for me and those I have told about it as well. It may even work on them before they are truly visable. But it seems that every time I got them it wa to late to hide it 8=/.
Another note, that just come to mind, I haven't had one in a couple years or more now.. Don't know if freezing the are contributes to that or not.
rating: 6 (13 votes)

Submitted at 2007-11-28 22:00:26
As soon as you start to feel your cold sore coming put ice on it until its num....this works for me every time
rating: 5 (7 votes)

Submitted at 2005-09-08 14:46:13
The two things that i find help if a cold sore has already formed is applying a tea bag to it and using Eucalyptus oil. This seems to dry it out within a day.
rating: 5 (18 votes)

Submitted by George D. Baker at 2004-07-18 13:31:26
When you first feel the symptom of a cold sore, with your finger swipe, from behind the ear and beside the nose, the natural body oils and apply it to the area where the cold sore is trying to form. Repeat the process as often as you think of it, and the cold sore will not evolve. (I have done this and it works.) You always have the solution with you.
rating: 5 (45 votes)

Submitted at 2004-08-29 23:53:52
Preparation H: dab on when you feel the tingle and it won't form, or if you don't catch it in time it will keep it from swelling. Works for me.
rating: 5 (14 votes)

Submitted at 2005-03-31 22:00:22
I have tried everything and the only thing that works for me is hydrocotisone.works great!
rating: 5 (18 votes)

Submitted by Mary at 2005-06-14 20:56:59
When you first feel a cold sore coming dab some listerine with a Q-Tip several times a day to dry out your skin.
rating: 5 (12 votes)

Submitted by billyboy at 2006-07-30 13:04:31
For those cold sores around your mouth dig up some earwax and shmear it on like chap stick really gross but youll be glad it even feels good
rating: 5 (6 votes)

Submitted at 2006-07-04 17:44:08
spray the tip of your finger with original right guard deodorant (aerosol) dab it on the cold sore do this 3 or 4 times a day this will dry it up before you know it!!!!!!!!
rating: 5 (6 votes)

Submitted at 2006-06-05 21:04:57
I use a fresh clove of Garlic. Dab it on for 10 minutes at a time for like an hour. This works great to diminish an already formed ulcer.
rating: 5 (19 votes)

Submitted at 2004-12-06 09:32:48
When I feel a cold sore coming on, (right when you feel the tingle), I put a piece of ice on directly on it. Keep it there for as long as you can stand it, and do this for about an hour. The sor will skip right to the end andyou will have a small scab for a bout 2 days. No pain, No weeping, no nasty sore.
rating: 5 (25 votes)

Submitted at 2006-07-26 21:02:24
To dry up an already weeping cold sore, dip a q-tip in Pepto Bismol and put on the sore. It will dry it up and also acts as a barrier.
rating: 5 (18 votes)

Submitted at 2005-02-04 00:43:22
for a cold sore...when you feel it starting, alternate ice and a damp tea bag, 10 minutes each. Do this as often as possible the first day and it should not even appear
rating: 5 (11 votes)

Submitted by Bryce at 2006-04-28 06:46:07
Mix dried instant coffee to a paste with a little water and put it on cold sore. (Remedy tested and reported in New Scientist in the 70's - only works with instant coffee)
rating: 5 (10 votes)

Submitted by Duane at 2005-11-13 10:47:52
cold sore cure you will not get them as long as you use this suplement to your diet. Take L-Lysene in 1000 mill. capsules once a week. If you are having an out break at the first sign of tingling sinsation in the lips take 3 1000 mill capusels once aday and chances are the sore will not develope. It does not take very much of this product to keep the problem under controll. The L-Lysene mutates the herpes virus and because of the mutation the virus cannot repoduce itself and cause and outbreak. I use to get these horribly and sence I found this fix I no longer get them and have not had any problem with it as long as I manage to take 1 capsule a week. Try it it works and it is not exspensive.
rating: 5 (4 votes)

Submitted at 2006-07-26 12:48:53
for cold sores, prick a fresh green papaya and apply the sap every hour
rating: 5 (3 votes)

Submitted at 2006-10-15 04:13:24
To dry up cold sore use ear wax. It'll dry out the sore and help heel.
rating: 5 (10 votes)

Submitted by marisa at 2006-09-06 09:25:37
try putting spirit of camphor onto the sore when it has blistered; it will sting and go red but will really dry the sore nicely
rating: 5 (4 votes)

Submitted by Shannon at 2006-12-19 07:55:33
Want to get rid of that nasty cold sore in just 3 days?!? As soon as it starts, or even if it has already broken out, start putting a rubbing alcohol dorectly on the cold sore and hold it there for as long as you can stand it (it will start to burn). Apply some Vaseline to the cold sore and repeat this 3 to 10 times per day.
rating: 5 (2 votes)

Submitted at 2006-10-28 00:23:17
Coldsores
When you feel a coldsore coming on, rub your finger behind your ear to collect body oils, then apply to affected area on mouth or lip. Do this over the course of a day whenever you think about it, no kidding, you will never have a coldsore again!
rating: 5 (8 votes)

Submitted by Vix at 2007-12-08 07:50:34
iv been having cold sore for years and they usually last for weeks now what id do is at the first sign of one get a cotton bud dip it in nail varnish remover and hold on for five minutes and repeat 4 times that day. Then for the next to days apply zovirax and the cold sore dissappears in a good way with no scars or marks. its amazing!!!
rating: 5 (1 votes)

Submitted by Me at 2007-12-01 15:19:09
if you get one on your lip use one of those drying lipsticks, the ones that are suppose to last all day..Any of them will work but it has to be the kind that dries up. Apply it to your lips, be careful not to actually touch the cold sore otherwise you will contaminate your lipstick.. so if you have one on your upper lip, apply the lipstick to your lower lip and rub your lips together to cover the cold sore- or vise versa.. it will dry up the sore almost on contact and your cold sore will only last a few days.. maybe two.. if you catch it early enough, it will be gone the next day- it will not grow either when you apply it so if you apply it when you have hardly any or no blisters you won't get anymore.. same as if you apply it when you have some blisters, it won't keep growing once you apply the lipstick..
rating: 5 (2 votes)

Submitted by Brian Card at 2007-12-09 08:49:47
For cold sores I dab a drop of household bleach on the spot as soon as I feel any signs of a cold sore appearing, it stops them in there tracks.
rating: 5 (2 votes)

Submitted by Jakob at 2007-09-28 17:59:25
Garlic Essence

I tried just about everything on this site with very little success. Everything from alcohol to ear wax to honey, to steroid creams. I had a recent outbreak of coldsores after an illness, one after another, and none of these seemed to work. (although the ice cube method worked to lower swelling and prevent them from getting too much worse).

Finally I discovered something that worked for me. I remembered reading that garlic is anti-viral, and since cold sores are caused by viruses I decided to try something new.
I mashed up several cloves of garlic into a paste. I then put a bit of this paste into a small funnel. I dusted it with sugar, and put more paste. I alternated layers of garlic paste and layers of sugar until it filled a substantial portion of the funnel. I put the funnel over a glass and left it overnight.

In the morning I discovered a thick green(?) liquid in the bottom of the glass. 'Essence of Garlic' I dubbed it. I smeared it on my cold sores, and the next day my older cold sores just seemed to almost fall off. The newer one that had been forming went immediately into the scabbing phase, and now I'm just waiting for the scab to fall off.

Like I said, some things work for some people, but out of all the things I've tried, this is by far the best for me. (smells awful though)
rating: 5 (2 votes)

Submitted at 2007-08-08 11:41:55
Noone gets cold sores as large as mine! They are monstrous. I have battled with every remedy possible and have now perfected the art. I can't catch mine in the tingling stage because that never happens. However, the best thing to do is rub surgical alcohol on the spot until it burns, followde by aloe vera gel to keep it from scarring. Tea tree oil also dries up the scab and kills bacteria. Apply whenever you remember. In terms of your diet, do not eat any chocolate, coffee, nuts or oats. Take vitamin B tablets, lysine, zinc and vitamin C. Do this religiously 3 times a day and the cold sore should be gone within 3 days from start to scab falling off!
rating: 5 (4 votes)

Submitted by Jess at 2007-07-16 03:51:42
i work in a health food store, and suffer from cold sores myself. They can be caused by stress, low immunity or an imbalance of lysine versus arginine in the body. Arginine is another amino acid found in red meat, chocolate and red wine which is also made in the body. Lysine is found in soy products, cheese, milk, potatoes and torula yeast, and can only be sourced by supplements or food sources as the body cannot make it.
If people who suffer from cold sores ingest too much arginine they need to bring up their lysine intake. Some people need to take lysine daily, and around 500mg is perfect, however getting the lysine in a complex with zinc or olive leaf is much better. zinc helps with healing and olive leaf helps with free radical scavenging and can help with fevers, to raise the immunity in a person's body. Blackmores have a lysine 500mg and zinc complex, and microgenics have a lysine 500mg and olive leaf complex. Both are brilliant products. However i prefer to use 1000mg of lysine to fight my persona cold sores. i know of two brands that carry a 1000mg lysine, Nutrivital and Nutralife. Also brilliant ranges.
To apply topically you can make a lysine paste by crushing a tablet and mixing in water, or you could apply tea tree oil as it is a natural antibiotic and can help with infection, or colloidal silver with is a natural anti-viral liquid. The silver can also be taken orally.
rating: 5 (6 votes)

Submitted by Jess at 2008-03-25 01:21:58
I use to get cold sore A LOT, like every few months and I tried just about everything but never any luck. So frustrating!!! My mom went on this splurge of making everyone in the family take Echinacea. She said that is help boost your immune system and therefor could be used for all sorts of things. (She had a jar of the liquid variety) One day Bam yet another sore so I figured y not? I took a cotton ball and soaked it in it and taped it to my lip, took a few drops, and started to clean my house within a few hours it was gone! You can find it at any vitamin store and it really helped me!
rating: 5 (2 votes)

Submitted by Aja at 2004-06-24 18:24:07
Apply witch hazel to the cold sore as soon as you see it. This will stop it from growing.
rating: 4 (25 votes)

Submitted by La Vern De Wilde at 2005-01-15 16:08:01
Cold Sore - Herpes Simplex Virus: Take 5 L-Lysine 1000mg tabs one to three times per day to ignite immediate reversal and healing within one-week.

L-Lysine works for all virus related dis-ease.
rating: 4 (12 votes)

Submitted by Crissy at 2007-02-11 14:33:17
when you first see the tiny blisters of a cold sore, do not touch it or pop it. apply with a q-tip/cotton ball 100% acetone- fingernail polish remover for less than $2 at wal-mart... it's in a clear bottle. it may burn a little at first, but it's mostly cold. the acetone dries up the blisters, and the cold sore will be gone in about 3 days depending on how often you apply the acetone. on the last day the blisters might be dry that when you apply the acetone it might burn, but i'd rather do this for 2 or 3 days than have a coldsore a week.

i get cold sores all of the time, and this is what i personally do to get rid of them.
rating: 4 (10 votes)

Submitted by jen at 2006-02-04 19:42:18
Nail Polish Remover and polysporin: I was starting to feel a cold sore coming on and I read about this: dip a q-tip in nailpolish remover and hold on the spot for about 5 minutes (really stings) after put neosporin or polysporin to soothe, it worked great for me!!
rating: 4 (8 votes)

Submitted at 2006-09-06 11:43:25
EAB from The Bronx, NY L-Lysine (an amino acid) for cold sores is the best, I got the tip from a gal who worked in the Vitamin Shoppe. As soon as I start to feel it begin I load up on 1500mgs first then at least 500mg three times a day. If you can find the capsules break one open and keep in a small container and dip a clean wet Q-tip or your finger into the powder and apply directly to the area and let it dry- do not double dip and keep the rest for re applying do this as much as possible. Do not use anything that keeps the cold sore moist the idea is to dry it out. The over the counter all keep the sore moist. Drink everything through a straw and do not reuse the straw. Do not kiss or touch anything with it since it is contagious- keep utensils separate or use plastic and dispose, wash towels and face cloths separately and do not use chap stick, lipstick or gloss on it. Drink plenty of water since it may have a drying effect and your hands may become dry. If I catch it in time- the area only becomes red and slightly raised and a sore never appears. Keep track of them since it can be pre-menstrual and stress related. You can take it every day as a preventative in 500mgs once a day. (It is also good for shingles and in helping the absorption of calcium for those with osteoporosis.) Do not waste the time or money on anything else!
rating: 4 (10 votes)

Submitted at 2007-12-08 14:10:24
I get cold sores in the same spot on the corner of my mouth about once a year and I have always used the prescription Denavir. It works to heal in about 3-5 days, earlier if caught right away. I think that Abreva works pretty well too.
I tried several of the methods posted on this sight and I think that there might be something to the Lysine and the ice cube melting on the sore.
What I find to be the most powerful weapon against them is prayer to Jesus Christ, Master healer of everything. If He can heal a leper just by touching him (read about Jesus in the book of John in the Bible), then He can heal these annoying blisters on the face! I got one 2 days before my wedding, I prayed without ceasing for it to clear up and it was gone before the BIG DAY. I just got one this week, same thing, gone in one day! Try it! It can't hurt, may help!!!!
rating: 4 (19 votes)

Submitted by mark at 2004-07-05 13:03:23
When you feel a cold sore forming, make a paste out of Zest bath soap, let it dry, and rinse off. This will pull moisture out of the cold sore. Do several times a day.

Ever notice when after using bleach your hands are dry, cracked? When a cold sore is forming, before it weeps, put a dab of bleach on it. This will certinally pull moisture out of it.
rating: 4 (30 votes)

Submitted by Bethany Nelson at 2004-08-18 15:25:02
All you have to do is this as soon as you feel it coming. At night when you go to bed just put a big chunk of vaseline on the spot. I usually do this for two or three nights. It NEVER evolves. I've had these things my entire life. I get them 4 or 5 times a year. I haven't had one in over a year because I catch it right away.

I wish more people knew about this! It's SO much cheaper than Abreva and other cold sore drugs and works fast.
rating: 3 (19 votes)

Submitted at 2004-12-07 16:15:26
swish with tonic water with quinine 4-6 times a day. Make sure the sore comes in contact with tonic water. Works great
rating: 3 (15 votes)

Submitted at 2007-07-26 13:06:20
If you want to kill the cold sore virus.... Take a cotton ball and soak it in bleach it will stong and burn but its worth it. After your done with that take a green tea bag and wet it and place it over the sore, then take centrum multi-vitimin tabllet soak it and make a paste put it over the sore and leave on for about 20 mins. Im am being completely honest when I say instantly the sore and pain goes away, like magic the sore is killed and u end up with a dried blood scab put some cream and you should be good!
rating: 3 (6 votes)

Submitted at 2007-10-25 14:08:56
Using your own urine works unbelievably well. The blister won't form, as long as you catch it early.
rating: 3 (10 votes)

Submitted by Ken at 2006-03-16 07:16:16
Wet cold sores dry up in 24 hours if you take three grams of vitamin C spread out over a day. Take with food is best. Then take 1 gram per day for 5 days to help boost your system.
It works for me.
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted by Guest at 2007-02-22 10:00:29
Get a tube of neosporin pain relief and rub it on the cold sore about evry hour or two. It's always worked for mine, but my dentist said it might not be cold sores and instead a type odf virus in which I can't remember the name. But anyways, that's what I usually do right befor the form and they go away. Right now I have one that just popped up over night and I didn't even fell it coming, and it doesn't seem to work on those cold sores as well as the ones that aren't big yet.
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted by Rachele at 2008-01-03 03:45:40
cold sore ...I had a huge cold sore that started on my side of my mouth. very painful & the side of my face ached. I put diclofenac 3% in deep cold gel on it & within a couple hours it had stopped aching & at the end of the day everyone told me how much it had shrunk in size. I put it on 4 or 5 times a day. Inbetween that I used witch hazel. I have tried all the other over the counter cold sore items nothing has ever helped like this!!
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted at 2007-11-28 22:01:52
put nail polish remover on your cold sore, you might feel something... but that just means its working!! :)
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted at 2007-12-27 06:24:48
I used Abreva. It made it WORSE!!! What worked for me is hydrogen peroxide. I swab it with a q-tip for about 5-7 mins about every other hour and it has totally shrunk. I swab it until the bubble action is very minimal or gone.

Yes, it stings a little, but it's the good-it's-finally-going-away sting.
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted at 2007-12-10 22:57:08
Ingredients: Abreva, Lysine pills, rubbing alcohol, Zilactin-B, shea butter

As soon as you feel the sore, apply ABREVA to it. Abreva prevents healthy cells from becoming infected, and will keep the sore from getting too large and staying too long. Keep it with you always and use it ASAP when you feel the sore.

Also take LYSINE PILLS, 2 pills 3 times the first day.

There are many ways to dry out the sore. My preferred way is to open it if it isn't already open, then hold a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol on the sore until it is dry (when it is dry it should not weep). Hurts like hell. There are lots of ways to dry out the sore that are reported on this site, rubbing alcohol is just one of them.

Then apply a product called ZILACTIN-B (be sure to completely cover the sore with it). It is for mouth sores and keeps the sore sealed. The virus needs moisture, so the key is to keep it dry, and this product will keep it dry. It also has a pain reliever so it will help you to not think too much about it. The first day you may need to repeat the alcohol/zilactin-b process, every three hours or however often you need to keep the sore dry. When you do this, wash off the zilactin-b, repeat alcohol process, apply more zilactin-b.

Once the sore has scabbed over, use some kind of product to keep the scab soft. I like %100 SHEA BUTTER (you can get this at L'Occitane). But you can also use vaseline, neosporin, etc. I put a glob of shea butter on and don't rub it in all the way. This step isn't critical, it just keeps the sore from cracking and makes it a little easier to deal with in the scab phase.

Good luck to you.
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted by Cerbs at 2007-04-15 06:15:44
I use 1500 Mgs a day of L-Lysine, and nearly 3,000 mgs of Vitamin C. The sore will stop growing; perhaps a bit of weeping; not much. But it will remain painless; but an eyesore.

Also; I was recently prescribed Valtrex because of frequent outbreaks. I have terrible skin and am prone to dry skin, especially chapped lips even with alot of balm use. However, the Valtrex combined with my normal treatment was nearly amazing. It didn't scab immediately; but was completely painless. Even as it scabbed it remained soft and did not hurt a bit. Shortened my normal healing time from about 5 to 3 days.
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted at 2007-05-22 02:09:24
okay so....after dealing with what started out as a cold sore and just turned into a 2 month long headache because i'm a picker and have very thin skin at the corners of my mouth i decided to try calamine lotion and it worked!!!!! just dip a q-tip into a bottle of calamine and dab it on the sore (i do it at night so no one sees but you can get caladryl which is a clear gel form of calamine)...i did this for about 3 nights and it completely cleared up. it dries out the sore just like it would for chicken pox, poison ivy, or a REALLY bad sunburn. the calamine doesnt burn and surprisingly causes minimal crusting and peeling.....unlike some products meant for healing cold sores....campho phenique or abreva for example...plus calamine is A LOT cheaper and you probably already have some in your medicine cabinet :)
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted at 2007-08-27 09:15:35
I have found that putting a paper-towel or cotton ball soaked with whole milk helps prevent the growth of and speeds the healing time of cold sores.
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted by Jack at 2007-07-17 16:33:04
I've been following a natural guide for a month now.

It's going extraordinarily well!!

I had 2 the first week, and havent had a cold sore since!

I think the link is: inspyral.com/gdr/health-medical.php

Theres a review at greendayreviews.com as well!

I've had them for years and theyve just gone!
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted by LM at 2008-01-30 18:40:54
When you feel a tingle (or even when blisters appear), apply sauve (or any other white deodorant) on cold sore. Within hours cold sore (tingle) or (blister) dries up! (Info. was given by dermatologist).
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted at 2008-02-16 21:30:29
Dissolve a berocca in a small amount of boiling water and dip a cotton bud into it. Hold it to your cold sore for as hot as you can bare until the cotton bud is cold. This really works for me, takes away all swelling and by the second day no sign of a coldsore
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted by happygirl at 2008-02-17 19:20:34
i rarely get coldsores but when i do they stay around for 2 weeks or more and are horribly ugly big ones. i have tried everything to make them disappear quicker including buying that ebook advertised on here 'coldsore freedom in 3 days' which tells you to put toothpaste on it (this doesn't work that well for me. maybe shortens the life of it by a day or 2 but no drastic result?). the one thing i have noticed is i used to get them every 4 - 6 weeks until i started taking lisene every day (with zinc) and now i have only had one in the past year! i got this one 3 days ago and when it was only a tiny blister i decided to try the ice method (just holding ice and pressing firmly) for the first 2 hours then i applied nail polish remover to it for the rest of the day every 30 mins and that worked better than ANYTHING else i have ever tried. stings like hell but stops it dead it its tracks. it was dried out by the end of the day and didn't spread at all so tiny its just a tiny scab and will be gone in a day i think. its so tiny its not even noticeable! nail polish remover rocks! i also took about 1500mg of lisene that day to balance the arginine lisene balance and aid the healing.
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted at 2008-02-18 19:04:37
First ice, if blister appears, open them up with a needle sterilized in alcohol. Use a paper tow to drain the moisture. Poor peroxide over the out-brake. Use a paper tow to dry up the peroxide. Coat with Calamine Lotion. When scabbing starts use Neosporin to help with healing and prevent scaring. Valtrex and L-Lysine to keep them away.
rating: 0 (0 votes)

Submitted by Michelle at 2008-03-10 15:37:16
OK... so this is a long one...
What we need is a remedy for AFTER the cold sore has came out to visit, am I right? They are SO ugly and uncomfortable, and we really dont think much about them until they have planted their homely faces right on our mouth... for the world to see. Nice, huh?
Its great we have preventatives for cold sores, and suggestions on what to do when you first feel the tingle, but what about to pound them when they are already out and about? Most times, mine form overnight, or while at work and cant tell they are on their way until its too late.
I am quite lucky (as far as COLDSORE luck can be, I suppose) as I only get one every year or 18 months, but that doesnt make them any less ugly, or me any more confident.
Heres what I did with one I got on Friday morning...
1) reached for my Abbreva. The sore still got larger, so Im not sure this worked. I was a tad pissed. The stuff is 20 bucks, and its worked before. Maybe I didnt get it in time.
2) Went to health food store and got something called 'Super Lysine+'. Its in a chapstick tube with a green cap. Its pricey...about 11 bucks, but I applied it to the sore with my fingertip, and to the rest of my lips. Its awesome and soothing. It was more of a preventative for more sores than anything. It kicks the butt of any other balm Ive used and makes your lips look really healthy and full.
3) when I got home that night, I did the ICE CUBE thing...you know, melting the whole cube on the sore? I couldnt do it every hour as suggested (who has time?) but I did it before bed, and when I got up. It helped the swelling, the redness and the soreness. That along with RUBBING ALCOHOL dries right afterward seemed to help.
4) Last night(Sun) I decided to crush a garlic clove in a small sealable container, and tap my fingertip on it to gather some of the juices. I dabbed it on the sore, and by morning it was already looking about 30 percent better. I did it again after I got home from the dentist (yes, dentist with a cold sore... lovely :S good thing it was only a check up) and Ive noticed whrough the day its been getting less red. Use it as often as you can through the day, and a good dallop at night. In a few days, it will be practically gone.
My coldsore was a full blown one, at its largest on Friday night, and its monday afternoon and its already just a small red mark, and very little scabbing.
Garlic,rubbing alcohol and ice are what made my coldsore start to heal fast. They are all cheap and you likey have all of them in your house already.
Ive always liked garlic for cooking, but now its one of new best friends.
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Submitted by Crex at 2008-03-22 02:51:41
Cold sores, also called fever blisters are primarily caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and are normally the main symptom for oral herpes or herpes labialis. There are a variety of home treatments for cold sores that many people have attested to be effective in relieving the symptoms of cold sores and preventing recurrent outbreaks. Here are some of them...

1. Cold compress. One of the best home remedies for colds sore is to simply apply ice every 5-10 minutes of every hour at the onset of a cold sore. When ice is applied early enough in the cold sore cycle it can slow down the metabolism of the affected area, which slows the growth. This has been seen to help ease the pain and can prevent the virus from moving from the nerves to the skin.

2. Staying healthy. The best way to fight viral infections like this is to protect and boost your immune system and prevent further outbreaks. Take your daily vitamin supplements, most especially the B complex vitamins, and get enough sleep and rest.

3. Food to avoid. Certain foods can prolong the occurrence of cold sores, while some can trigger their recurrence. Limit your consumption of processed foods, sugar, caffeine, those high in salt content, soft drinks, and citrus fruits as they can likely trigger an outbreak. Limit your intake of arginine-rich foods such as grains, peanuts, chocolate and wheat products as virus tend to feed on arginine. Changing your diet and taking vitamin supplements are two of the best home remedies for cold sores.

4. There is one popular treatment in Europe due to its effectiveness is lemon balm. Lemon balm can reduce the severity and duration of an attack and is believed to reduce the tendency of cold sore recurrence.
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Submitted by Mandi at 2008-03-29 22:14:59
My mother always told me to rub a little Vick's on a cold sore and leave it on over night. It dries it up quick. It has always worked for me.
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Submitted by Helper at 2008-04-01 03:56:26
I had not had a cold sore for years, then I got one just before my boyfriends parents were coming over and i had to meet them for the first time. aaargh. i tried every home remedy, teabag,aloe vera, vaseline. good news, make a toothpaste and salt paste and put it on the sore overnight, or as long as you can. you will be amazed how quickly the sore dries up. i am a happy girl at the moment and the swelling drastically declined as well;)
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Submitted at 2008-04-18 10:26:22
anything with alcohol in it will work to dry out the cold sore!! (aftershave, cologne, mouth wash rubbing alcohol) use vasoline to keep the area moist, after applying the alcohol. and Ice takes the tingling sensation away. if those dont work abreva or zovirax creams from the pharmacy will knock them out fast.
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Submitted at 2008-04-22 20:47:13
Get a prescription for Acyclovir. It is prescribed for genital herpes, but my doc gave me a prescription for cold sores and told me to go through the whole cycle of it. I have not had one cold sore ever since. I started getting cold sores when i was very young and used to get one every month. Since I took Acyclovir I have not had one!!!
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