Damn! I hate cold sores! Any advice?

[StrongBad]

I haven't gotten one of these things in like 3 or 4 years, but this weekend one sprung up overnight and it looks horrible.

Anybody know any quick means of getting rid of them? I don't want to wait 1-2 weeks before this goes away, it looks pretty damn ugly!

Thanks for any info.

[dweller]

1. lemon balm oil/cream

available at most health food shops.

dp

[nannah]

2. abreva works! it's pricey...$15.00 for little tube

ABREVA is a brand name. found in drug stores. clears it very quickly. works best the sooner you get it on. no prescription needed.

[trotsky]

9. 2nd endorsement of Abreva

My wife gets 1-2 cold sores a year. The last one she got, she got some Abreva and it really does work, even better than the prescription stuff she got from the doctor the last time.

[gristy]

13. Yup, abreva's the stuff

Gone in a few days.

[StrongBad]

12. This sprung up 2 days ago...

...would it be too late for abreva to be effective or could it still produce some positive results??

[trotsky]

18. Probably not too late.

My wife picked up the Abreva about 2 days into her last one, and it worked great.

[SodoffBush]

3. Acyclovir

aka zorvirax

It comes in tabletts and ointments

It's not sold over the counter. Try to get a phone consult prescription and head to your pharmacy.

[arwalden]

19. Works for me!

If you can get to Mexico, it's available over the counter. AFIK.

-- Allen

[Kathy in Cambridge]

4. Take Lysine for a few days

it's an amino acid that helps combat herpes virus(Cankers and cold sores are a herpes virus). You can buy it at your local pharmacy or health food store. It works better than a lot of the topical solutions out there, which tend to relieve the pain but it takes a while for the sore to heal.

[realFedUp]

5. don't kiss sore losers

hehehe.
Carmex is supposed to work.

[veganwitch]

6. was about to suggest carmex

im not sure if it really beats the virus but it numbs the pain from it.

[NashVegas]

20. Carmex Minimizes It

If nothing else, you won't see a little tiny cold sore turn into a honker.

[radwriter0555]

7. 800 Mgs of ibuprofin every 4 hours, not to exceed 3600 per 24 hour

period. No coffee, sugar, sweets, tomatoes, chocolate. Stay out of the sun. LOTS of water.

SLAM the ibuprofin as that is the most effective tool.

[StrongBad]

10. Really? Interesting...

...didn't think that anything but topical treatments would help. Thanks for the advice!

[radwriter0555]

15. Yes. The herpes viruses work on the central nervous system and

their outbreaks are affected by various elements including caffienes and sugars.

I'm not sure why the sun affects the situations, but it most definitely does...

[KAMouflage]

8. Ride It Out

I've tried every one of the above-mentioned products. They work for a little while but ultimately, the only thing that works is Time.

I just try to reason that they are my body's indications that I'm out of balance in one way or another (nutrition, physical fitness or lack of sleep) and that I need to correct the sitution.

[StrongBad]

11. Good point

I have been burning the candle at both ends since school started again so I guess this is my punishment for neglecting basic needs my body craves...

[otohara]

14. Your Immune System

must be worn down...can't fight it off. I usually get one of those vs a full blow cold. I'd rather have the cold sore. Rest, eat well - take some vitamins - liquids...all that good stuff. Calm down, stress makes it worse.

[brook]

16. underarm deoderant...

a nurse told me about this when I was a teenager and suseptible to cold sores. The aluminum clorhydrate ingredient dries the cold sore up very quickly.

[qb]

17. No advice for this time, but Herpecin L "chapstick" has kept me free

of cold sores for years. It's a soothing vanilla balm that can be used all the time, or start using it at the first sign of an onset (tingling sensation).

[Scurrilous]

21. Herpecin works for me also.

I've had cold sores for years and have tried many a remedy. Herpecin is definetly the best I've ever tried. Kills cold sores dead. At $3.50, it's also pretty cheap.