How can I treat cold sores?

This may sound a little gross and I can't swear on its effectiveness so take it for what it's worth: ear wax. I've heard that taking ones own ear wax and applying it to the cold/canker sore will speed its departure. Maybe worth a try, Yum.

Try Abreva. I've used Abreva many times. It's a little on the pricey side ($19 for a small tube) and won't get rid of the cold sore immediately, BUT it will lessen the severity of the outbreak and hasten the healing time.

Another major benefit: after I began using Abreva, I got far fewer cold sores.

I use an over the counter drug called Abriva. It cuts down on the duration of the sore.

a martini....but a margarita will do.....

Abreva!

If I knew which part of it bothered you the most I could help you better.

If it is the openness of the sore, there has been a lot of success using a quick-drying, clear nail polish. It coats and closes the wound.

If it's the crustiness, a soothing balm such as Balmex rubbed into it will help soften the crust.

If it's that they appear at all, something like Abbreva will (as the name implies) abbreviate the length of time the cold sore takes to heal.

Zavirax cold sore cream. Not sure if you get it in the States, but it's the best without a doubt here in the UK. I absolutely hate cold sores. I used to remove the scab carefully, and literally dab something like perfume/aftershave as a type of disinfectant, and to dry it out. That was a really short term solution, it was painful, but it kept the scab away for a little while if I had to go out. I only did it because I'm severely conscious of them.

I'd go with the cream though, it heals the sore much better, faster, and is slightly soothing.

Rubbing Alcohol!!!
i rarely get cold sores but when i do i put rubbing alcohol and it dries it right up!!

Well, firstly, you need to be very careful with over the counter remedies. A lot of people find them very useful- however, if like me, and a fairly large percentage of the rest of the population, you're allergic to lanolin (a chemical obtained from sheeps wool) the large majority of the creams (which for some reason always seem to contain this) will actually make the problem worse (It used to drive me mad when I asked Doctors about cold sores and they constantly recommended creams I was allergic to, so I thought I'd spare a thought!). You have two options: spend ages reading ingredients lists trying to locate a cream without lanolin- they do exist, and if you find a sympathetic chemist they should be able to save you a lot of time; alternatively, you need to use another method. I've used a couple of drops of geranium oil dissolved in jojoba carrier oil dabbed on a few times a day, which definetely seems to work in speeding the healing process of a sore that's already blistered, so that's definetely worth a try. Just try not to get the stuff actually IN your mouth. I believe somebody already mentioned the food supplement L-lysine. Its a protein complex which is usually found in red meat and pulses (lentils, beans etc), so you could just eat a lot more of them if you prefer. I started taking it in pill form to help fight canker sores, and I have to say I haven't had any cold sores since. Admittedly this may just be coincidence, but it's certainly something worth a try.

i think ur suppose to rinse with warm salt water, don't swallow though+3.

As soon as it starts to appear put some cold-sore zapper on it and take a multivitamin and mineral supplement. Also, make sure you are eating a good diet.

The only thing that has worked for me is L-Lycene, but you have to take it when you first feel one coming on and it will go away quickly. I used to get them a lot if I was under stress.

I have the most helpful answer and it's free. On the first onset - you feel tingling. Put ice on it for 15 minutes and most likely it will never develop, or if it does it is in a mild form. Another trick I have been using is to rub my lips each day with an apricot scrub, not only does it loosen any dead skin - but for some reason I never get cold sores either. If you already have it - then don't try it - this only works if there is no cold sore present.

the thing that's works the best for me is ice. As soon as I get the tingling tsensation (at the start of a cycle) I hold ice cubes or ice lollies (the frozen water ones) on it. I try to hold it on for between 30 mins and 1 hr. each time I feel the need to itch with my teeth afterwards, I just go back to the freezer and put more ice on itµ. the first couple of mins will kinda burn a little, but then the cold numbs the area. Also, the added advantage with this is that after a while, the cold sores either don't come back for ages, or if they do, they don't actually last very long. I currently live without a freezer, and when I get them now, my lip itches for about 2 days, then it passes, with no actual visible cold sore ever appearing.
Good luck

i use blistex daily lip thearapy it works for me

I'd just freeze the sucker. Just take one or two ice cubes wrapped up in a wash cloth an apply it where you think the outbrak is. Leave it there as long as comfortable. then take a break. After the break do it again with fresh ice cubes. Leave it on for at least 15 - 30 mins.
Viruses don't like the cold. The ice can help stop blisters from formng.
If you guys can eat plain yogurt, you could eat 2- 3 cups a day. This is a bacterial fighter.

I just wanted to pass along a wonderfully written blog on “How to cure a cold sore in a day". It’s written by Lab Rat v-Ki-ras2 as I copied his profile picture over here-lol.

This treatment worked for me, which is more than I can say for any medication I’ve tried over the years. FYI: This isn’t some wannabe product by a company trying to make a buck off your misery. Here are the links:

http://killacoldsore.blogspot.com/

http://cureacoldsore.blogspot.com/

I always use Zovirax relief and It works for me.

Roses & chocolates???

Salt directly on it. It will hurt. But it works great.

I found the guide found here to be extremely useful at combatting my cold sores. There's a lot of info there, but you can weed through it. More likely than not you will already have some of the home remedies they talk about in your medicine cabinet!

http://www.coldsore911.com/cold-sore-treatment/ultimate-cold-sore-treatments-guide/

Use abreva. U will get rid of it within 2 days!!!!

You can't but, you can speed it up by using toothpaste...paste not gel.

use oil of oregano it tastes awful but it works.

At the very first little tingle of a forming cold sore apply ice for as long as you can stand it. My friend did this because of his horrible cold sores and he thought maybe ice would "freeze out" the cold sore. Worth a try, it worked for him.

peel it off as soon as you see it. dont be a vagina!!!

I once asked my dentist the same question. He answered by stating that I should mix 1:1 MOM (Milk of Magnesia) and Dimetap elixir. Don't use too much, maybe a tablespoon of each, mix together and using a Q-tip, swab the mixture over the cold sore. Repeat 3 X a day.

It really works!

Stress, or activities which one is doing that aren't necessarily optimal or in the best interests of a mentally or physically healthy lifestyle can prompt a cold sore. In the event you start to find yourself coming under stressful circumstances caused by you or something else, try taking the supplement "Lysine". It tends to inhibit the virus. Do this before getting any sign of the cold sore. If your body "feels weaker" or you see something going on which has personal anxiety attached to it, take the supplement. At these times avoid foods which are high in arginine. This will help reduce the number of cold sores which you experience, then you won't have to treat them.

cycloferin works AWESOME! anything like vaseline, neosporin, etc...will make the blisters come out and increase swelling. also take some type of ibuprofen as it will decrease swelling also! other things that work: dabbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, listerine, or scope on the area and using desitin (not the creamy one), clearasil, acne meds will dry it up. cortizone mixed with the above will also keep the swelling down

Hi, I just seen this question, and if you feel a cold sore common on, there's this supplement that you can take called L-Lysine, it's over the counter, I don't know if you heard of this, but if not it works, You can also take it too when you have a cold sore, (sometimes I get those cold sore that you wake up with,) and if you do take when you have one it seems to make it work faster to get rid of it.

With question the best is valtrex 2 grams at the first hint and again 12 hours later. It can stop it cold. You have to a doc about it though.
You can also take preventive doses 500mg daily. Once you have the full blow blister, nothing but time works.

Duplicate

You can treat it two-fold. First by the foods you take in. Your diet should be low in arginine and high in lysine. Try to avoid foods that have a lot of arginine like caffeine (chocolate, etc), brown rice, raisins, nuts, whole wheat products. Increase the following foods in your diet because they have more lysine, which inhibits the virus: yogurt, beef, eggs, fish, dairy products and potatoes. (Be careful not to take in too much acidic foods, not too much citrus, tomatoes, or meat which can make your body acidic).

Secondly, an excellent natural remedy is Red Marine Algae. This supplement works by making your cells inpenetrable by the virus, which would lend to fewer breakouts, or quicker healing when taken at first sign. The best way to keep any virus in check is to keep it from making your own cells hosts. Red Marine Algae is wonderful for keeping the virus dormant, and strengthening your body's cells.

BE HEALTHY!

I know it sounds gross but it does work...ear wax at the first sign

With medicine to treat the Herpes.

Go to your local Food Co-Op or hippie-type health food store, ask for Pau-D'Arco (pronounced: Paw Darko). It's a tree bark from South America, they've been using it down there for thousands of years. You make a tea out of it. I pack a coffee filter full of it for about 2 cups. It tastes like paper, but some sugar and a little cinnamon takes care of the bitterness pretty well. Drink a few cups a day for like 3 or 4 days, you're cured. It's amazing. It works for a lot of other mouth-problems too. Trench mouth, even. Sore throats, canker sores, you name it. The stuff works insanely well for a lot of stuff. Look it up, it's wild!

I usually use abreva, but when I want to dry it out quickly and get rid of them I use colgate total as soon as I feel the tingling or see the blisters, but I only do that if the sore is limited to the lips, because if it's on the skin like above or around the lips, I found that it leaves marks from the cold sore. Also crest just doesn't seem to work, the only toothpaste that worked for me is colgate. I don't use lysine because my cold sores aren't that bad usually.

Time and a Dremel drill.