Cold sores - anyone help?

[Ciano]

Hi all after a week of feeling lousy with a cold I woke this morning with 2 Cold sores throbbing either side of my top lip. I have the creams as I would normally get one or 2 a yr but I know Il wake up in the morning looking like Ms Piggy Have the day booked off work to go shopping with Hubbie and was really looking forward to it. Just on the off chance anyone got any amazing remedies that would work quickly?

[Jedi Princess]

I use the cold sore plasters. I find they take the pain away, and they seem to heal faster.

Hope you feel better soon.

[Nicksgirl]

Originally Posted by Ciano

Hi all after a week of feeling lousy with a cold I woke this morning with 2 Cold sores throbbing either side of my top lip. I have the creams as I would normally get one or 2 a yr but I know Il wake up in the morning looking like Ms Piggy Have the day booked off work to go shopping with Hubbie and was really looking forward to it. Just on the off chance anyone got any amazing remedies that would work quickly?

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No remedies, but I used to suffer so bad with these and then found Lyseine cream, now once a tingle comes I slather it on.

The only thing I do when I do get an outbreak is try to cover it completely with Rimmels stick concealer every hour, thick coat and it dries it out quickly but you have to stay at home with it, as you look a bit like a clown... hee hee.. Good luck and hope you feel better soon. xx

[WhereIBelong]

Lysine cream at the first sign of a tingle and keep reapplying as it says on the tube. Lysine supplements can help long term if they have a tendency to recur.

Once they have erupted and started to blister, Blistex relief cream will help it heal more quickly (the ammonia increases blood circulation working wonders on healing - but it stinks - especially if just under your nose! )

Good luck - it is a real pain when you have things planned and nature decides to throw something else in the mix.

[mskitty]

My mum used to get them so bad. I can't tell you how bad they were. The virus would take over her whole body. It was awful. I then heard about Lysine tablets which she started taking on a daily basis and she's not had one since! She sometimes gets the tingle but that is as far as it goes. The tablets have totally changed her life. They may not help you right now but worth considering going forward.

My DD also gets coldsores but is too young for the tablets so has the cream and also uses a plaster called Dotz which seems to help clear them up quicker.

[Jan]

My DH swears by Boots Cold Sore lotion applied hourly or as often as possible at the first sign of a tingle.

[Pjamas]

Old fashioned remedy is a dab of after shave - no idea if this is safe or not but I always find anything that stings helps a cold sore. I use hand sanitiser on them and it helps dry them up. Again no idea of this is a good idea but it works for me.

[Beaker89]

I swear by using liquid Anbesol. It's not a miracle cure, but it numbs the area so you can forget about it. I also find it stops you constantly picking/bothering the area so they heal a lot more quickly.

[Irishlass]

I always manage to get one during the night when sleeping so never feel a tingle to try to stop it. Usually wake up the next morning with a big bruiser of a cold sore.

I've stopped putting creams on mine as I read somewhere that they keep the cold sore moisturised and feed it.
I now soak a cotton wool pad with vinegar and let it soak on the coldsore for about 5-10 mins. Can sting for a bit but eventually numbs it for a while.
Also use a used lukewarm teabag on it as I heard it helps dry it out.

[WhereIBelong]

Originally Posted by Pjamas

Old fashioned remedy is a dab of after shave - no idea if this is safe or not but I always find anything that stings helps a cold sore. I use hand sanitiser on them and it helps dry them up. Again no idea of this is a good idea but it works for me.

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Anything that makes it sting usually makes it red - anything that makes it red does so by widening the capillaries and increasing blood-flow to the area, this speeds healing.

Sometimes the old-wives tales are based on good practise. Sometimes you also need to take care (won't necessarily be sterile etc so if skin is broken could introduce infection).