MORE: Home Remedies For Cold Sores The good news, says Kakita, is that most people develop a slight immunity to herpes simplex over the years, making outbreaks fewer and farther between. And fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to minimize the pain of a cold sore and speed its healing.
Let It Be
“If the cold sore isn’t really bothersome, just leave it alone,” says James F. Rooney, MD. “Make sure to keep the sore clean and dry.”
Keep Your Hands Off
People don’t realize how highly contagious cold sores are, says Geraldine Morrow, DMD. “If you have a cold sore on your lip, don’t pull it, don’t stretch it, don’t touch it.” You could get “very, very painful” cold sores on your hands, especially if the fluids from the blister get under a hangnail, Morrow says. MORE: 7 Types Of Bumps And Blemishes You Should Never Try To Pop
Replace Your Toothbrush
Your toothbrush can harbor the herpes virus for days, reinfecting you after a cold sore heals. Researchers at the University of Oklahoma exposed a sterile toothbrush to the virus for 10 minutes. Seven days later, half of the disease-producing viruses remained, says Richard T. Glass, DDS, PhD. Glass recommends that you throw away your toothbrush when you notice you’re just beginning to get a cold sore. (Read this if you haven’t replaced your toothbrush in 3 months.) If you still develop a sore, get a new toothbrush after the blister develops and breaks. This can prevent you from developing multiple sores. And once the sore has healed completely, replace your toothbrush again. He says that patients who tried this method found it significantly reduced the number of cold sores they typically experienced in a year.
Don’t Store Your Toothbrush In The Bathroom
A damp toothbrush in a moist environment like your bathroom is a perfect environment for herpes simplex virus. That moisture helps prolong the life of the herpes virus on your toothbrush. That’s why Glass recommends storing your toothbrush in a dry spot, preferably on a window ledge where the UV rays of sunlight can penetrate into the bristles, because UV light kills the virus.
Use Small Tubes Of Toothpaste
Toothpaste can transmit disease, too, says Glass. Buy small tubes so that you replace them regularly. MORE: 12 Things Your Dentist Knows About You Just By Looking In Your Mouth
Protect With Petroleum Jelly
You can protect your cold sore by covering it with medicated petroleum jelly, says Glass. This will help keep the sore moist and prevent cracking. Be sure not to dip back into the jelly with the same finger you used to touch your sore. Better yet, use a cotton swab each time.
Zap It With Zinc
Many studies show that a water-based zinc solution, applied the minute you feel that tingling, will speed healing. In a Boston study of 200 patients who were followed over a 6-year period, a 0.025% solution of zinc sulfate in camphorated water was found very effective. Sores healed in an average of 5.3 days. The solution was applied every 30 to 60 minutes during the onset of the cold sore. Researchers in Israel also found a 2% water-based zinc solution, applied several times a day, was very helpful, says Milos Chvapil, MD, PhD. How does zinc help? The zinc ions crosslink with the DNA molecule of the herpes virus and prevent the DNA from replicating, reducing the number of viruses produced, he says. Zinc gluconate is kinder to the skin than zinc sulfate, says Chvapil. The mineral is available at health food stores.
Identify The Pattern
What was going on in your life just before you got your last cold sore? What about the cold sore prior to that? If you do some sleuthing, you may figure out what triggers a cold sore for you. If you can find a trigger, take additional lysine when you’re most prone to cold sores, says Mark A. McCune, MD. Common triggers include stress and a variety of foods.
Grab An Ice Cube
Applying ice directly to a cold sore can reduce the swelling and provide temporary relief, says Morrow.
Form A Barrier
Abreva, an over-the-counter medication containing docosanol, works by protecting healthy cells from the infected cells. Applying it may make the cold sore infection less likely to penetrate the healthy cells. Use the cream 5 times a day, beginning when you experience the first symptoms, says David H. Emmert, MD. This can help your cold sore heal 1 to 2 days quicker.
Numb It
Most over-the-counter products contain an emollient to reduce cracking and soften scabs, and a numbing agent such as phenol or camphor. Phenol may have some antiviral properties, says Rooney. “Theoretically, it is possible that phenol is capable of killing the virus.”
Block Sun And Wind
Protecting your lips from trauma like sunburn or wind exposure was cited by all our experts as a key to preventing cold sores.
Perfect Your Coping Skills
Studies have shown that stress can trigger recurrences of the herpes simplex virus. High levels of stress are not necessarily the culprit, says Cal Vanderplate, PhD. “How you cope with the stress—how you perceive it—is what’s important.” His number one stress deflator is maintaining a loving social support system. “A sense of control is also very important. If you take a positive attitude toward your health, you’ll be better able to influence your symptoms.”
Relax
“By the time symptoms appear, it’s too late to intervene in stress reduction,” says Vanderplate. “But you may be able to reduce the severity by doing some relaxation exercises.” He favors deep muscle relaxation techniques, biofeedback, visualization, and meditation. (Here’s 8 simple meditations that can change your life.)
Exercise
“There is some evidence that exercise actually helps bolster the immune system,” says Vanderplate. The stronger your immune system, the better able it is to defend you against viruses. Exercise is also a super way to relax, he says. MORE: 10 Exercises You Hate The Most—And What To Do Instead
Sleep Upright
If you have a cold sore, prop a few pillows behind your head at bedtime to let gravity help the blisters drain, says Kakita. Otherwise, fluid may settle in your lip during the night. (Find out what your favorite sleep position says about you.)
Correct Your Perception
No one likes getting a cold sore. But if you have one, focusing on it and worrying about how you look can make it worse. “Minimize any negative perceptions you have about it,” says Vanderplate. “Tell yourself that it is just like a pimple and it won’t interfere in your life in any way.”
Cold Sore Cures From The Kitchen
Fighting cold sores may involve your daily diet. Try these tips: Rely on lysine: McCune advises patients who have more than three cold sores a year to supplement their daily diets with 2,000 to 3,000 milligrams of the amino acid lysine. He also recommends that they double up on the dosage when they feel the itching and tingling that signals the start of another cold sore. However, don’t take amino acids without your doctor’s guidance. The supplement may not be safe for those with high cholesterol, heart disease, or high triglycerides. Not all studies have found lysine helpful for people with cold sores. But in one study of 41 patients, McCune and his colleagues found that a daily dose of 1,248 milligrams of lysine helped subjects reduce the number of cold sores they have in a year. Good food sources of lysine include dairy products, potatoes, and brewer’s yeast. Avoid arginne-rich foods: The herpes simplex virus needs arginine as an essential amino acid for its metabolism. So cut out arginine-rich foods such as chocolate, cola, peas, grain cereals, peanuts, gelatin, cashews, and beer. Apply lemon balm tea: Also known as melissa, lemon balm is “a first-choice herbal treatment” for cold sores, according to botanist James Duke, PhD, author of The Green Pharmacy. Lemon balm has antiviral properties that work to tame herpes outbreaks. Prepare lemon balm tea by brewing 2 to 4 teaspoons of the herb per cup of boiling water. Let it cool, then apply it with a cotton ball to the cold sore several times a day.
Do You Need To See A Doctor?
Left alone, a cold sore will normally last 10 to 14 days, says Kakita. But if you’re bothered by frequent, severe cold sores, it makes sense to see your doctor. Even if the cold sore develops, most people find that the outbreak will be milder, less painful, and shorter if they’re taking medication. Prescription medications such as acyclovir (Zovirax) are available to fight the herpes simplex virus 1 responsible for cold sores, and they can stop a cold sore in its tracks, says Kakita. If a cold sore develops pus, seek medical attention, advises Rooney. You probably have a bacterial infection, which can benefit from antibiotic treatment.
Panel Of Advisors
Milos Chvapil, MD, PhD, is a professor emeritus of surgery in the surgical biology section of the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. James Duke, PhD, held several posts in his more than 3 decades with the USDA, including chief of the Medicinal Plant Resources Laboratory. He is author of The Green Pharmacy. David H. Emmert, MD, is a family physician in Millersville, Pennsylvania, who has summarized cold sore treatments for the medical journal American Family Physician. Richard T. Glass, DDS, PhD, is a professor of forensic sciences, pathology, and dental medicine at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is a professor emeritus and former chair of the department of oral and maxillofacial pathology at the University of Oklahoma, Colleges of Dentistry, Graduate, and Medicine, and professor of pathology. Lenore S. Kakita, MD, is a clinical associate professor of dermatology at the University of California in Los Angeles and an advisor to the American Academy of Dermatology. Mark A. McCune, MD, is a dermatologist in Overland Park, Kansas. He is president of Kansas City Dermatology, PA and past chair of the department of dermatology at Humana Hospital in Overland Park. Geraldine Morrow, DMD, is past president of the American Dental Association, a member of the American Association of Women Dentists, and a dentist in Anchorage, Alaska. James F. Rooney, MD, is a former special expert in the laboratory of oral medicine at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Cal Vanderplate, PhD, is a clinical faculty member at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and a clinical psychologist specializing in stress-related disorders.
