I’d forgotten how awful cold sores are - help!

[sycamore54321]

I’ve just come out in my first cold sore in decades. No idea what triggered it but it’s a hideous sore blister just below my lip. It looks horrible and it’s pretty painful. The pharmacy recommended the Compeed plasters so I’m wearing one now which seems to help a bit. But any tips or tricks or hints to get rid of it and to keep them gone most welcome. Or any scientists wanting to enroll me in a trial for the latest vaccine/treatment/preventive most welcome.

Get some Lysine tablets as soon as you can. Health food shops sell them.

I was going to say the compeed patches. Once the coldsore is out there isn’t too much you can do really. Keep up with the patches, they were a life saver for me.

I think the usual treatment is wearing a bike helmet on your head whenever you need to go out in public.

Seriously though, those Compeed patches are useless. Keep putting Zovirax on and stop thinking about it. And don’t pick!

Oh jeepers, I definitely won’t pick, I can barely look at my face in the mirror. The thoughts of touching it would turn my stomach! Do people actually pick coldsore??

So Zovirax v cold sore patches? The patches say don’t use alongside cream. I’ve no more access to the shops this evening but will stick with patch for now and give Zovirax a whirl in the morning once the shops open. And the Lysiene too - what’s that? Some kind of vitamins?

And yes, paper bag over the head when in public. And cover all mirrors at home

Yes don't pick it, it might spread!

Ice cubes on it will reduce the swelling

, they are shit

Yes people pick when it gets to the dreaded scab phase.

Llynsine tablets and llynsine lipbalm from Holland and Barrett. I have tubs of the balm in my livingroom, bedroom, handbag and work as its truely a miracle worker. Ive had coldsores for over 30 years and its the best stuff ever!

Bloody horrible things. You have my sympathy OP. I recommend lots of Zovirax and drinking berocca twice a day.

It’ll sting, but dot a cotton bud with some perfume and hold it on the coldsore. Kills the infection —and stings— but it always works for me.

I haven't found anything that works, including zovirax. If anything it makes it worse because you are always touching it to apply the cream.

Zovirax has never worked for me. I have found best result with aloe Vera juice straight from the plant.

Lysine tablets, Holland and Barrett. Triple the dose whilst it's active then maintain with normal daily dose. If I take them I don't get them, if I stop I breakout. And I used to get one every six weeks. Swear by them!

Boots cold sore lotion to dry it out. Ice cubes need to be used when the tingling starts and can stop it coming up if you catch it in time, however it may well come back a few days later.

Alcohol will also dry it out. Once you have done that you can start with the moisturising stuff.

I have a little machine got at Lloyd’s years ago, blasts red light at the cold sore, was expensive, £20 or so, but over years that compares OK with the cream which is perishable and didn’t work too well for me. works v well for me.

Yes, same as Loopytiles! The light machine thing is excellent! If I don’t manage to zap them with it at the tingling stage, they definitely seem to heal faster than they ever used to.

I'm with @doodlejump1980 you need perfume on a cotton bud and a pillow the bite cos it stings like a bastard it sorts it out and you don't end up smearing your face and hands in coldsore infected cream.

Lemon balm, I just discovered it and it worked wonders on this last cold sore, really seemed to speed up the healing time

Zorivax definitely, but don't rub it in, just dab it. Yes, you walk around with a big white blob but it works.

Perfume works because it contains alcohol, it is the alcohol that dries up the sore. Cold sore lotion is alcohol based. You can get the same results by using gin or vodka etc.

also throw out any lipsticks you used when you started getting the sore, I've been re infected that way. Hate them.

Zovirax.

So does the Lysine stuff only work if you take the tablets all the time?

Also does anyone else get cold sores on their nose or is that just me . They appear around the edge of my nostrils when I get a "runny nose" cold and am constantly blowing and wiping my nose

OhMyGodTheyKilledKenny the lipbalm llysine is brilliant. I get them on my nose too and the balm can be used there

Bonjela

If Zovirax doesn't work for you, and it doesn't for a lot of people, try the excellent Bonjela cold sore cream. Asap. Compeed is good overnight.