I've got my first cold sore ever and I'm about to get married

[febrezy]

My toddler got a cold sore at nursery and I tried so hard but I've just woken up and the middle of my top lip is swollen and tingly. It's big. I'm about to get married and I'm in tears. I've never had one before. Will I get lots? I keep seeing outbreak online. Will it just be this one? How often am I likely to get more? I'm so upset

Get a Gp appointment asap and see if they will give you antivirals. Get some cream from the chemist today. Ignore all the home remedies and avoid touching it as much as possible. Once your immune system gets the hand of things it won’t be such a big deal but you won’t to avoid spreading it further on your face or body. Tell the secretary your predicament and send a photo - the meds work best if taken as early as possible. The first infection is always the worst. You may never get another cold sore after this episode or you may find you get them regularly but it will never be as bad as the first time.

They usually take 7-10days to heal. The first episode I had took a big longer. This is shit timing but you will be fine.

Models and actors and news presenters are humans too and they get spots and cold sores like everyone else. You can cover the sores with compeed patches and then put make up over the top - use q tips or something disposable to do it and never touch one to your face and put it back in the makeup.

Take painkillers if it hurts. You might feel unwell with it too. (Tired & achy)

The picture definitely does look like a cold sore doesn't it?

This, it's the only thing that will clear them up fast. Gets rid of mine in 24-48 hours.

What if the doctor won't prescribe? I'm in wales has anyone used an online pharmacy here?

Spray perfume on it, dries them out

Some posts mention keeping it moist and others drying it out - which one do I do?

I agree with the acyclovir, lysine and patch advice. A daily lysine tablet can help prevent a future attack or make it milder and you can take them multiple times a day during an attack. As a 40 year cold sore sufferer, I find them a God-send. You will get them at a health food shop or on Amazon.

I'd also suggest painkillers if it's very uncomfortable. It helps with the throbbing.

Cold sores make you feel down but please remember that it feels much worse to you than it looks to others. The patches really help to reduce the constant niggle, stop you accidentally touching it and you will be able to cover with makeup. The tingling will be gone by Saturday for sure.
I hope you have a lovely wedding day.

I second getting a Herpotherm pen. I get the tingle and use immediately and my cold sores never fully develop. I also have a Virulite which works well but they seem hard to get hold of now.

I don't use creams and tablets as these devices are enough.

@Cervinia sounds like you had impetigo not a cold sore

You poor sausage. Do definitely plead with your gp first thing. Superdrug or lloydspharmacy can get them to you for next day delivery if you need a private prescription, but obviously if you can start them today it is better.

I have used a combination of tablets, and alternated cortisone cream with acyclovir cream (using this as a model www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-154448/acyclovir-hydrocortisone-topical/details ) when totally desperate, with good effect. (I also didn't stick to the timings of the cream regime) I'm not a medical person though, it was out of desperation.

Are your having your make up done? If so, warn them in advance, they will be very used to covering up cold sores. Photos can be touched up too if needed.

Remember that this is just one centimeter of your body. The rest of you will still look utterly beautiful.

Drying it out will heal it quicker but it will go brown, crusty and scabby.

Yes to the Herpotherm pen! My daughter gets cold sores and we have tried everything over the years. She swears by this. £30 in Boots or Amazon.

With such short notice what's best? I'll try and get a prescription and I'll get L-Lysine from H&B. Do I try herpotherm heat thing or patches? Or could I try both use the herpotherm and then put a patch on? I don't want to do two much and cause damage that lasts even longer

What horrendous timing :( The compeed patches are really good and it’ll mostly be gone by the weekend. Ime though the important thing with cold sores is that you must not touch it as you’ll spread it round your face.

Do you feel ill? I think usually with a first infection you also feel ill. If you don't I wonder if it is either a flare up, and you've had it before, or something else. Can you double check with a GP or pharmacist? If it's impetigo you're going to need a different type of cream.

Id say you want to not dry it out too much before the weekend (to avoid the scabbing stage).
The acyclovir cream/tablets should dry the blisters but the patches will prevent the scabbing. Keep it covered with a patch as much as possible. That's another reason why it would be good if you could get the tablets.
Propolis cream is great for reducing cracking at the scabbing stage so get some of it at the health food shop too.

www.dailychemist.com/product/aciclovir/?landingPage&gclid=CjwKCAjw7vuUBhBUEiwAEdu2pEVCdnDgfWNQ9pc7MGA0TtNRTYmwN-QRqc4YnsKrJeuybfT3HMaECRoCeewQAvD_BwE

If you can't get through to GP I'd try this.
Rest, no alcohol. It's very likely it will be much better by saturday

Off duty doctor here.

I don't feel ill no, literally just got woken up at 4 and could feel something was wrong, it was fine last night before bed. It seems a coincidence to get impetigo when my toddler currently has a bad cold sore his first one too? I will see if I can get a pharmacist to have a look though

You could well have caught it in the 6 years if you didn't already have in, the majority of the population had it, but the stress of the wedding has triggered an outbreak. Nearly always the first outbreak is the worst, they will eventually become less angry amd less frequent

Oh gosh. I'm so sorry. I get cold sores and this is my biggest fear. I nearly made myself ill before my 40th fretting about having one and being the centre of attention. I normally blast them with Zovirax but in all honesty, I find with mine, once they're there, they're there. I've had special occasions spoilt by mine too, but a wedding is very different. I'm so sorry this has happened.

Rang GP doctor will phone back this morning. Fingers crossed. Will go buy some patches too.

Hope doctor can help with aclivor tablets .

The patches don’t let it dry out which is best for you as that means it avoids the scabbing stage. It’s the scabbing that will look worse. For me the aclivor cream initially makes it worse.

Another point on patches, only get the compeed ones. I have tried own brand Boots I think and they were thicker and not half as good.

Good luck!

How soon do you usually get your second flare up after first being infected? Bet I'll have one for the honeymoon now too. This is so depressing - when toddler got his I thought poor kids got them for life now and actually appreciated never having one. Jinxed it