to think NOTHING gets rid of a bastard coldsore once it's decided to be a bastard?

[turkeyontheplate]

Tried everything over the years - Blisteze, earwax, zovirax, toothpaste, baking soda, peroxide...once the blisters appear, nothing seems to make a blind bit of difference.

I have a particularly hideous fat angry cauliflower on my upper lip right now. Does anyone have any magic remedies I haven't tried yet, before it turns into a disgusting slimy bran flake?

Lysine tablets help reduce the time it stays!

Lysine. Admittedly it's 1000 times more effective if you take it before the blisters. But it does reduce severity and length of time.

I like the Compeed stickers. There is an art to them though that comes with practise! Usually only good for getting it in the early stages and stops the scab forming so it's less obvious and I think helps it heal quicker

Acyclovir, prescribed from GP. I used to take it daily then up the dose once I could feel an outbreak. It significantly improved the amount and severity of coldsores I got. Took it for about 6 months which seemed to let my immune system recover enough so that I don't need the daily dose any more.

I feel your pain, I used to suffer terribly - I'd get multiple sores around my mouth and on/up my nose with the accompanying swelling and pain. Much much better these days though.

Oh yes and Lysine and compeed plasters do help when I get an outbreak

I suffer badly and am allergic to the active ingredient in most cold sore remedies. This year I found a link online to a device called Herpotherm which is available in Boots. At the first tingle I applied it regularly: the following day where there would normally be a massive cluster of sores, there was nothing. And nothing since! Might be too late for your current outbreak but definitely worth reading up on :)

Yes nothing over the counter works for me and I get really bad outbreaks. Have been prescribed 6 month courses of Aciclovar about 4 times, then free of cold sores for a couple of years. One time I got them elsewhere on my face, not on my lip at all so not transferred. My GP prescribed a mega dose of Aciclovar to get rid, I felt pretty awful but it did the trick.

I find Cymex really good.

Ice has had some success in the very early stages.
Otherwise ive found doing absolutely nothing is the best thing.

Elizabeth Arden eight hour cream works for me

The Superdrug own brand cold sore cream is amazing. I don't know what's different but they heal so much quicker

Sudocrem works for me, not saying it will for you but ive used all the remedies it seems to work brilliantly for me, gone in 48 hours

Lomaherpan cream is the only thing that works for DP. It's got lemon balm oil in. I order from the herpes society online

Yes, oral acyclovir from the gp. It was a revelation.

I keep a tube of the ointment handy too and at the first tingle I apply it which can minimise an attack.

L-lysine and monolaurin. Take them every day and you’ll never have another cold sore.

Blast perfume or aftershave on it 3 times a day as soon as you start to feel a tingle.

Once it's gone nuclear there's nothing much that helps. If anything I find the more I piss about with lotions and creams, the more it hurts.

The Compeed patches seem to reduce the sting a bit but even they don't work once it goes slimy - they just slide off.

Iv suffered with coldsores my whole life ! I feel your pain ! Also tried everything the one thing I always do now.. ICE ! Feel it coming ice it next day ice it within 2 days it goes reduces the swelling and ugliness of it and makes it go faster !

The only thing I've found is using alcohol, the strongest you can gat hold of and dab on the area regularly. Usually clears in a couple of days.

Vaseline! I've suffered from cold sores for years, I tried everything and as soon as that tingle appears I put Vaseline on it. You have to keep applying it during the day. It usually doesn't develop fully and is gone in about 3 days.

I prefer to dry them out. Fab with tea tree oil.
Another fan of lysine. I take one a day. If I feel a tingle ( sometimes I’m imagining one is going to erupt!) I take 3 ! Definitely reduced frequency.
Totally hate them 😭

Clearly dab ! Not fab!!

Get some antivirals off the doctor if you are getting then regularly

I buy Vogel bio propolis ointment for my Dh and he swears by it... usually get it from amazon

Aciclovir tablets on prescripition have been miraculous for me. I used to get them tregualrly. Now when I feel that tingle I pop a couple of those and it just stops itont it's tracks. I wish I'd found out about them years ago