h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As the writer of this interesting article said, there are ointments/creams which can reduce the ferocity of a cold sore if used early enough.

In the UK, it's possible to buy Zovirax over the counter at the chemist. This is acyclovir based and can also be given on prescription.
There's also another anti-viral cream available - Penvir, which is pencyclovir. This is only available on prescription from a GP or dentist.

Through personal experience, I've found that Zovirax 'goes off' quite quickly - ie if the tube's been open for a few months, it tends not to work so well the next time you need it. I found Penvir worked very quickly in terms of controlling the pain but seemed to delay healing of the lesion.

Once when I was really stuck and had no creams available, I used an ice-cube wrapped in paper towel. If this is held against the early developing cold sore for 15 minutes out of every hour it can help prevent the lesion from developing. There haven't been any clinical trials on this old wives' remedy as far as I'm aware - and it's not likely there will be since there's not much money to be made out of ice-cubes. And it has to be said, it's not terribly convenient compared to a cream.

I have found that my cold sores have tended to 'burn themselves out' after a few years. The ones in my nose used to be excruciating!

Using a high SPF lip balm generally prevents me from developing any on my lip these days.

Happy ing.

Salt also. The salt will burn ,but draw all the liquid out and dry it up quicker

I've just recieved a device called a virulite. Two 3 minute treatments of the light from it are, according to the published clinical trials, result in healing of the sore in around 4 and a half days in most cases. Zovirax and similar have no effect upon the sores I suffer, and I thought that this seemed worth a try. I've not had a cold sore yet, but ... will let you know how the gadget works! Oh it does have a website.

That's interesting. Does it use a specific type of light?

Doesn't this entry make it sound worse than it is-- coldsores (on the mouth) I mean... I don't think anyone refers to genital herpes as coldsores!

Since I've 'suffered' with coldsores since a little kid I've never had a prolem with it... the worst i've had is someone saying that I've got something on my lip to which I 'correct' them in saying is a coldsore as they seem to think that black crusty scab is a bit of food or something...!

They're not even that bad (speaking from the mouth and having never had any of the others!) once the get past the 'raw' blisters before they scab over...

But it's interesting to now that as I type I've still got a virus living in my skin and won't go away...!

I've suffered from ugly cold sores since my early twenties. They come and go and for a few years I was almost free of them, but then suddenly they starting plaguing me again. I used to get them under my nose, now on my top lip.

When I lived in the USA I went to my doctor and explained that the creams were not helping. My son was very little at the time, and when he was born I could not kiss him because of my horrid cold sore and then every few months the same thing would happen. I am scrupulous about not kissing my family when I have a cold sore, and I think I suffer more than they do over this, it is very hard for me not to kiss them. I also wash my hands to an almost ridiculous degree when I have a cold sore. In short, when it happens every three months or so, it is no minor inconvenience!

Anyway, in California, my doctor gave me tablets of Acyclovir in 200mg capsules. I didn't have another cold sore for nearly two years, as every time I got a tingle I would just take a tablet. It was a little embarrassing filling the prescription as I always felt I had to say "I don't get genital herpes you know, just cold sores on my face" - I know that's bloody silly, but anyway....Regardless these tablets genuinely worked, the creams never did much at all except perhaps to shorten the duration.

I have recently had a recurrence of cold sores and I plan to go to the doctor and ask for an equivalent of the tablets I had in the US. If the creams or other methods are really not working for you, why not ask your doctor if there is an alternative? It worked for me.

Regards

As a fellow sufferer of the cursed crusty compadre's i have found that a regular dab of an Avon Tea Tree blemish stick. Sees the little blighters off in record time !

I bet tea tree oil would work!
Similar to the salt principle only better actually.

I have heard the RX mentioned works well also.
It is bit expensive for some to stay with.

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Dear Sir,

I'm suffering from cold sores for the first time,
I'm desperate to get rid of them, but by what I've been reading,
there is no known cure for this. I was very impressed by the information that you posted on that web site of BBC. I think I'm gonna buy those tablets of Acyclovir in 200mg capsules (I already found them available in a US Website) but, do you know how many capsules should I take per day?

Thank you very much.

Kind Regards,
D. Britto

Dear Sir,

I was very impressed by the information that you posted on that web site, which is: "Using a high SPF lip balm generally prevents me from developing any on my lip these days."

Which High SPF Lip balm do you use? Does it really prevent you from developing cold sore on your lip?


Thank you very much.

Kind Regards,
D. Britto