Cold sores occur as a result of the herpes simplex virus and this is a difficult virus to control. Once it has attached itself to your nervous system you are always at risk for a cold sore occurring and since these are both unsightly and uncomfortable you want to get rid of them as quickly as possible.
The problem with a cold sore is that the virus that causes them literally kind of sits around just waiting to be reactivated. So, while quick treatment is important so is prevention. Knowing that things like stress, the menstrual cycle, sun or wind damage to the skin, sickness or fever, and burns can cause these, you can also work toward preventing them in the first place. However, if they do occur, there are things you can do at home to heal the cold sore quickly so you can move on with your life.
1.Wipe it out with hydrogen peroxide
Anyone who had a parent that put hydrogen peroxide on a scrape knows that it’s not exactly pleasant. The good news is that it’s a lot less traumatic to use at your own will, nor does it seem to hurt as bad now that you’ve grown up a bit. Love it or hate it, the solution can be an effective cold sore remedy. It disinfects, healing up speeding, and makes it hard for the surfaced sore to spread or worsen. The blister is already bothered and infected, at the very least virally, and keeping it clean can ultimately make it go away faster.
You will need…
-1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide
-cotton balls, cotton pads, or facial tissue
Directions
Soak a cotton ball in 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide. Use more if you feel it isn’t saturated enough. Place the cotton ball directly on your sore-it’s probably going to sting-and hold it there for a few seconds, or dab it around. Let it be for 5 minutes or so, allowing it to do its job, before rinsing off.
2.Take Echinacea
There are a couple of people I am quite close to who drink Echinacea tea religiously and swear by it. Every time I come down with a bug they give me the “I am not sick now am I?” look, with a meaningful nod at their mug of tea. The reason they get away with their smugness is because Echinacea bolsters your immune system and its defenses, making it harder to catch bugs, and shortening how long you are affected by them. While not yet proven it may help prevent cold sore outbreaks which often show when the immune system is weakened.
You will need…
-1 bag of Echinacea tea
-1 cup freshly boiled water
Directions
Place your bag in a mug and pour boiling water over it. Cover-a plate works well-and let it steep for 10 minutes. Squeeze the juice out of the bag when you remove it to get all the extra good stuff.
3.Enjoy vanilla
Vanilla extract, the real, good, pure, vanilla extract, is a natural cold sore remedy some people swear by. The thought process is that its alcohol based, and running along those lines, makes it hard for the virus to thrive and either wipes it out or lessens the severity and length of the outbreak. If you do use vanilla, try and get it organic, and try to start using it the second you feel the tingling set it.
You will need…
-a cotton swab or cotton pad
-pure vanilla extract
Directions…
Soak cotton pad or swab in vanilla until thoroughly saturated. Apply directly to sore, holding the swab or pad in place for a minute or so. Do this four times daily until no longer needed
4.Cornstarch paste
If you’ve worked with cornstarch before you’ll be familiar with its fine, almost silky, texture-it seems like it could be soothing to a cold sore, doesn’t it? I would say so, and it can indeed help relieve the itchy burning pain of a sore when directly applied. The less obvious reason as to why cornstarch makes a pleasant home remedy for cold sores is the fact that it neutralizes the pH of the sore- the virus thrives in an overly-acidic environment-and creates an alkaline state (alkaline is the opposite of acidic.) To seek relief, and shorten the duration of your cold sore, simply whip up a silky-smooth cornstarch paste.
You will need…
-1 tablespoon of cornstarch
-1 teaspoon of fresh water to start
Measure out 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and place in a small bowl. Mix in 1 teaspoon of fresh water. Add more water slowly until you achieve a paste-like consistency. Put a dab on your cold sore before bed, and rinse off gently with water in the morning. Do this nightly until cold sore is gone.
5.Grab some aloe gel
The go-to for soothing minor skin irritations, aloe vera gel can provide quick relief from the pain of a cold sore once it blisters. It also fights off bacteria that may be irritating the sore more, and may make it go away faster. Being so dependable, aloe is often touted as being one of the best natural remedies for skin problems there is. The best way to benefit from it is to have an aloe plant. They’re not hard to come by, they’re hardy (I got one when I was five and it managed to survive my care for years,) and best of all, they’re useful and inexpensive. If you cannot get an aloe plant, find a good gel sold in stores.
You will need…
-1 aloe plant OR ½ teaspoon of aloe vera gel
Directions…
Break off the end of one fleshy, succulent, leaf. Directly apply the gel to your sore. If you absolutely cannot come by a plant, dab a cotton swab in roughly ½ teaspoon aloe vera gel and apply directly. Leave on.
6.Ice it
Looks aside, cold sores hurt. They can really, really hurt. Think about what they are-little fluid filled boo-boos that burst, blister, and form a crust. Kind of like constipation, they aren’t taken very seriously. If you complain about constipation pain-which can land you in the E.R., by the way-all people think is “poop” and then they tune out. With cold sores, most people think “herpes” and then move on-especially since cold sores are so common. To numb the pain that some people just don’t understand (and the injustice of it all) try holding an ice cube directly on the sore for as long as possible, and then put on a dab of petroleum jelly. The jelly will help keep bacteria out, and will lessen that tight, skin-splitting sensation that sometimes happens when a blister gets too dry, as it might after using an ice cube. It’s along the same lines of how licking chapped lips makes them worse.
You will need…
-1 to 2 fresh ice cubes, or an ice pack
-A bit of petroleum jelly
Directions…
Take a nice chilly ice cube, which would be most of them, and hold it on your sore for as long as possible, or use an ice pack. When you’ve finished, pat any obviously remaining water gently from the sore and apply a dab of petroleum jelly.
7.Dab on some witch hazel
The leaves and bark of North American witch hazel have been used medicinally for years, namely by Native Americans, and have now become quite commercialized. Nowadays you don’t have to worry about tracking down a plant and stripping off its leaves and bark since you can find a bottle of witch hazel, or witch hazel hydrosol, at just about any pharmacy or general store. Since it does not produce enough oil to sell as an essential oil, the hydrosol is a distilled liquid version. It has been shown to help with a number of maladies, particularly in skin care, with emphasis on acne, bruises, insect bites, blisters and, if you hadn’t guessed by now, cold sores.
You will need…
-1 teaspoon of witch hazel
-cotton swab or cotton pad
Soak a cotton pad or the end of a cotton swab in witch hazel. Dab directly onto your sore, and leave on. Do this 1-2 times daily as needed.
8.Snag some licorice
One of the more random natural remedies for cold sores that you can use is licorice. Glycyrhizic acid, an ingredient in licorice root, has been shown in some studies to stop the virus cells in their nasty little tracks-or at least counteract the symptoms of them. This is thanks to its anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. A way to glean something positive from this isn’t to go munch on a bunch of licorice whips, but rather get some licorice powder, and make a cream. You can also try drinking licorice tea daily, though that doesn’t seem as effective as topical treatment.
You will need…
-1 tablespoon licorice root powder or extract
-1/2 teaspoon fresh water OR approximately 2 teaspoons petroleum jelly
Directions…
Mix one tablespoon of licorice root powder to ½ teaspoon of fresh water, or however much you need to get the consistency of cream you want, making sure to add in small increments. Another option is to mix it with petroleum jelly, which on its own can help speed up the healing process of cold sores. If you opt for this, start with a teaspoon of the petroleum jelly and mix it with the licorice root. You can work your way up to your desired consistency from there. Gently dab (a cotton swab is handy for this) a thin layer over the sore, making sure to get it completely covered. Leave it on for at least several hours, or overnight if possible.
9.Get milk
Putting a whole milk compress on your sore can help speed up the healing, and ease pain. The reason? Milk contains proteins known as immunoglobulins, which are essentially anti-bodies that fight off and prevent viruses-like herpes. It also contains l-lysine. L-lysine helps inhibit the wicked work of an ammino acid called arginine, which has been shown to cause outbreaks, and may help speed up the healing process as well. In short to prevent outbreaks, drink whole milk and get your dose of l-lysine. To help cold sores that have already erupted, make a whole milk compress to soothe the pain and fight off the virus.
You will need…
-1/2 cup to 1 cup of whole milk, plus a tablespoon or 2 extra
-cotton balls or cotton pads
Directions
Soak a cotton ball in approximately 1 tablespoon of milk, and apply it directly to the cold sore for several minutes. Before doing this you can either let the milk come to room temperature or, if you prefer, you can apply it cold. Use a clean towel moistened with water to dab off the milky residue at the end. If you feel you need it, apply a dab of petroleum jelly.
- Be minty fresh
Peppermint oil is thought to have properties that directly kill virus particles outside of your cells, like the ones floating around an erupted cold sore. It won’t help to ingest peppermint oil because it only attacks the virus escaped from your cells. What we mean by it being “outside” of your cells is that herpes simplex virus usually resides beneath the skin, lurking and waiting for a trigger to make it rear its ugly head. When its’ erupted, its accessible to treat with the oil. When applied directly to a cold sore, people have found that the sore healed faster than usual-especially when applied at the very first sign of one.
You will need…
-Good quality peppermint oil
-1 cotton swab
-a bit of fresh water
Directions
First, use a bit of water to rinse the surface of the cold sore. Doing so gets away some of the surface gunk that would make it harder for the oil to really sink in and do its best. Then, dip a cotton swab in clean water and then dip it into the peppermint oil. This is to dilute it a bit, making it less likely to irritate your skin. Try this twice daily until it is no longer needed.
Source: http://www.simplehouseholdtips.com/