The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Paige (Texas) on 05/11/2017
★★★★★
Hydrogen peroxide for cold sores: just keep applying 😀
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Tmccallum (United States ) on 12/29/2015
★★★★★
For years I would get re-occurring cold sores when a change in the weather would come;typically from warm to cold. However, this year I used HP and soaked a cotton ball in it and applied (ran back and forth) on my upper lip for repeatedly until I felt it tingle on my upper lip. The tingling helped me to know that it was working. I did this until the tingling stopped. NO cold sore! Not sure this will work for everyone but I can feel when something is not working right on my body and I try to be proactive in stopping it. I hope this helps!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Lee (Blenheim, New Zealand) on 12/17/2012
★★★★★
I can not reccommend Hydrogen peroxide enough! I had my first ever break out of cold sores on my bottom lip, it started as one then ended up having 4, my lip was a mess and showed no signs of improving it just kept scabbing then cracking. I went and got Hydrogen peroxide 6% (but im sure 3% or whatever one you can get would work) and I put it on every time I looked in the mirror or remembered about it -the more the better! (I also started taking L-lysine and olive leaf extract but I know it was the hydrogen peroxide that made the big difference) then within only 2 days my lips were 90% better!!!! It kills the virus, dries up the blisters/scabs and heals it but without it getting so dry that it cracks. If my lips did feel a little dry I just put some coconut oil on them and it worked so so well! Had to come back on here and reccommend to anyone who is going through what I have just been through. USE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE!! :)
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Liz (Santa Clarita, California) on 11/27/2012
★★★★★
I have had Herpes on my lip since I was 6. I get outbreaks about 4 or 5 times a every year. Usually stress and heat triggers it. I have tried, ice, lysine pills, abreva, cold sore lip balms, apple cider vinegar and none have helped me. The healing time of the sore was the same whether I used these or not (which is about a week and a half). I have been prescribed acyclovir which worked on a few outbreaks or at least has decreased the healing time.
However, 2 days ago I got a break out and the acyclovir has not helped as it did before. SO, I found this website, and decided to use HYDROGEN PEROXIDE!!!! It is amazing! I left a cotton ball doused in hydrogen peroxide for a few minutes on the sore and it has gone down so much, its unnoticeable!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Bill (New York, Nyc Usa) on 11/23/2012
★★★★★
I've been battling cold sores for twenty years. They would appear whenever my body got "run down" (fatigued). I suspect that my immune system is not as strong when I'm really fatigued and that's when the cold sores appear.
As somone who travels for business, frequently crossing time zones, there are several times a year when I don't get enough sleep and get "run down" Up until recently, the cold sores would appear without fail. I tried taking food grade hydrogen peroxide according the the advice given on this site. That hasn't worked for me yet but what HAS worked is very simple. When brushing my teeth, I dip my toothbrush in a solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water (half h2o2 and half water) and simply brush my lips with the solution. The h2o2 is the 3% kind found in conventional drug stores. It's been two years and I've only had two occurances of cold sores, both when I neglected to bring my h2o2 with me while traveling. This is not a perfect cure because when I've neglected to brush with the h2o2 and haven't gotten enough sleep, the cold sores reappeared. But even after a cold sore has developed, I've brushed with the solution and the cold sore has gone away in two days maximum. This really is a completely workable way to manage cold sores. If I feel a "tingle" on my lip, which is an indication that a cold sore is about to appear, I quickly brush with the h2o2 and water. I've actually begun to brush this way on a daily basis just as a precaution.
I've recently discovered that they are making toothpaste with h2o2 as an ingredient. I've been using this for the last 3 months and the results have been the same. No cold sores. This is even easier.
This is a really simple remedy and I'm anxious to hear if it works for you.
The short version is to simply brush your lips with 1.5% h2o2 daily and also whenever you feel a "tingle". Let me know how you do!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by A Helpful Friend (Salt Lake City, Utah) on 02/07/2012
★★★★★
On Thursday the 2nd a small bump on the right side of my lip, near the corner, began to grow. At first I was skeptical about treating it so I took some garlic, since I know of its healing properties, cut a small piece off and pressed it to the small bump. This made the bump decrease slightly. The next day I went to a mongolian restaurant where I enjoyed two oranges. Not knowing the affects of citrus and cold sores, I smeared the orange all over my lip in hopes that the citrus could combat it. The bump was was very pleased, it grew instead. I could feel it growing as I sat in the restaruant with a friend after eating the orange. By the time I got home it was more than one bump, and I was more than distraught. That night, (friday) I decided to try an over the counter product because I was desperate. Searching online, I found a product with a patented formula that promised to stop it in its tracks and have the sore gone in 24 hours. Of course I was optimistic. I began using the product and noticed it was still increasing in size and had spread to the entire corner of my mouth.
The next morning I discontinued use of the product and switched to Hydrogen peroxide because of this website. I also went on to read a book about the amazing healing properties of HP.
PROCEDURE: In the morning I woke up, soaked a cotton ball with HP and pressed it to my lip. I felt and enjoyed the burn because I knew something was working. The sore began to turn white with small bubbles and dried out. Let the sore dry out every time. It must remain as dry as possible. There is no limit to the amount of times to use the peroxide as it is a natural compound. I started eating 4 small yogurts each day on that saturday to boost my immune system and get a good amount of lysine in my body. I continued doing the pressing procedure all day, by night fall it had begun to create a scab and the peroxide didnt burn anymore. Sunday the cab was more apparent. Realizing it was in its healing process I used Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula in its Palmade form to help with the healing process. I could feel the tightness of the scab around my mouth. The scab began to fall off monday night. I woke up tuesday continuing with use of the palmade. It is tuesday night at 7 pm and I have been completely cold sore free for hours. The skin showing is not red or raw. My lip looks completely fine and healed because I didn't pick the scab. My mouth looks the exact same as it was last tuesday before any hint of a cold sore.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Belvedresi7 (Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Usa) on 05/04/2011
★★★★★
Hydrogen peroxide works! Do this now: Sterilize a safety pin and poke a hole right in the middle of the sore, put hydrogen peroxide on lip multiple times (you will be able to feel it tingle in the sore), then the sore will dry out and you can squeeze the pus stuff out. When you see what comes out, you will know why it hurts so bad. You have to get that stuff out. Do this every day until you get it all out. It took me three days. It feels wonderful after having a swollen lip for a week. Relief!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Kaitlin Rose (Dillon, Co) on 01/03/2011
★★★★★
After one application, my cold sore closed up and began to heal. Took a cue-tip, dipped in in HP and applied to cold sore on the inside of my mouth before bed time. In the morning, the soreness was gone and it had dried up and began to heal. Will re-apply tonight!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Jaytuccibx (Scarsdale, Ny, Usa) on 11/02/2010
★★★★★
I have cured my oral herpes ingesting H2O2. After I had reached about 15 drops 3x a day I felt my lip tingling as if I was going to get an outbreak... Over the next 3 to 4 days I did get an outbreak (or so I thought). The sore kept growing 3 times its normal size, then balloned and popped... I continued with the h2o2 for the full course.... Also I got boils under my armpits which I now know were the aluminum deposits from my deodorant being forced out.... That was about three years ago... Havent had an outbreak since... I used to get them at least twice a year religiously for 7 years, , . , So when the doctor tells you there is no cure for herpes laugh at him... He will tell you to take a 20$ abreva cream which does nothing... No money in the cure people.... You can easily get reinfected with the virus, if so I would repeat my same process.... I would assume this would also work for GENITAL HERPES being that h2o2 kills basically all viruses and bacteria... Email me with any questions!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Megan (Brooklyn, New York) on 09/21/2010
★★★★★
This 100% works. I have had cold sores all my life and I have used hydrogen peroxide and it is already dried out after 30 minutes. It is even better if u take a Q-tip dip it first in rubbing alcohol, then non- acetone nail polish remover then hydrogen peroxide. It burns so bad but its works so fast.!!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Baz2010 (Newburgh, Ny, Usa) on 02/01/2010
★★★★★
Last night a cold sore began to develop on my lip. I read on Earth Clinic to use hydrogen peroxide. I used cotton swabs and applied the peroxide to my lip. I did this using 5 separate swabs over a one hour period. I noticed immediate results within that hour. This morning I did the same and just did it again when I got home from work. The cold sore seems to be in its final stages and should be gone by tomorrow. I have used Abreva and saw the same results over 4-5 days. Peroxide worked for me and did so a lot faster.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Sara (Miami, Florida) on 08/07/2009
★★★★★
Last Monday I had a cold sore outbreak in my upper lip (I started feeling the tingly sensation) , so immediately I looked for remedies in this website and I opted to use the Hydrogen Peroxide. Let me tell you it is a wonderful remedy for cold sore, by wednesday the cold sore was completely dry and it got never bigger than half size of a lentil bean. I had outbreaks before (usually when I am stressed) and it was a nightmare, the cold sore lasted for weeks ( I am not kidding) and it got as big as half of my upper lip. The treatment is extremely easy and cheap: damp a q-tip or cotton swab with the HP and apply to the area as many times as you can. i did it every 3 hours. Thanks earth clinic for such helpful information
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Jg (Oakland, California) on 08/04/2009
★★★★★
First of all I would like to thank all of you who've shared your experiences and comments. Last Thursday night I felt some tingling around my mouth so I decided to go and get some Abreva, (silly me). I went to bed hoping it would not get one. The next morning I woke up with some small blisters on the top corner of my lip, (I had to call in sicked). By Friday afternoon the blisters had spread to my side of my mouth and it was now almost now the size of a quarter. This was the first time I had a sore that big. I was desperate and didn't know what to do. I could not show up to work on monday with a sore that big.
That's when I decided to do some internet research and I ran into this site! I read on some of your Hydrogen peroxide success stories and decided to try it. I had my wife go to the store and get a small bottle of it. I poked the blisters with a needle and then held a cotton ball soaked in Peroxide for as long as I could. I then, covered the soar with a ___ ( you can find this at you local pharmacy) this is a gel. The gel will harden and won't let the soar get any air. (the virus can't continue to grow without air). After a few hours I carefully remove the gel by rubbing peroxide on it. I repeated this process every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day. Did the same thing all day Saturday. By Sunday night, All I had was a scab. I put some chap stick on the hard scab to make it soft and remove it. Monday morning, I used some on my wife's make up to cover the redness of my skin. You could hardly tell I had something there. This is the quickest I've been able to get rid of a cold sore! Thanks to you all!!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Amber (Washington, DC) on 06/23/2009
★★★★★
I had never gotten cold sores before and this was the first time. It was horrible i had 3 HUGE cold sores on and around my lips. i waited 2 weeks and they didn't go away. i used pills and creams but nothing worked. I read here to use hydrogen peroxide and i figured what could i lose i already look horrible and i had 1 day befoe i was leaving to europe for 2 weeks. basically it works wonders! i had yellow puss dried up for about 5 days and it hadn't fallen off yet. the HP dissolved the dried puss and made it easier for me to pick off. some of the sores were still open so i put the hydrogen peroxide on( it burned like nothing else) it didn't puss over again it just dried out. now i have red skin but thats it. i can at least go out in public now
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Sarah (Cape Cod, MA) on 06/02/2009
★★★★★
Hydrogen Peroxide cleared up my cold sore in 48 hours. I was and AM sick of paying for Abreva, etc...when it takes over a week to do anything at all. I never suffered from cold sores until the age of 22, and since then they have been directly related to the change in my hormones prior to getting my period. So, from 22 until now (almost 3 years), I've almost consistently had to deal with the annoyance/pain/discomfort of them. So, in a desperate search for a better answer, I came to your website (which has helped me a lot in the past), and 48 hours later I'm 90% cleared up! It's amazing, it went from appearing, to drying, to scabbing, to healing in no time at all. Thanks so much everyone for your input!
