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.
Tomato Juice
Posted by Puddles (Regina, Canada) on 02/28/2010
★★★★★
Tomato juice is an excellent cure for cold sores. Dab generously directly on the sore and also drink about three glasses a day for at least a week. I have known some people to never get another cold sore with this remedy. I hope it works for you!
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 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.!!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Ella (Roanoke, Va) on 06/24/2010
I have suffered with 6 or 7 cold sore outbreaks within one year, and this remedy is the ONLY thing that has made my sores disappear so quickly! I usually use popular over the counter topical meds (like Abreva)and take acyclovir (aka Valtrex). It's hard to tell how much those really shorten the duration of an episode. But with this remedy, it's very clear that the "life" of my sores has been shortened. I broke out 2 days ago, began applying ACV with a Q-tip to the sores. First time it helped the sores to burst and begin the healing process. Since then I've been applying several times a day, followed by a Q-tip with organic tea tree oil to help soothe the burning and dry them out. My episodes usually last at LEAST a week, but at the rate these sores are healing it's looking like it'll be closer to 3-4 days. What a difference! I highly reccomend this remedy.
L-Lysine
Posted by Kristin (Newcastle, Ontario, Canada) on 01/20/2010
From what I remember you are only supposed to take L-lysine for up to 6 months at a time.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Nyx (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 01/16/2010
Reaction to ACV?
I applied apple cider vinegar on a cold sore that was on the left side my botton lip (almost on the inner part). I did this at least every hour for a few days. I would hold it there for at least a minute each time. No reaction at all.
Then I stared to get a bump on the right side of my lower lip, but inside (on the inner part). I don't know if it's a canker sore or cold sore (I know you get canker sores in your mouth but I don't know HOW far in they have to be to not consider it a cold sore) but I put acv on it. There was also a small cut in that area from picking off dry skin. Well I applied the acv less than 10 times throughout the course of a day and that area of my lip swelled up twice it size. I also felt some pretty intense tingling. I stopped for a day and took an allergy pill and it went down. Just to see what would happen I tried applying some acv tonight and it has swelled up again.
So I put acv on the first sore MANY times and nothing happened. But when I put it on the second one it reacted? Why?
Garlic
Posted by Steven (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) on 12/06/2009
★★★★★
There have been many times where i've ignored or taken for granted the initial tingles of an oncoming cold sore. So the remedy I'm going to share even works for cold sores at their maximum size and strength! Mix half a clove of crushed garlic with about 1/2 a tablespoon of toothpaste. Depending on the size of the cold sore(s), this mixture will make enough for a few applications. Apply it thick, on not only the cold sore, but around the affected area also. I do warn you, this will burn like mad! Leave it to dry for 3 hours, then remove and re-apply. Do this 3 or 4 times during the day.
The reason this works well is because the toothpaste acts as a barrier, not letting air to the affected area, giving the crushed garlic increased potential to kill the infection.
Aspirin
Posted by Bill (Calgary, Alberta) on 11/27/2009
★★★★★
To shorten the duration and size of cold sores, use ASA. Put a tablet on a spoon, then a drop of water to make a paste. Put it on the sore (you will feel it tingle). The ASA will dry up. Just keep putting it on. It will reduce redness and shorten the out break quickly. I use this when at home and instead of going out with a big white mass on my lip, I just brush it off and the sores are almost invisible. I have fewer outbreaks since I stopped drinking soda. I thank others on this site for that gem, as I used to get outbreaks every spring and late fall, signaling a weather change usually within a month.
EC: ASA is the acronym for acetylsalicylic acid, or ASPIRIN.
Ted's Remedy Feedback
Posted by E11even (Miami, Fl) on 10/24/2009
Clarification of Ted's remedy
Can someone PLEASE translate Ted's remedy into simple dosage and instructions??? pills? liquid? topical? internally? This formula sounds good but is unclear....
"The exact measurement for the herpes simplex cure is a 5% concentration of Zinc Chloride and a 5% concentration of Magnesium Chloride. This is the simplest formula that is most easy to remember. Viruses take a long time to kill because they hide inside your body.
To quicken the kill so they can no longer hide dormant, you should take 25-50 mg. of zinc acetate for a week alternatively. This means take this one week on and take it one week off. Do this for about two months."
Thanks in advance, God bless...
Homeopathic Remedies
Posted by Jane (Hamilton, New Zealand) on 10/15/2009
★★★★☆
I had been getting coldsores regularly for the past twenty years. I also managed to unwittingly infect my four year old son with them. We were getting them every six weeks at least. A homeopath recommended the homeopathic remedy Natrum Muriaticum. I didn't wait for our next outbreak, just took three pilules four times a day for about three days. My son and I have been coldsore free for two years...until this week after a day's skiing I had my first outbreak (skiing for some reason has always given me the worst coldsores). That's why I'm on this site searching for quickfire remedies as the homeopathic remedy is helping but not fast enough for a quick cure. However I recommend it as a way to prevent their recurrence.
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!!
Vicks
Posted by Sandy (Monterey Park, Ca) on 07/29/2009
★★★★★
My husband was sporting a cold sore on his lip for a couple weeks. He was using some OTC stuff. I told him that I heard Dr. Oz say something about Vicks being good for fungus. He ignored me. Then I felt a sting on my lip and knew a cold sore was coming on. I immediately took a swab of Vicks and put it on my lip. I could feel it tingle. I kept applying it when ever I felt it had rubbed off. In two days the sore was gone. He was still sporting his!
Vicks
Posted by Vetta (Northeast, Usa) on 09/26/2010
This stuff works wonders on cold sores. Just apply like lip gloss. The scent isn't as strong as you think. Doesn't work instantly but heals them faster. And prevents future ones.
Acidophilus
Posted by Jimdave (Lavinia, Tennessee) on 06/02/2009
★★★★★
Acidolpholis cured my cold sores and fever blisters. Had them all my life and saw a note about this bacteria in a magazine. I laughed, like everyone else. Later is desperation I tried some Bulgarian Buttermilk and within 24 hrs they were gone. Worked for years, then they took the buttermilk off the shelves. Replaced it with bulgarian style (no bacteria added). It's a fake and doesn't work anymore. Bought the pills over the counter. Also works great. Just take one or two ocasionaly when traveling and eating processed food.If takeing antibiotics or drinking clorinated water you will need to take a mega dose between antibiotic pills. You will be amazed. No thrush or hemorriods. Most every company has thier own kind of bacteria so I alternate and keep a couple on hand. Some now say that they contain Bulgariacus. That apears to be the best.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by C P (Columbia, SC) on 05/24/2009
★★★★☆
I have GH and we all know its excrutiating...hurt very bad. But herpes is a virus that lies dormant at the base of your spine inside your nervous system. The absolute best way to avoid an outbreak is to try your best to stay stress-free and worry-free and illness-free...take plenty of vitamin c or immunity defense tabs, plenty of water...we all know that sick can cause stress and worry...but this seems to be working well for me. I haven't had and outbreak in almost a year. But, when I do, I use a mixture of sea salt or witch hazel and lidocaine spray. the salt and witch hazel helps dry it out and the lidocaine of course, numbs the area for a while. also, after showering, i know this sounds crazy, but i use lysol..the can says dont use on skin, but if you read it kills the herpes virus...I spray a touch of lysol on a dry towel (not enough to effect your skin)and gently pat the area...wait about 5 minutes then, do the sea salt, lidocaine trick...this has worked very well for me...hope it helps
Ear Wax
Posted by Shawn (Rochester, New York) on 04/22/2009
★★★★★
Cold Sores - Earwax: the thought and the taste is rather nasty, but it works better than anything else i've tried. When we were younger my mom use to apply our own earwax, strait from our ears to the effected area, to me sibblings and my sibblings whenever we got one. this really works.
Tea Bag
Posted by Cathy (Pocatello, Idaho) on 03/24/2009
★★★★★
Tea bag soaked in cold water stops cold sores and fever blisters. I think the tannic acid is what does it. Just soak bag a few minutes then squeeze it slightly and apply. Apply as often as you can through out the day. Really soothes and takes out the pain and swelling. Put bag in a dish or cup to keep moist. If you keep it in the fridge it will keep cool and feel better.
Bleach
Posted by Amber (Portland, Oregon) on 02/27/2009
I am happy to hear about your success Gloria, and while I see that your sharing of it is intended to be helpful, I feel I must express my sincere concern about the safety of your remedy. Bleach is very toxic, even to breathe. I know that many of us use or have used it in our homes and for laundry, etc...and have probably absorbed it into our skin, without noticing, but I cringe to think about someone applying it to the mouth area, or getting the idea that this is a safe remedy to use in the future. I would hope that anyone reading over this remedy would take this into consideration and pursue other methods of healing, that are natural and work with the body instead of against it. In my opinion, it would be safer to just 'wait out' the sore than to apply a toxic substance to it. I hope you understand my need to mention all of this, as I feel that certain people could be harmed by this remedy.
Lecithin
Posted by Anita (Ny) on 04/14/2011
★★★★★
I sprinkle in on my eggs almost every morning. I don't necessarily take the full 2500mg, but I am also small ~115lb. I also do ice, lysine, and h2o2 if I feel a tingle. Haven't had a major breakout since.
Honey
Posted by Vic (Agadir, Morocco) on 02/10/2009
★★★★★
Honey for Cold Sores: I had this horible Cold Sore all over my mouth together with cracked and chapped lips and nothing seemed to help. Thought about hearing something about honey being used to heal such issues. Tried it and my mouth is almost healed after just 24 hours. MIRACULOUS!!!
Honey
Posted by Kamran (Nyc, Ny Usa) on 04/12/2012
★★★★★
It's April and it is spring. The weather is fluctuating 15-20 degrees (cold at night - warm during the day)
On Monday night, I was feeling extremely tired and exhausted to the point that I went to sleep at 9PM (I usually sleep very late). I woke up Tuesday morning and started feel a little tingle on my upper right lip and at the same time felt a bit of "COLD" coming on. I wasn't concern about the cold ( continuous sneezing gives me an early warning that I am catching a cold which didn't happen), but I knew that I'd have cold sores on my lip and it would hurt. Tuesday went by with my upper lips giving tingle sensations. On Wednesday morning I GOT the BLISTERS popping out, my lips were irritated, and it hurt. I came to work and researched earth clinic that always I always do for a personal healing information/solution. At around 12 Noon, I started dipping dabs of honey (which I use with my green tea) on the spot. At first, after a minute or so my cold sore started to tingle then the area felt burning a bit ( not too high, but I felt it). I kept on dabbing honey at the spot the rest of the day. By evening, the area stopped hurting, but the tingle continued whenever I dabbed honey on the spot. Before I went to sleep, I dabbed a bit of honey on the spot and went to sleep.
Thursday morning (after sleeping only 4 hours), I woke up and went to bathroom mirror. My lip sore WASN'T SWOLLEN as yesterday, the dark scab was lighter (instead of darker and hard), and the top skin on the sore must have come out. The area feels a bit hard and I believe that by end of day, the swollen area will subside. THE PAIN AND IRRITATION IS GONE and IT DIDN"T COST ME ANYHTING EXTRA.
RESULT: After a cold sore outbreak, I applied HONEY, and it took 24 hours to stop and start reversing the virus.
HONEY has multitudes of benefits including ANTI-BACTERIAL power.
As for the cold, I started taking Tomato Tea just to be safe.
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Patricia (Elmont, NY) on 02/02/2009
emergen-c caused a herpes simplex outbreak. I was shopping at Trader Joes and I picked up a pack of emergen-c. thinking that it will supply me with needed vit-c. I took one packet right at the store with water that I bought there. I felt really weird after taking it. I read the ingredients and I noticed natural flavors and natural sucrose. I know from previous time that anything edible containing natural flavours it is MSG. No sooner did I get into my car to leave,my lip became inflamed and I had the start of a cold sore. I returned to the store and got my money back. I later spoke to the manager about the situation and he said he cannot pull anything off the shelf. It has to be done by headquarters. Now I only depend on good quality Vit C. Emergen-C is on my not-to-buy-list!
