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.
General Feedback
Posted by Amaria (Oakland, Ca) on 07/03/2011
With herpies, unfortunately, even if you do not feel the symptoms I understand that the virus can still "shed."
This is especially important for a pregnant woman who actively has the virus at the time of delivery... The baby passing through the birth canal, I. E. , natural birth, can result in blindness and other horrific health problems for the baby.
As much as I wanted and planned to have a natural birth I opted to have a "C" section in order to insure that the virus didn't adversely affect my babies health... no regrets...
General Feedback
Posted by Daisy (Sf, Ca) on 06/29/2011
This is for Morganism54 from Granite Bay, California who said: "Just want to make it clear to everyone you can't get rid of herpes.... It goes into dormancy or recede into the skin to the original place of infection... " My question is: if herpes outbreaks happen at the place of infection, why does he state that "genital herpes tends to habitate at the base of the spine"? Thanks to all who can enlighten me on this.
Replied by Grace
(Pdx, US)
04/04/2015
General Feedback
Posted by Morganism54 (Granite Bay, California) on 06/21/2011
Just want to make it clear to everyone you can't get rid of herpes. Some of the language used to explain treatments made it seem like you could "kill the virus" which you can't you can't only cause it to go into dormancy or recede into the skin to the original place of infection genital herpes tends to habitate at the base of the spin and you can often tell when an outbreak will occur by a tinge or tingle of pain in that region. Just FYI because a few people I have talked to seemed to be under the impression that certain herbal remedies can cure you of HSV which is not the case.
Replied by Chris
(Tucson, Az)
06/24/2011
General Feedback
Posted by Fmh (Dallas, Tx) on 07/09/2010
I have genital herpes but also get them on my mouth. I get them on my mouth about once a month or more. About 5 years ago driving home from a vacation with my boyfriend I was driving and asked him to light me a cigarette. He did, but handed it to me backwards and I stuck the hot end directly on my mouth. It blistered up and turned into a horrible herpes outbreak as well. But for some reason I never had an outbreak on my mouth again!! Maybe I accidently figured something out. I do still have genital outbreaks and am too chicken to go down in that area and burn myself.
General Feedback
Posted by Art (Lindsay, Ontario) on 01/25/2009
I just wanted to pass on some information about cold sores which I recently read. It appears that a researcher at Duke University (according to a Time Magazine article) is well on his way to finding a cure for herpes 1. His approach, rather than keeping the virus at bay, is to make it become active. Then, once active, the virus could actually be killed with traditional antiviral medication. He is apparently in talks with medical companies about the best way of delivering the treatment.
Geranium Oil
Posted by Janet (Fernley, Nevada) on 07/11/2012
★★★★★
I was just told about using Geranium oil on cold sores and will never use anything else it worked fast!!! I had 2 cold sores and a 3rd one on its way. The 2 had popped already and were starting to scab, I put a drop of Geranium oil on my finger and dabbed it on the sores 2 or 3 times through out the day. It doesn't taste great if it gets in your mouth but oh well. I would put on carmex inbetween Geranium oil applications. The next day the 3rd sore never came, the smaller sore was gone and the bigger sore was much smaller!! My sister in law says she puts it on before the blisters pop and it clears right up, mine were open already and it still worked super fast! It is now day 3 I have not put anymore Geranium oil on it since day 1 and my cold sores are all almost GONE! I love it!!!
Gluten-Free Diet
Posted by Sc (U.s.a) on 02/01/2016
★★★★★
I used to get cold sores ALL the time. when I went gluten free I have had none . I know if I even get a tingle something has happened in my diet!
Gluten-Free Diet, L-Lysine
Posted by Searching For Health (North Of The Border) on 08/06/2013
★★★★★
I have gotten cold sores for approximately 7 years. They started spreading all over my lips - but the ones that were new were not tingling like they originally did and came without warning. I was taking so much aciclovir and valciver. Then... I got exceedingly itchy blisters on my fingers, followed by unbelievable swelling in that finger. The pain is intense and the itchiness – OMG! (Apple cider vinegar helped alleviate these side effects - Thanks to you on Earth Clinic) I had a bout of this on my fingers for 4 months. I could not use my hands. I thought it was herpes whitlow. What cleared it up was when I was on a diet of only rice with fried vegetables – no flavorings or soy sauce added. The problem cleared up in about 5 days! Both my fingers and lips. Simultaneously, I had a brain fog clear up and anxiety that had been thwarting me for about 2 years. I then found out I am completely unable to eat Gluten. I guess the rash thing is a form of Dermatitis Herpetiformis (NOT HERPES! ) which is a consequence of not being able to tolerate gluten. (I still got the original and authentic Herpes cold sore that tingles - but it comes much less often as I take Lysine daily and it seems to come less often now that my body is not fighting the "poison" that I was eating previously). Before I had that authentic cold sore almost every 2 weeks. I am also unable to have most additives to food, and food that is GMO or treated with pesticides. For the last 3 months I have been strictly eating only at and home and it has stayed clear. I eat 100% organic, gluten free and no longer eat packaged food.
Grapefruit
Posted by Adina (Ottawa) on 07/06/2015
★★★★★
This is what happened to me: I used to have so often cold sores that I was desperate. Is hard to believe, but I was getting cold sores even when I looked to somebody else with cold sores. Was absolutely crazy. And one day, many years back, when I was having cold sore I eat a grapefruit and I noticed that instead to grow, started to get dry. I was not 100% sure if was from the grapefruit. Was kind of strange. Usually I had my cold sores 2 up to 3 weeks (so bad they were). In the same time I did nothing unusual beside eating the grapefruit. So, I eat another one and I made sure that I touch the lips with the juice. In 2 days was gone. After that every time when I felt a cold sore is developing I was eating a grapefruit and the next day was gone. What is interesting is that now I do not get them anymore. I tested on somebody else also. I worked with a lady she used to have them very often. I told her about my discovery, she has been using since. She also does not get them very often now, but she still does.
I have to mention that mold in food or in the house can give cold sores. Maybe she has mold in the house that she still get them or in my case was not the house.
To go further, I tried with lemon and vit C. Lemon does not work so well as grapefruit and vit C is better then lemon, but the best I found is the GRAPEFRUIT.
Good Luck
And thank you to EC and all the people who share there knowledge.
Head and Shoulders Shampoo
Posted by Ronda (Shelburne, Canada) on 11/25/2007
★★★★★
I have found that breaking the sores (with fingernail clippers) to open them and applying Head & Shoulders shampoo is an incredible way to get rid of cold sores fast. You must open the sores, though, to get the shampoo directly inside them. Warning, it hurts like peroxide on cuts but it's worth it. If you do this at the first tingle, you can usually keep the sores from developing at all. Apply it often. Then, once the sores are scabs, use polysporin to heal them very quickly.
Replied by Varick
(Brooklyn, NY)
04/14/2009
Replied by Jennifer
(Phoenix, AZ)
04/14/2009
Homeopathic Remedies
Posted by Nicole (Rockford, Il) on 01/13/2012
★★★★★
I picked up "herplex" (a herpes homeopathic formula tablets) from Walmart a while back. I got it from the clearence section. I'm now looking all over for it. It works wonders for cold sores. Seriously when I take it, no blister forms and all symptoms gone in 2 days max! So if anyone sees this in any store please comment and let me know which one. It is all natural and has some weird ingredients like crab apples and even poison ivy. Weird ingredients aside I want more!
Homeopathic Remedies
Posted by Nutrtionistmom (Carlsbad, Ca) on 08/07/2010
★★★★★
I have gotten cold sores since I was a young child. My moms standard cure works great. Homeopathic cold sore medicine. Well-known brand carries it. Start taking as soon as you feel tingle or bump. Take several(just put under your tongue and it will dissolve) every few hours. It encapsulates the virus and stops it cold. If you didn't catch it quickly add in L-lysine 2000mg several times a day. Natural, chemical free and safe. If you catch it right away it never becomes more than a bump. I haven't had a full blown cold sore in years. Good luck
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.
Honey
Posted by Bee (Lansing, Mi) on 10/20/2018
★★★★★
My go to for outbreaks is honey. Its antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, and conditioning benefits work great at all stages of these buggers. So soothing and I rarely have the long scab stage anymore. I tried melaleuca homey this time and don't think it's any better than the organic I usually have. Take a tbls internally too!
Honey
Posted by Garion (New York, Ny) on 05/04/2013
★★★★☆
Honey usually works when I catch the cold sore during that "tingling" stage. But, just recently I think the sun did me in and 2 days later I broke out. I could fill my lip getting swollen and irritated and see it being red but I was at work and didn't have the honey available. I got home and did the honey but by the next day, full on blisters. I was applying the honey but it was too late. And the cold sore is now progressing thru the states.
So, for honey to work, for me, I need to catch it right at the tingling stage. Or else it seems it's too late.
