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.
Camphor
Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 01/05/2021
★★★★★
Campho-Phenique (Liquid in the green bottle) which you can buy over the counter at any drug store.
Campho-Phenique is an old folk remedy for many skin issues. Camphor is known to have antiviral activity. Studies state that external application of lavender oil mixed with Camphor deactivates both herpes simplex type-1 and herpes simplex type-2 virus. This prevents spreading of the herpes infection.
It works for any type of herpes virus such as cold sores or shingles. Apply with Q-tip to affected area three to four times a day. It dries up the sores immediately.
I got introduced to Campho-Phenique back in the late 70's when I had a mouth ulcer. My parents had a bottle of it in the bathroom cabinet. I dipped a Q-tip into the liquid and rubbed it on the mouth ulcer, waited about a minutes and spit it out. The mouth ulcer was gone by the next day. I've been using this product for other skin issues ever since.
Magnesium Chloride
Posted by Marcia (Utah) on 05/01/2020
★★★★★
A drop of liquid magnesium chloride (aka magnesium oil) on the end of a Q-Tip, will kill a cold sore immediately.
Lavender Oil
Posted by Jean (Wheeling, IL) on 03/19/2020
★★★★★
Lavender essential oil applied liberally three times a day will heal cold sores in no time.
L-Lysine
Posted by Bethany H. (San Diego, Ca) on 02/10/2019
★★★★★
L-lysine for cold sores WORKS!!!
My mom, sisters and I suffer from cold sores- or at least we used to, because we discovered that taking L-lysine stops, actually STOPS cold sores in their tracks. As soon as you feel that “is that a cold sore funny sore feeling “ on your lip or around lips area, start taking L-lysine immediately! Take 1000 mg of L-lysine two to three times a day. So immediately effective and we all carry in our purse and on trips so we have immediate help in case it strikes while you're out and about. I've spent so much money or various cold sore lip creams but this is the best ever! L-lysine.
Dietary Recommendations
Posted by Diane (Idaho) on 01/04/2019
★★★★★
Avoiding Chocolate and Nuts Prevents Cold Sores
I used to get dreaded cold sores every few months and would feel so ugly for the long 5-7 days until they'd go away. It seemed related to stress, and I'm sure that contributed. But then I realized it was also due to my eating a lot of chocolate and nuts! Come to find out foods high in arginine will bring them on. Now I watch not to eat too much of these foods, and I've not had a cold sore in 2 years! If I start to feel that weird little tickle, buzz around my lip, I immediately take some lysine and lay off those foods...if you do get one, lysine pills and then topically apply a few drops of tea tree do mixed w/ a few drops of coconut oil
Iodine
Posted by Laurie C. (Qualicum Beach, Canada) on 12/31/2020 3 posts
★★★★★
Iodine For Cold Sore On Lip
A nasty cold sore arose on my bottom lip. After 2 days of it annoying me I decided to put a drop of Lugol's iodine on it. Yes, it burned for a few minutes, but, I think it killed it outright. I put another drop on later in the day just to be sure. The next day I noticed it had flattened out quite a lot, then, in a few days a scab peeled off in two very thin layers and my lip looked completely normal. I could not believe it!
Acetone
Posted by Jennifer (San Francisco) on 11/24/2020
★★★★★
Acetone for cold sores works. I also have used ice directly early on for a few hours off and on and that helps too.
However, the MOST important thing you can do to PREVENT cold sores is to NEVER consume ANY artificial sweeteners, which all contain aspartame, including almost any type of gum these days, diet sodas, diet drinks of ANY form, etc, as the aspartame WAKES the virus and activates cold sores. I have not had a cold sore in many years as a result of avoiding aspartame. Hope this helps someone.
Bleach
Posted by Fruitful Eden (Or) on 11/21/2020 4 posts
★★★★★
Like Gloria (2009), Bleach worked for me when I have a cold sore a few years back. It made sense that it would kill a virus since that's what it says on the bottle. so I diluted a little bleach and pressed it on there until it stung and then I only had to reapply it a few times because it didn't get any worse after that.
Vicks
Posted by Fruitful Eden (Or) on 11/21/2020 4 posts
There is also turpentine oil in Vicks vapor rub and I think it might be the turpentine oil that helps.
L-Lysine
Posted by Nancy R. (New Hope, PA) on 08/03/2020
★★★★★
I had persistent fever blisters on my lips for years and years. When I took 500mg lysine/day it quickly solved the problem. I do not get them now.
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Lou (Tyler, Tx) on 07/20/2020
You probably have a gelatin allergy. I recently discovered I am allergic to gelatin. It is in gummies.
Lecithin
Posted by Rashida (Texas) on 06/09/2020
After taking the lecithin for a month at 2500 mlgs??? Do you stop taking it??
Acetone
Posted by Sam (Providence) on 11/18/2018
Hey! I would not recommend putting acetone on already formed scabs. It's hard... but you need to just let the scabs heal on their own. I have learned this from experience more than anything. Good luck!
Acetone
Posted by Kate (Seattle) on 11/15/2018
Do you continue using acetone after the blisters have turned to scabs? I just got my first outbreak ever and my lips are covered top and bottom and inside with sores. I used acetone and it helped bring to the scabbing stage, but do I continue or let it heal itself from now on?
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!
Colloidal Silver
Posted by Art (California ) on 10/19/2018 2440 posts
★★★★★
A friend of mine recently got a cold sore / herpes sore on her upper and lower lip. She tried colloidal silver applying twice a day and both sores were gone in three days or less. I told her next time to apply a CS wetted cotton ball and tape it to her lip area so the silver can have plenty of time and material to do its job in contact with the sore. On the second day she told me she thought it was reversing because she felt much less "pressure" at the location of the sore. By the end of the second day, the sore was obviously diminished!
Art
Acetone
Posted by Craig (Albany, Oregon) on 10/17/2018
★★★★★
Wow! Another satisfied acetone customer. I wish everything worked so well.
Ice
Posted by Susie (Hawke's Bay, Nz) on 09/19/2018
★★★★★
I have struggled with cold sores for 23 years now and have tried many things to ease the pain and make them go away quicker. I have also been an Earth Clinic follower for over 10 years and have never posted a comment because nothing has ever worked for me. Until today! I am still really stunned and cannot quite believe that it has worked so well. I keep checking my lip, but no, there is definitely no coldsore there. This morning I was at an appointment and I felt my lip start to swell and get really hot and sore. I was gutted because I am going away tomorrow for a few days and did not want to have to worry about a cold sore. When my appointment finished I quickly came home and felt I needed to apply ice to it. I did not know ice could help coldsores, it was not a remedy I had ever come across. I just knew I needed to ice it. So I got an ice pack and held it to my lip for at least 10-15 minutes, then when I took the pack off there was no more swelling or heat and the lump had disappeared completely. I could not believe it. I am still surprised! I keep thinking it might come back so I keep checking. I took two Lysine tablets and applied some cream I always put on just to be sure. Nothing there. No heat, no mark, no swelling. Usually by the end of day one I would have a full on throbbing, very painful blistering sore. I wish I had known about this remedy years ago. I know some remedies work for some and not others, but I highly recommend trying ice. It may just work for you like it did for me. And so easy. I only applied it once.
Manuka Honey
Posted by Sunny (Los Angeles, Ca) on 09/13/2018
★★★★★
I tried putting castor oil for few days and didn't work, I thought it was actually getting worse. Then I tried putting raw royal jelly and didn't work. I then put high grade Manuka honey and in few days it worked. I put honey in the morning and after eating I brushed my teeth and put the honey again and in the evening before sleep. I put it on with q-tip. It may become crusty at first, but continue still and reapply after washing several times throughout the day and it will work!
EC: Hi Sunny, no ailment listed in your post. We're guessing it's a cold sore but please correct us if we're wrong.
Acetone
Posted by Littlewing (Boston, Ma) on 07/06/2018
Chocolate is definitely on the list of triggers for cold sores. My trigger is nuts, mostly peanuts and walnuts. It's the Arginine in them, which is the trigger and I believe counteracts Lysine as well, so do try to avoid overindulging. Others are seeds, carob, coconut, lentils, soybeans, spinach, raisins and a few others you can google.
Acetone
Posted by Jerome (New York) on 07/04/2018 9 posts
★★★★★
Another YEA for acetone for cold sores. I've gotten cold sores since I was a child, sometimes so deep it looked like someone put out a cigarette on my lip. Now I soak a cotton ball with acetone and press it to the cold sore for 20 seconds and after 2 or 3 applications the cold sore is on its way out. Every time.
Such a brilliant remedy, so cheap and SO much more effective than any expensive cream or Valtrex.
