What helps against cold sores? The best tips and home remedies
Polly Logan-Banks
Content EditorAre you one of the many cold sore sufferers looking for a way to get rid of the blisters quickly? We'll tell you what really helps against cold sores and which home remedies you can safely forget.
This page contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small amount of money if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our articles and reviews are written independently by the Netmums editorial team.
Tingling, itching or burning lips: These are the first symptoms of a cold sore. But unfortunately it doesn't stop there. After the tingling sensation, a visible blister forms, which grows and crusts over after a few days. Not only can this ruin your look, it can even be painful.
On average, it takes about 10 days for the cold sore to heal. During this time, you're bound to ask yourself: What helps against cold sores? And can I somehow speed up the healing process? After all, you want to get rid of the irritating blister as quickly as possible.
Most people carry the cold sore virus
First of all: cold sores are not a bad thing. They sometimes get a bad rep because they're caused by a virus called herpes simplex. However, they usually have nothing to do with STIs.
In fact, herpes simplex is an extremely common virus. Most of us catch it as a child and then carry it with us for the rest of our lives. The cold sores don't usually appear until we're older.
Whether the virus breaks out into cold sores or not may be partly down to luck. Just because you carry the virus – like most people – does not mean that you'll always have blisters on your lips.
If cold sores do break out in your home, these tips, home remedies and medicines will help!
Home remedies for cold sores: what helps?
There are a lot of supposed home remedies for cold sores circulating online. But only a few of them really help.
There isn't very much evidence that well-known home remedies can help cold sores. If you'd like to try them, always check with a doctor or pharmacist first, as they could cause irritation or allergic reactions for some people.
That said, here are some home remedies that some people say work for them:
- Kanuka honey: one 2019 study found that kanuka honey worked as well as a medical treatment for cold sores. However, the NHS cautions that this could just be because the medical treatment didn't work very well. We need more research to be sure whether kanuka honey is effective against cold sores, but it may help if your pharmacist says it's OK.
- Lemon balm oil: again, there's a small amount of research to suggest that lemon balm might help, but we do need more research to be sure.
- Tea tree oil: the evidence for this is weaker than for honey and lemon balm, but it does have antiviral properties and some people think it might work on cold
sores. Always dilute before applying. - Apple cider vinegar: there's no specific evidence that this works for cold sores, but it does have antiviral properties, so it's possible that it could help. Again, always dilute before applying.
- Toothpaste: there's no evidence that this helps.
Buy a high-quality lemon balm oil here at Amazon
Rapid relief: ice cubes for cold sores
Ice won't prevent a cold sore, or make it go away any faster, but it can be helpful for relieving the burning sensation, and may also reduce redness and swelling.
Important: Make sure that you never put the ice directly on your skin, as it could give you an ice burn. Instead, wrap it in a tea towel first.
Cold sore medicines: what really works
The most effective way to treat a cold sore is to use a cream containing virus-inhibiting active ingredients acyclovir or penciclovir. You can buy these over the counter, and a pharmacist can help you choose the right one for you.
These creams are best used when you first feel the tingle. They don't help cold sores heal, but they do help to prevent them getting worse. Apply the creams to the affected area several times a day according to the package instructions and then wash your hands thoroughly.
A pharmacist can also recommend painkilling creams to ease any discomfort. If you suffer from frequent and severe cold sores, speak to your GP. They may prescribe you tablets that can help to prevent them coming back.
An alternative to creams that do not use virus-inhibiting agents are cold sore patches, which are applied directly to the affected area. The patches protect the affected skin area from external irritation and prevent the virus from spreading, since it covers the infectious blisters.
Compeed cold sore treatment can be applied as simply as putting on a plaster. See more details here at Amazon.
Insider tip: lip care for cold sores
Cold sores can be quite uncomfortable. A special lip care treatment may help against the annoying symptoms such as itching, tension and tingling.
The insider tip for cold sore sufferers: the Manuka lip balm with manuka oil, shea butter and cocoa butter.
According to the more than 200 top reviews on Amazon, the symptoms such as tingling, burning or itching should hardly be noticeable after application. Some reviewers also claim it helped their cold sores clear up faster, though we can't vouch for that.
Zovirax Cold Sore Treatment Cream is fast and effective. See more details here at Amazon.
No kissing! Cold sores are very contagious
Whether you're treating your cold sore or or not: If you have one, then you should be careful. Cold sores are very contagious. Avoid touching the blister as much as possible, and be extra vigilant about hand-washing.
If you do accidentally touch your cold sore, you should of course wash your hands immediately. As long as you have a cold sore, you should avoid lip contact with others. That means no kissing or sharing glasses.
Be particularly careful not to kiss young babies while you have an active cold sore. Because their immune systems are still developing, the herpes simplex virus can make them extremely ill.
Once your skin has completely healed, smooches are back on! This usually takes about two weeks.
Cold sores can also appear on the eyes, nose, or mouth
Unpleasant, but true: cold sores don't only around the lips. Special forms also appear on the nose, on the eye, on the cheeks or inside the mouth. In such cases, it is best to see your GP, who will prescribe the right remedy.
Ways to avoid another cold sore
Stress, strong sun exposure, hormones, cold: There are many triggers that can lead to another outbreak of cold sores. So if you get cold sores a lot, it's a good idea to make a note of the situations or the time of year when they happen most often.
- Have you been in the sun a lot?
- Did you have excessive stress?
- Was your immune system weakened by other illnesses?
If you know which triggers are possible for your cold sores, you may be able to reduce the risk of another outbreak by trying to avoid these situations.
If the cold sores came when you had a lot of stress at work, try to reduce your stress level. For example, see if you can reduce your workload, or try mindfulness techniques. If the cold sores always pop up when you're on holiday, try to avoid strong sunlight. You can also boost your immune system with exercise and a healthy, vitamin-rich diet.
Living with cold sores
Unfortunately, there's no permanent cure for cold sores. Once the virus is in the body, it's there for life, which is why the vast majority of people in the UK have it. Fortunately, using the tips above, you can reduce the risk of flare-ups and soothe your symptoms when they do happen.
Important note: The information in this article is for information only and does not replace a diagnosis by a medical professional. If you are unsure or worried about your health, you should contact your GP.
