A sore point
treatment as soon as you feel the cold sore tingle
important to be aware that the trigger is the sun – not heat – so you should use a good quality sun block to protect your lips, particularly when skiing in the winter,” adds Marian.
How can I treat them?
Taking action at “prodromal” stage (a sensation of tingling, itching, stinging or soreness before the sore appears) can accelerate healing and, sometimes, prevent a fullblown sore forming.
Do...
Have your treatment of choice on hand so you can act quickly.
Wash your hands after touching your lips.
Keep your immune system healthy with a varied diet, regular exercise and a good night’s sleep.
Apply sun protection to lips.
Don’t...
Acyclovir creams, such as Zovirax, and the newer Fenistil, inhibit the infection from spreading further.
“If applied at the ‘tingle’ stage, they can shorten the outbreaks by 12%,” says Marian.
Anaesthetic creams containing lidocaine, benzocaine and prilocaine have pain-killing ingredients.
“A small trial has shown that a lidocaine 5% ointment prevented outbreaks in one in three of those testing it and shortened the out“It’s breaks occur,”
Marian.
Cold sore patches, such as Compeed, contain an active gel that acts like a second skin, reducing contamination.
Herpotherm – a lipstick-shaped device with a ceramic heated plate at the end – works by delivering concentrated heat (around 51°C) to the affected area for three seconds at the tingling stage. In a small trial, it halved the duration of the sore in some cases.
If you get regular outbreaks, ask your GP about antiviral tablets, which are more effective than creams, suggests Marian. that did
explains
Do home remedies work?
Some swear by a cold, damp tea bag, with anecdotal evidence suggesting that earl grey is better because it contains soothing bergamot oil as well as healing terpenes.
Interestingly, aloe vera gel, a natural antibacterial and antifungal, was found to inhibit HSV-1 virus growth in a small trial.