While cold sores are a pretty common complaint, knowing this isn't going to make too many people feel better about having this unattractive, uncomfortable condition. Even if you happen to suffer from cold sores, you can cut down on the length of time it sticks around; and you may even be able to prevent one form happening in the first place. On its own, it usually takes eight to ten days for a cold sore to heal without any intervention from you. That's longer than most people want to wait, especially because cold sores have bad timing - it seems you always get one right before a major event! To reduce the healing time, there are a few tips and tricks you can use. However, one of the biggest helps is understanding how a cold sore works.
You can't cure cold sores per se, since they are a viral (herpes simplex) infection. The infection can't be treated with antibiotics; but you can treat the symptoms and make your cold sores go away faster, even prevent them.
You can prevent outbreaks even though you can't actually get rid of the virus. Outbreaks can be healed quickly; sometimes as fast as 24 hours. We started this website in order to help people treat and prevent cold sores - we know what a hassle they can be.
There are around 40 million people who have a cold sore outbreak each year. Cold sores tend to appear on or near the mouth. There are many factors which can increase the likelihood of an outbreak, however, all of these factors have to do with a weakened immune system. Stress, lack of sleep, a poor diet and an immune system compromised by fighting off another disease (the common cold, for instance) can all lead to an outbreak.
An outbreak is often preceded by a tingling sensation or itching. This is followed by swelling and redness and then the sore itself emerges. There will be a brief period of oozing after which the sore will scab over. Try not to scratch the scab as this will slow down the healing process. Most of us don't want to resort to prescription drugs to deal with our cold sores. They're expensive, may not be much more effective than other remedies, and require a trip to the doctor. However, there are a few simple things you can do to make having a cold sore a lot shorter and easier.
You can help fight off a cold sore with immune boosting supplements like vitamin C. You can also use lip balm, aloe vera gel and other soothing agents to prevent your sore from getting too dry and splitting. L-Lysine can also cause your sore to heal more rapidly; it promotes healing.
Generally speaking, you can help prevent cold sores by staying in good health, eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of sleep. If you have been ill or overworked, a cold sore could be on its way. Treat yourself well and you can keep these sores from coming up in the first place.
