Four out of every five people in the United States have herpes simplex virus type one (or HSV-1), the virus that causes those mouth lesions known as cold sores and fever blisters. Given how common such sores are, it’s no surprise that there’s almost as much anxiety about getting rid of them as there is about getting them.
Cold Sore Remedies at Home
The good news is that drug stores are full of topical creams like Abreva that are supposed to help the sores heal. The bad news is that these creams do not always work (though to be sure, some people swear by them), are not always on hand when needed, and, most importantly, are very expensive. Keep reading to find out a few ways to clear up those blisters without running to the drug store and paying that hefty premium.
Of course the best fix for cold sores is simply to avoid them. Prevention is by far the most effective treatment. Herpes is a virus and the body’s immune system is constantly fighting it. Most of the time, the body wins. Occasionally, though, the body loses, and blisters happen. The key to prevention, then, is to make sure the body never loses by avoiding situations that may lead to a weakened immune system. Things to avoid are:
- stress, which redirects the body’s resources away from the immune system
- fatigue, which leads to general bodily weakness
- illness, which preoccupies the immune system so that it can’t fight the herpes virus
- long exposure to UV light, which damages the skin, causing bodily resources to be spent rebuilding skin rather than fighting the virus
- unbalanced diets, which deprive the immune system of necessary vitamins
Cold Sore Remedies that Work
Unfortunately there will be times when a victory for the virus is all but unavoidable. In addition, extreme preventative measures can be even worse than the risk of an outbreak. No one should avoid all sunlight simply to minimize the chance of getting a cold sore, for example. If it looks like a sore is going to form, or if one already has, the following natural home remedies will stop the sore in its tracks and speed up the healing process:
- Chapstick. This will encourage healing and protect the sore from bacterial infection. It will also decrease the chances that the virus will spread to another part of the body or to someone else. Chapstick with sunscreen is particularly effective because the sunscreen will protect the cold sore from UV light, which could aggravate it (see Tip #1).
- Plain yogurt with active acidophilus culture. This one is as easy as it is delicious, and can be preventative as well as curative. The bacteria in yogurt are known to fight the herpes virus, making it a smart diet supplement, particularly before long periods in the sun or stretches of high stress. Alternatively, try taking acidophilus capsules with milk.
- Ice. If the blister is caught in its first stages of formation, an ice cube slipped into a thin towel or sandwich bag and placed for a minute or so at the site of the sore is an effective way to reduce pain and swelling, meaning the sore will heal that much faster. (Note: frozen yogurt is a tasty way to combine Tips #3 and #4. Just make sure the frozen yogurt contains live and active cultures.)
- Licorice. Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, which, studies have shown, is highly effective at stopping viruses. Just make sure to find a snack made with real licorice—the ingredients list should list something like “licorice mass”—and not simply flavored with anise.
Cold Sores Cured
Avoid the cold sore causes listed in Tip #1 to maintain a healthy immune system and, hopefully, the rest of the tips will never be necessary. But should a fever blister creep up, don't waste time. The later the treatment, the worse the sore, and the more money spent at the drug store. Chapstick, yogurt, ice, and licorice are natural, effective, and inexpensive remedies and, best of all, they're probably all in the kitchen.
Sources:
WebMd.com, *"Cold Sores - Topic Overview" (accessed March 8, 2010)
AltMd.com, *"Natural Remedies for Herpes Virus - Preventing Cold Sores and Outbreaks" (accessed March 8, 2010)
"Glycyrrhic acid inhibits virus growth and inactivates virus particles." Raffaello Pompei, Ornella Flore, Maria Antonietta Marccialis, Alessandra Pani, and Bernardo Loddo. Nature 281, 689 - 690 (1979)
Thomas Acold - Thomas Acold is a teacher and writer living in Brooklyn, New York. A graduate of Yale University with a degree in English, he has written ...
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