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Treat Fever Blisters:
Best Cold Sore Remedies


You'll be keen to find effective cold sore remedies if you are one of the unfortunate folks whose lives are blighted by the regular eruption of 'fever blisters'. Perhaps you can tell when a cold sore is on its way: you recognize the familiar tingle, you notice what seems just a small, maybe slightly hard, spot, usually on the edge of your lip. In a day or so you see what seems like a little blister or two on your lip or maybe the corner of your mouth!


Cold sore after 2 days development

'Fever blisters', as they are sometimes called, often appear on the outside of the lip or mouth (they rarely occur inside the mouth) and as like as not they will always seem to make their presence felt just when you could least do with them!

Indeed the very stress leading up to the occurrence of a public date, a special occasion or an interview can contribute to the essential requirements that allow the virus that causes cold sores to do their worst. Which is why it is useful to have some knowledge of cold sore remedies up your sleeve!

Cold Sores – Highly Contagious

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (type 1). This is a very contagious virus and can easily be spread by contact - maybe through kissing, but also more subtly if you should have touched the viral blisters when they are weeping and then touch someone else who may then go on to touch their own lips. You could even spread an outbreak to another part of your own body if your personal hygiene is not absolutely scrupulous.

In fact anything your weeping cold sores have come into contact with can leave infectious viral contagion behind. So you should be sure to avoid sharing any personal items like towels, toothbrushes or razors whilst suffering an outbreak. Otherwise you'll soon not be the only one seeking cold sore remedies

Cold sores have a gestation period (the time they take to develop) of about 2 days then when they have erupted as blisters they may last another 7 to 10 days. But this is deceptive because infection may have occurred up to 3 weeks prior to an outbreak. The blisters can look unpleasant, and make you self-conscious, especially when they begin to dry and crack. But generally the crust will have come away leaving unblemished skin within less than 2 weeks.

No Such Thing As A Cold Sore Cure!

Whilst there may be some helpful cold sore remedies for reducing the aggravation of this condition, the bad news is that once you have the herpes simplex virus you are stuck with it! For this is one of those 'incurable' viral infections, and once acquired, it will be with you throughout life.

The positive thing is that you can take certain actions to reduce the chance of a flare up - indeed some people claim they have discovered a cold sore treatment that is very effective. So much so that they have used simple natural cold sore remedies that have resulted in them experiencing no further outbreaks - even though the virus may still be in their system.

You are most likely to be seeking cold sore remedies when your immune system is impaired. So, whenever you suffer a cold or fever, you are at greatest risk of developing a 'cold sore', hence the name.

However other challenges to your biological system - including exposure to sunlight, for example - can also bring out a nasty sore. This is why you will often get a cold sore developing just when you've started your holiday and been out for your first days 'serious' sunbathing.

Other times when the system is experiencing a minor trauma, such as during menstruation for women, can also prove a vulnerable period that can soon have you reaching for the cold sore medication.

Some More Unpleasant Information...

Cold sores are caused by herpes simplex type 1 (as opposed to herpes simplex type 2, which causes genital herpes and is also known to be contagious and incurable). Confusingly, perhaps, both types of herpes virus can cause sores on the lips OR the genitals IF personal hygiene is poor (and it is evidently quite easy to thoughtlessly touch one part and/or the other of your body without a thorough hand wash in between!)

Although cold sores from 'tingle' to 'crumble' last only around 2 weeks you can remain contagious even after it seemsall clear. This means you need to be responsible in terms of your own behaviour, and also make sure that no-one else you care about is exposed to the virus unnecessarily.

It is particularly important that you should not expose anyone whose immune system is impaired to the virus through your actions. For instance, for someone who has recently undergone major surgery involving immunosuppressant drugs, or anyone with AIDS, an infection from herpes virus could lead to very serious complications.

The herpes virus can also affect the eye and if you or someone who becomes infected in the eye (maybe they used YOUR towel?!) they might even lose their sight (herpes virus infection of the eye leads to many cases of blindness every year! Few people realize that these little sores can become that serious).

How To Reduce The Need For Cold Sore Remedies:

By now you'll be aware that you need to avoid spreading your cold sore infection around - so here are some commonsense things you can do:

(1) Protect others:

  • Avoid any close intimate contact with others whilst you have a cold sore blister. This means NO kissing. Whilst the moist blister phase is most contagious, remember you can remain contagious for several days after the blister has dried up and gone.
  • Do not share personal items like towels or toothbrushes. Particularly during the period when cold sore blisters are weeping you should ensure you keep all your items for your own use.
  • Always be scrupulous about hand cleanliness. Wash your hands regularly and realize how 'tempting' it is to habitually touch your face or lips – try to control/stop this habit. Always be sure to have washed your hands thoroughly before touching someone else (like shaking or holding hands -- or otherwise caressing them -- as you will be putting them at risk if you do not!) (2) Protect yourself:
  • Think twice when you go to the toilet, or rub your eyes whilst you have cold sore blisters. You can infect other parts of your body and you run the risk of developing genital sores or even going blind if you transfer infection thoughtlessly.
  • Simple physical traumas or immunity challenges can reduce your resistance to the virus. Whilst the virus is always in your bloodstream, it will only make itself evident when your system is under stress. So try to keep fit and eat a healthy balanced diet (taking a reliable probiotic can also help - see how/why here), get regular and sufficient sleep – to reduce the chances of getting cold and fevers.
  • If you are going on holiday then pace yourself when it comes to sunbathing. Start off with only short exposures to the sun, using effective, high SPF sun cream* and thereby allow your body to adapt and develop a healthy and protective tan without triggering a nasty cold sore that could ruin your chances of a holiday romance, or else appear just in time for your return to work!
  • Indeed exposure to the sun at any time can be problematic as it can trigger an outbreak of cold sores. Tempting though it is to indulge on a sunny day, stay in the shade and/or use high SPF sunscreens* on your most vulnerable areas like your face and lips. Remember, this could apply equally on those occasional bright sunny winter's days as much as during high summer! A Word About Cold Sore Remedies & Treatments Although incurable, it is now fairly common knowledge that herpes was the first virus for which an effective anti-viral drug treatment was developed and launched a few years ago, in the form of acyclovir. This is the active ingredient in cold sore medicine -- the pills and creams you can be prescribed, or buy from pharmacies -- such as the branded drug Zovirax. This drug can stop a cold sore developing if caught early enough in the development phase. It can also shorten an outbreak time to a few days rather than two weeks. But, it is not, of course, a cold sore cure, nor can it cure the herpes infection that you have - but it might reduce the misery! Unfortunately not everyone can tolerate this drug-based cold sore treatment. There are numerous unpleasant side effects that can be experienced. There will even be a some people who react to the drug with a severe allergic reaction. If you were to start a prescribed course of Aciclovir based drugs and experienced effect such as:
  • Severe skin rash, itching or hives (raised itchy lumps)
  • Puffiness of the face, swollen lips, mouth or throat
  • Difficulty breathing and swallowing
  • Fever
  • Low blood pressure (indicated by feeling tired and weak). This could indicate a severe allergic response, or anaphylaxis, which can be life threatening so you should cease taking the drug, or using the cream, immediately and tell your doctor as soon as possible. You should also tell them about any other unusual side effects you might think you are experiencing. What About Natural Cold Sore Remedies? For those who cannot take, or want to avoid using drugs then you might be interested in an all-natural alternative cold sore remedy and reduce the likelihood of even suffering one again. Take a look at the further in depth cold sore remedies information available here: you can read about an all-natural solution that has been developed that has apparently been shown to stop cold sores in 3 days! With numerous glowing testimonials, it is certainly worth taking 5 minutes to see if this all-natural alternative treatment could be of help to you. ( * NOTE: Cold sore remedies aside - when it comes to suncreams we do not endorse the use of synthetic chemical based creams, which contain ingredients that may be potentially more harmful than the effects of the sun itself. We recommend only natural mineral based cream, using a base of all natural, certified organic ingredients obtainable here: www.SaferAlternative.com - Reflect Outdoor Balm -- Certified Organic Sun Cream.)

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