Does anyone know the best way to treat a cold sore?

Question

On the internet they say it has to pop (yuck)
Then it scabs over than it will heal
Should i pop it myself of just wait for it to do it on its own?
I hate them they look nasty!

Answer 1

How Are Cold Sores Diagnosed and Treated?
Cold sores normally go away on their own within 7 to 10 days. And although no medications can make the infection go away, there are prescription drugs and creams available that can shorten the length of the outbreak and make the cold sore less painful.

If you have a cold sore, it's important to see your doctor if:

you have another health condition that has weakened your immune system
the sores don't heal by themselves within 7 to 10 days
you get cold sores frequently
To make yourself more comfortable when you have cold sores, you can apply ice or anything cool to the area. You also can take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen.

What causes the virus to "wake up" or reactivate? The truth is, no one knows for sure. A person doesn't necessarily have to have a cold to get a cold sore — they can be caused by other infections, fever, stress, sunburn, cold weather, hormone changes in menstruation or pregnancy, tooth extractions, and certain foods and drugs. In a lot of people, the cause is unpredictable.

Here's how a cold sore develops:

The herpes simplex virus-1, which has been lying dormant in the body, reactivates or "wakes up."
The virus travels toward the area where the cold sore decides to show up (like a person's lip) via the nerve endings.
The area below the skin's surface, where the cold sore is going to appear, starts to tingle, itch, or burn.
A red bump appears in the area about a day or so after the tingling.
The bump blisters and turns into a cold sore.
After a few days, the cold sore dries up and a yellow crust appears in its place.
The scab-like yellow crust falls off and leaves behind a reddish, tender area where it once was.
The redness fades away as the body heals and sends the herpes simplex virus back to "sleep."

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

2

Answer 4

Do not break the Blister, doing so, will cause the sore to become larger, and larger, and larger.

Cold sores are typically caused by Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), and are very common. It is estimated that 80% percent of the American population have been exposed to the Herpes simplex virus (which is the virus that causes cold sores).

An interesting fact is that although a person has been infected with the herpes and cold sore virus, they may not necessarily experience an outbreak. This is because some people's immune systems have the ability to completely suppress the virus

If you get coldsores often, perhaps you should see a doctor, and ask for:

Famvir (Famciclovir)
Valtrex (Valacyclovir)
Zovirax (Acyclovir)

Read More:
http://www.herpes-coldsores.com/cold_sores.htm#Are_Cold_Sores_really_Herpes

Answer 5

3

Answer 6

Ice works better than Abreva. I have tried Abreva. It's not worth the money. Abreva doesn't work all that well. It still takes about two weeks for the cold sore to heal. Blistex helps moisturize it only and helps while it is healing during the bleeding stage. Hold an ice cube to your cold sore for one minute for three times today until your lip is numb there. The next day your cold sore will go right into the bleeding stage and be gone within three days. I recently discovered this and have used this method for the past two cold sores I have had the past two months.

Answer 7

There are two types of herpes simplex virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both virus types can cause sores around the mouth (herpes labialis) and on the genitals (genital herpes). Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).

Cold sores sometimes called fever blisters, are groups of small blisters on the lip and around the mouth. The skin around the blisters is often red, swollen, and sore. The blisters may break open, leak a clear fluid, and then scab over after a few days. They usually heal in several days to 2 weeks.

The herpes simplex virus usually enters the body through a break in the skin around or inside the mouth. It is usually spread when a person touches a cold sore or touches infected fluid?such as from sharing eating utensils or razors, kissing an infected person, or touching that person's saliva. A parent who has a cold sore often spreads the infection to his or her child in this way. Cold sores can also be spread to other areas of the body.

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Answer 8

All cold sores are Herpes Simplex 1. Be sure never to kiss anyone or give oral sex if you feel any symptoms of a cold sore coming on, or if you have one.

Use Caramex (over the counter) to help dry out the cold sore quicker.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

tea tree oil from the natural foods store
it helps to dry it up and heal faster, but like any treatment of cold sores, it works best if you put it on as soon as you see/feel signs on one coming on.
It also helps to stop it from getting bigger before it 'pops'. Don't pop it on your own, it won't help anyway. Once it scabs over there isn't much you can do to help it heal faster.

I think Tea Tree Oil works better than Abreva (cheaper too!). Carmex is useless.

BTW, don't kiss anyone or give oral sex while you have cold sore!!