★★★★★
Last few years, experimented with essential oils and found a combination that works at least as effectively as Abreva but is all natural and gentle.
First, if I'm away from home and feel the familiar tingle, I found that rubbing an ice cube on the spot will greatly slow down the virus. Apparently, it needs a certain temperature to replicate (hence, the name of fever sore).
Here is the formula I use. Though it varies a bit, the proportions are roughly the same:
Tea tree oil (anti-viral) | 30 drops
Peppermint (relieves itching)| 15 drops
Lavender (soothing and healing especially with blisters) | 10 drops
I mix them in small glass vials that you can buy online at essential oil stores and such.
This creates plenty of blend to get me through an outbreak. I typically apply it about 4x per day with a Q-tip or with my fingertip but make sure to wash my hands extremely thoroughly afterwards.
It works best at the very first tingle - but that's true of most remedies including the OTC ones. I find it to be gentle and moisturizing so there's no horrible stinging (can't even imagine using acetone in this way! ), burning, terrible smell, etc. There is also much less to no horrible crusting and scabbing.
Used it about 2 weeks about 5 days before a weekend trip - caught it right away the and sore was literally gone in 2 days!
Hope it helps!
DMSO
★★★★★
Yes, I would like help drafting a clear, structured summary of my 30-year protocol that you could copy and paste onto public health forums or review boards?
Here is a clear, structured draft of your testimony. It is written in a neutral, informative format that review boards and public health forums accept, focusing entirely on your timeline, method, and the critical importance of timing.
[PATIENT REMEDY TESTIMONY]: 30+ Years of Successful Fever Blister Prevention Using 99.9% DMSO
Primary Use Case: Immediate prevention of fever blisters / cold sores (Herpes Simplex Virus-1)
Duration of Experience: 30+ consecutive years
Success Rate: Highly successful when applied within the exact timeline outlined below.
1. The Core Principle: Mastering the "Tingle" Window
The absolute key to this protocol is timing (It is better to catch the onset when possible). This method does not heal an already blistered or broken-out cold sore (This is not a true statement by AI, DMSO does start the healing process even if the sore has emerged); its sole purpose is to stop the viral replication before the blister emerges. (True, this is the best-case scenario).
- The Trigger: Application must occur the exact moment the distinct, subsurface "tingle, " itch, or throbbing sensation is felt on the lip. (doesn't require precise timing to actually stop the virus)
- The Timeline: If applied immediately during this warning phase, the fever blister is successfully blocked and fails to appear the following morning. (This is true statement but DMSO starts healing the sore even if applied after it has appeared and the “tingle” point is missed, and lessens pain also and the sore starts to dry up)
2. Application Protocol & Materials
- Substance Used: 99.9% Concentration Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO).
- Packaging: Sourced from commercial DMSO providers (commonly packaged in specialized plastic bottles).
- Applicator: A standard cotton swab / Q-tip.
- Method: The cotton swab is lightly (Highly is more accurate) saturated with the 99.9% DMSO liquid and precisely pressed directly onto the localized area of the lip where the tingle is originating. (After pressing initially for an undetermined time, maybe 1 to 4 minutes, I periodically over the next several hours recoat with a cotton swab until I think the DMSO has overcome the virus)
3. Personal Observations & Important Consumer Considerations
While this real-life test has provided over three decades of predictable, next-day prevention, anyone looking to replicate it must understand the unique chemical nature of DMSO:
- The Solvent Effect: 99.9% DMSO is an aggressive chemical vehicle. It instantly penetrates the skin and carries anything it touches directly into the bloodstream. Users must ensure the lip area is completely clean and free of cosmetics, dirt, or chemicals before application.
- Material Sensitivity: Because DMSO can dissolve synthetic glues, adhesives, or plasticizers, users should be aware that standard cotton swabs and plastic packaging carry a risk of introducing manufacturing impurities into the tissue.
- Regulatory Status: This is a personal, long-term anecdotal case study. This protocol is not evaluated or recommended by the FDA, which has not approved DMSO for topical antiviral use.
Oregano Oil
Ice
★★★★★
Local Concentrated Heat (LCH)
★★★★★
I have used LCH machines for mosquito bites with great success. The ones with ceramic plates that can reach 51C. If one searches in the internet, there are many good comments for these machines from buyers. There is also this research:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24231728/
Use these machines at least three times a day from the first signs of a cold sore. You can use them repeatedly but with 2 minutes intervals at least in order not to get burned. No more than 5 uses per hour. The burning sensation is for about 3-6 seconds.
Acetone
★★★★★
Been dealing with this regularly for 30 years.. ended up with acetone dabbed on with earbuds.
Initially kept it on until the burns. Now I'm not sure if a lot of the scabbing that follows is due to the coldsore healing itself, or actual acetone burns.
Will keep using it. Maybe cautiously to avoid damage to surrounding areas, which may actually take longer to heal.
Neem Leaves or Oil
Neem Leaves or Oil
★★★★★
This is the only remedy that actually prevented the cold sores from going from stage one to the other stages of the blisters. Using acyclovir, I always had to go through stages 2 to 5.
Together with neem oil, it is good to supplement with L-Lysine and reduce sugar coffee and other arginine rich food (wheat for example). When going out in the sun use lips sunscreens, as long exposure to sun is likely contributing to outbreak triggers.
★★★★★
Colloidal Copper
★★★★★
Dabbing colloidal copper on the cold sore stops the cold sore from ever breaking out.
Ear Wax
★★★★★
Clove Oil
★★★★★
Oregano Oil
★★★★★
Acetone
★★★★☆
Acetone is so powerful it will take the paint right off your car!
You are using it to kill the virus, this shouldn't take more than 1 day, once the virus is dead, meaning the cold sores stop growing and developing, you need to stop using acetone, it is used to kill the virus, not to heal the cold sore, the healing process happens naturally, the more you leave it alone the quicker it will heal.
Acetone
The acetone is used to kill the virus, if you cover any living thing in acetone it will die, same with the virus, once the virus is dead it scab over and start the healing process, the more you mess with the scab, the more you risk leaving a scar, so no more acetone after the virus is dead, you can tell it is dead because it is no longer growing larger and it no longer has that tingly feeling when you push down on it.
Acetone
Avoid Arginine
★★★★★
Certain Foods
Consuming arginine-rich foods – such as beans, meat, chocolate and dairy – can trigger or worsen a cold sore. This is because arginine is required for the virus to replicate. Acidic foods and beverages can also trigger a cold sore outbreak. This includes citrus fruits, tomatoes, orange juice and even soda.
Calamine Lotion
I used to get really bad sores every 4 months or so, and found acyclovir invaluable in that. I still keep an old prescription on hand.
Calamine Lotion
★★★★★
DMSO
★★★★★
Acetone
★★★★★
I used a q-tip to dip in a home depot purchased acetone container and applied throughout the day starting in the afternoon. Without any exaggeration, and with outmost sincerity, it worked for me. By the end of the day 10 pm or so - the size of the bumps/bulbs decreased to about 25% from the large size of that same morning. I could not believe it. I asked my roommate, just to make sure I was not losing my mind and going blind...
By the next morning, the bumps decreased more in size, and a small scabs started to appear - signaling the healing process has begun... I only applied once or twice the second day.
Don't ingest the powerful acetone, careful breathing in the fumes - I held my breath as much as possible, sealed my lips / mouth while applying with q tip soaked. Acetone evaporates very quickly, so application time is short.. Think I applied about 10 times from afternoon til midnight the first day.
Hope this helps!
★★★★★
My lip went down after a couple hours. I then poked the blister with a needle and got the fluid out. Next day it crusted over. Did the acetone all day again but maybe fewer times. Third day was just a scab. Did the acetone a few more times just in case. Now I'm just waiting for the scab to come off. I'm on the fourth day. It usually takes a week before it scabs over. I guess I'll be doing this from now on.
Bingpensan
★★★★★
Many years ago in China, a local doctor gave me a vial of Bingpengsan (borneolum and borax), which is a white or pink powder. She told me to rinse my mouth three times a day with diluted hydrogen peroxide (4 parts water, 1 part hydrogen peroxide). After rinsing, I was to use the equivalent of a Q-tip to spread the Bingpengsan lightly on the cold sore. This must be done immediately when the cold sore just emerges.
Within a day the cold sore will dry up, but keep using the treatment. About day three, the cold sore will have turned into a scab and will fall off. I've kept the vial for more than 25 years and use it whenever I feel/see a cold sore emerge. It has never failed to eliminate the cold sore immediately. I'm not sure where or how to get this type of powder in the U.S., but my acupuncture doctor has provided to me a powdered preparation in capsules called Tianqi, which has the same effect on open wounds (like blisters, burns, scrapes, bed sores). Just take the the powder out of the capsule and sprinkle or spread it on the open sore (if it's a blister, just put the powder on it). The wound will dry up and scab over very, very quickly. I've never tried the Tianqi for cold sores, but it seems to have the same action as the Bingpengsan.
Multiple Remedies
Multiple Remedies
★★★★★
1. The minute I feel tingling, I dab it with OREGANO, GARLIC, or GOLDEN SEAL essential oil, (or, if necessary, ACETONE/nail polish remover - I spit out any that goes into my mouth). I dab one of the above herbs on my lip every hour or two - I use only one herb a time, but you can rotate them from hour to hour. Use Acetone only 3 times a day or less.
Another remedy that you can also use WITH the above or use alone:
Dab on a little mixture of cayenne pepper and coconut, olive, or any edible oil. I sometimes cover it with a bandaid for a while to hold it in place while it dries. This works very well on skin shingles -- as well as taking lots of Vitamin C/lysine. It might sting a little at first.
2. Take plenty of Vitamin C and lysine at least 3 - 6 times a day. (If you experience loose stools, back off, but don 't stop taking it altogether for a week or so.) Drink lots of water with the C.
_______________________________
These remedies won't eliminate the cold sore completely if it's already formed a pea-sized bump, but it will stop it from growing into a larger bubbly marble as the sore will flatten and stop tingling or feeling painful. (By the second or third day, your lip might still have a reddish, flattened dried-out light bump, but it should pass as looking merely chapped.)
**** When the tingling first starts and your lips are dry, do the protocol immediately. If you aren't at home, if necessary, rub on a bit of salt, tabasco sauce and/or vinegar. Carry apple cider vinegar and vitamin C and lysine capsules in your purse or car to take in an emergency. Do NOT wait! For me, consuming excessive sugar (and occasionally too many nuts, which contain arginine, and for some, excessive pop or alcohol) is the major culprit and the bitter vinegar, pickle juice/sauerkraut, lysine, and vitamin C supplements seem to counteract that.
L-Lysine
L-Lysine
★★★★★
If one sore has emerged, then it goes away quickly - if it hasn't then the L-Lysine makes it go away fast.
I keep a bottle of it in my vehicle, as we know those suckers can strike at any time & don't wait until you have some on hand.
Reading through the posts, some take it daily. I heard you should ONLY take it when needed and prolonged use is not good for you, other posts say it can affect the liver-so be careful out there, do your research, and if confirmed, only take for a few days to a week.
★★★★★
EC: Hydrogen Peroxide and Tea Tree Oil.
