The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Ice
Posted by Noel Nepomuceno (Palm Springs, CA) on 07/22/2008
★★★★★
Once you feel a tingling sensation and know that a cold sore is about to come out, ice it for ten minutes, put alcohol on the affected area, then put fresh aloe vera on it. Cold sore is a virus. Viruses do not like ice cold and therefore, ice puts them back to their dormancy. Alcohol is to kill the virus that's already on the skin. Aloe vera is to heal the wound. Repeat this procedure throughout the day, 3 to 4 x. The cold sore will not come out. If you did not catch it on time, you may still do this procedure and I can ssure you, the cold sore will not grow bigger. And in two to three days, the cold sore will be be gone.
Vicks
Posted by Fruitful Eden (Or) on 11/21/2020 4 posts
There is also turpentine oil in Vicks vapor rub and I think it might be the turpentine oil that helps.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Inourhands (Sydney, Australia) on 10/11/2010
★★★★★
I keep organic ACV in the fridge and use it all the time but had never tried it on cold sores which I occasionally suffer from. After a really busy period without enough rest I was starting to feel very run down and sure enough the other morning I woke up with one cold sore above my lip, and a separate one just starting nearby. I thought i'd try the ACV - dabbed straight on with a cotton bud. Immediately I could tell it was helping, so I applied it a few more times during the day. The one that had already started dried up to a mild scab and the other one retreated completely without erupting. Glad to see others know about this too, it really works.
Witch Hazel
Posted by Tami (Stettler, Canada) on 11/27/2007
★★★★★
I don't know if this helps herpes, but when I feel a cold sore coming on, I dab on a cotton ball of witch hazel on it, and the cold sore hardly ever shows up...if the feeling doesn't go away (I can see it, but it hasn't broken yet, I just reapply. Works every time.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Peter Hart (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) on 11/14/2007
★★★★★
Manuka Honey was the only answer to the ulcer problem I was having. All natural and clinically tested. Complete a search under 'The University of Waikato' in New Zeland. Oil of Oregano is very effective for healing cold soars in a hurry! I always recommend you research a product on a crediable internet site before trying any remedy. Best Regards,
L-Lysine
Posted by Sue (Waukesha, WI) on 09/23/2007
★★★★★
Ever since I was a child I would get really bad cold sores on my lips. about eighteen years ago a co-worker told me about L-lysine. I bought some and as soon as I would feel the tingling like one was starting I'd take 2-3 L-lysine and later in the day 2 more and the next day only 3. And the cold sore wouldn't form or come out. For about a year I'd take it only when I felt one coming and a day or two. For about 14 years I haven't had one cold sore! A miracle!
Neem Leaves or Oil
Posted by Otti (Tampa, Florida) on 08/06/2007
★★★★★
I discovered an awesome natural remedy for any yeast infections and fungus - neem tree see oil. It even works on plants, not just my boyfriend's toe nail fungus. However, the seed oil smells worse than garlic but it is so very strong and powerful. Mixing it with an essential oil can help with that smell. Other neem tree extracts can cure viral infections as well and can be taken orally. I have used the seed oil on my cold sore (mixed with carmex because of the smell) and it stopped the herpes outbreak immediately.
Ear Wax
Posted by Jessica (LIma, Ohio) on 07/31/2007
★★★★★
This will sound odd but those of us that get cold sores and such know the warning signs. I was told many years ago that when you get the itchy or tingle feeling to put ear wax on the spot. I tried it and have done it for 13 yrs or so now. It works very very well and I tell everyone about it. It doesnt taste good if you lick your lips but it does work.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Kate (Atlanta, GA) on 06/12/2007
★★★★★
Ok let me start by saying medical advise from doctors only suppress symptoms. This is the remedy I use daily... Take 2 super lysine pills daily I take them at the same time on empty stomach, You can fine this at an herbal shop. Drink liquid oxygen water thru out the day it increases ph balance in blood, we need water any way daily but don't mix the oxygenated water with herbs at the same time. You can find this at the herbal shop. Take olive leaf capsules, I take 3 a day, this plant is the plant that heals the nations according to the bible it also builds the immune system just like super lysine. Taking a liquid vitamin for example mirical 2000 is a good way 2 build the immune system and you are getting daily vitamins. Finally vegetables and fruits I don't consume enough vegetables and fruits eating so the alternate option is to juice them and drink a nice glass of green plants and fruits this also increase your ph in your blood and to top it off apply dmso on the bottom part of your spine and your genital area I would say twice a week. And this will stop any break outs you will practically forget u have herpes I have been outbreak free for 14yrs now.
Vitamin E and Gold Bond Medicated Powder
Posted by Lucy (NY) on 02/26/2007
★★★★★
Remedy for HSV 1: Vitamin E either tabs or oil- (higher degree of IU's, the better) with Gold Bond Powder! Place both together on sores. It heals w/o any scabbing! Best to you all!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by LaVon (Coeburn, VA) on 08/09/2006
★★★★★
Out of everything that I have used, this was the only thing that took care of the pain and with only one day use. Already the Fever Blister is drying up. Last week I got to much sun and it caused me to get a Fever Blister on my bottom lip... Had me crippled for about 3 days. Had to drink with a straw and had to eat finger food so nothing would touch my lip.. I was in pain... For some reason the internet was my only solution.. Looked up Old Timers Remedy....... Thank God I did... Read all about it, So, found a bottle and poured some in a glass, took a cotton swab and soaked the Fever Blister really good and WOW Pain City for about 30 sec. after the pain left the fever blister did not hurt anymore. I did this on and off all day, now it is late in the evening and the thing is healing. Gods Honest Truth Rem..... No Pain No Gain.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Alex (USA) on 04/17/2006
★★★★★
It works; I started using it with the early symptoms, like five times a day. It stopped it from coming out.
Ear Wax
Posted by Marvin (Calgary, Canada)
★★★★★
For Cold Sores on the lip...(I know it sounds nasty) ear wax rubbed on the sore repeatedly from the time you first get the tingling sensation does wonders. Since I tried this for the first time, I've not had a single one do anything but start to form a bump... they then vanish in a few days like magic.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Jr (Jeffersonville, In) on 05/09/2011
I used hydrogen peroxide after reading about it here. worked for me too!!
Baking Soda
Posted by Susan (USA)
★★★★★
Another excellent use for baking soda is for mouth ulcers and cold sores. Simply mix a teaspoon of baking soda with 100mls of water and use as a gargle. For cold sores use the same solution. Dab directly onto the cold sore using a cotton bud. Do this at least twice a day.
Neem Leaves or Oil
Posted by GrassTwig (Geneva) on 02/15/2025
★★★★★
I have long been using neem oil for cold sores. It has to be used as early as possible when tingling appears. Cover the area and around the mouth with a thin layer and apply many times per day. Use a small 10ml empty essential oil bottle and fill it with neem oil and always carry it around with you.
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
Posted by Kathy (Grandville, MI) on 05/12/2024
★★★★★
Herpes cold sore
Dabbing colloidal copper on the cold sore stops the cold sore from ever breaking out.
DMSO
Posted by Lisa (USA) on 09/11/2023
★★★★★
Yep.. I'm amazed... that's the stuff!!! I feel it, but it never broke out in a sore!
Niacin
Posted by Adriana (California) on 04/22/2021
★★★★★
My ex suffered from herpes simplex in the mouth, which smelled like the day after a battlefield, rotting. He had lost lots of weight and many remedies were not working. He could not eat and had lost a great deal of weight.
Because it seemed the condition was stuck, I had read that Niacin could move stuck radioactive conditions.
He took Niacin and within 2 days was back to work.
