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.
Lemon Balm
Posted by P (Shawnee Mission, Ks) on 10/24/2012
The herb Lemon Balm There is actually some research to support its effectiveness against the herpes virus. Take it when you first start to feel the pain. 2 or three capsules, Then back off and use 1 maybe 3 times a day. Zinc oxide ointment on the sores at night. I use coconut oil in cooking. May help.
Lemon Balm
Posted by Cris01us (Honolulu) on 07/07/2017
★★★★★
You are spot on. Lemon Balm is my main weapon now (liquid form with dropper). I also take coconut oil (1000-5000mg) depending on how I feel, and having enough Zinc is also key. I rotate in Echinacea with Goldenseal every so often and always take L-Lysine. Thanks for sharing!
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Timh (KY) on 03/06/2015 2042 posts
Licorice is a potent antiviral and worth the recommend, but, yes, the Glycyrrhizic Acid makes it unpopular as the bad side effects of elevated Aldosterone thus sodium retention and hypertension. To reduce these side effects one can go on a very low sodium and increased potassium diet for the few days of taking Licorice.
Also, most folks take advantage of the deglyccerinated form of licorice or DGL. Therapeutic doses of DGL could be taken together w/ minimal doses of regular strength Licorice (also w/ low sodium diet) for maximum benefit and minimal side effect.
L-Lysine
Posted by Timh (Louisville, Ky, Usa) on 08/01/2012 2042 posts
Becky, the herb St John's Wort is both antiviral and antidepressant. Outside of the typical vit/min used to boost immunity, of which some it seems he's taking, try the Thymus Gland support I posted a few days ago, here:
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/lyme_disease.html#MR_71105
Cold Showers or Cold Baths or swimming is a powerful whole body/mind booster w/ immediate as well as long-term benefits; you can find it in the "remedies" section at the top of the E. C. page.
Hope this helps and good luck.
L-Lysine
Posted by Sherry (Vancouver, Bc) on 12/08/2012
RA and Mania are both tied to gluten intolerance. It has incredible systemic reactions. Do some research and get him off gluten and dairy. It'll make the world of difference.
Geranium Oil
Posted by Janet (Fernley, Nevada) on 07/11/2012
★★★★★
I was just told about using Geranium oil on cold sores and will never use anything else it worked fast!!! I had 2 cold sores and a 3rd one on its way. The 2 had popped already and were starting to scab, I put a drop of Geranium oil on my finger and dabbed it on the sores 2 or 3 times through out the day. It doesn't taste great if it gets in your mouth but oh well. I would put on carmex inbetween Geranium oil applications. The next day the 3rd sore never came, the smaller sore was gone and the bigger sore was much smaller!! My sister in law says she puts it on before the blisters pop and it clears right up, mine were open already and it still worked super fast! It is now day 3 I have not put anymore Geranium oil on it since day 1 and my cold sores are all almost GONE! I love it!!!
L-Lysine
Posted by Susan (Bklyn, Ny) on 07/21/2012
Well, Well, I feel your pain but you do not have to live this way. Do not listen to the doctors, there is help out there. The problem is people do not want to change their diet. If u read my post on the "onion family" cure u would c that two people were cured passing on info to the next. I just found out that one of them had it for 7 yrs before she got cured. Upon finding out she immediately chnaged her diet, ate organic produce( only from the land and NOTHING processed). She does not use deodorant but makes her own from fresh lemons/limes. Drinks distilled water/minearl water. She takes cold pressed coconut oil daily and has been retested multiple times and the result is still negative. She has stopped taking the onion drink after her kidneys were messed up(she drank it excessively). She still maintains an extremely healthy lifestyle. Her shower has a filter and so is her tap. She uses no flour, rice etc. But this is what cured her. She also used lots of herbal stuff, no pill nor capsule.
Acetone, Aloe Vera
Posted by Merrin (Perth, West Australia) on 05/30/2012
G'day! After suffering from unsightly coldsores due to stress a friend recommended Lysine, an amino acid. I take a 500mg tablet every day or two. If I feel the "tingle" I increase the dose and that seems to do the trick, stopping the nasty beast in its tracks.
Red Marine Algae
Posted by Sue M. (Worden, Il, Usa) on 05/18/2012
★★★★★
I was also starting to get frequent cold sores... Every couple of months and I felt terrible with them. So, I was doing some research and read on Dr. Mercola's website that if you take Red Marine Algae( with gigartina/dumontacea in the formula) that this will help prevent you from getting the cold sores. So far, so good. It's been a couple of months and no signs of an episode.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Susan (Manila, Philippines) on 05/07/2012
★★★★★
I have had herpes since about age 7 or 8, I had it both orally and genitally, I know Doctors will say it is not possible but I think being a child I played with the oral sores and transferred it to my penis when I had a pee, anyway all my life it has come and gone and now I'm 64 and I just discovered this website. Brilliant. My outbreaks have been rare over the past 30 or 40 years but 3 years I moved from my native New Zealand to the Philippines and after coming here I began having outbreak after outbreak. I have seldom needed any medication before and suddenly I found I needed it, but I hardly got over one OB and another would start. Then I began getting a rash above the hairline on the back of my head, and around the waist, under my arms, my butt crack, anywhere I sweated heavily. That generated me thinking why, what is different, and after a lot of thought, it is definitely diet triggered. I went from Potato as the staple to rice and also in NZ I always drank alkaline water, where I lived the water was naturally alkaline.
So I began the 1/4 teaspoon of BS in a glass of water twice a day on a empty stomach, stopped eating rice for breakfast and began eating raw fruits as my first food, I would consume this using the ACV as a dip and would consume 1 or 2 tablespoons of it.
My skin began to clear immediately, the itching stopped, and the herpes outbreaks seem to have come to halt. I have been doing this for a month, added benefit, I have lost weight and my BP is a steady 110/70. What more can I say. I love this site. Thank Earth Clinic and especially Ted from Thailand.
Acetone, Ice, Lysine
Posted by Maz (Philadelphia, Pa, Usa) on 04/26/2012
★★★★★
I woke up with COLD SORES on a Tuesday morning, and I was going to fly across the country to visit my boyfriend that Friday! No way was I going to see my boyfriend for the first time in a month and NOT be able to kiss him! I used ice AND lysine AND acetone. Here's how:
LYSINE: Took 3000 mg as soon as I got up, 2000 mg at lunch, and 2000 mg at bedtime. The second and third days, I took 2000 mg at each of the same times.
ICE: Iced ASAP for about 20 minutes. This stopped the tingling and pain for about half an hour after I was done. Iced again a few hours later for another 20 minutes.
ACETONE: After icing, I used a Q-tip to CAREFULLY soak each cold sore with acetone for about a minute. As soon as the tingling or pain came back, I soaked the sores with the acetone again. I did this for about an hour and a half, then rinsed my lips with lots of cold water. I soaked the sores with acetone again one time right before going to bed. The second day, I used the acetone one time in the morning and one time at night.
The sores were GONE by the end of the second day. My lips WERE red and puffy for another day or so in the places where I'd used the acetone -- so be aware that you might be replacing your cold sore with a chemical burn.
I have not tried using these three things separately, so I can't tell you which one is the best. But using all of them together worked for me!
Acetone
Posted by Yessssss (Ft Lauderdale, Fl) on 04/20/2012
★★★★★
So started getting a tingle on my chin and I immediately started applying cream it did nothing by the morning my whole chin was covered I read this post around noon it is now 4 and holy crap they're almost gone!!! Got a needle gently pricked each lump then got the nail polish remover soaked them for 5 min since every hr I have been applying a bit and it's almost gone awesome thanks guys
Acetone
Posted by Micah (Augusta, Ga) on 12/08/2012
★★★★★
I've used the acetone nail polish remover method twice in the last year. The first time I used it I had already had the cold sore on my lip for three days so it was pretty gnarly looking but I went ahead and did the acetone treatment anyway and it was almost 100 % healed within a few days when normally it would have taken two weeks. This time, I used the acetone as soon as I felt the cold sore and two days later its almost completely healed. It never got huge and super red and scabby. I am definitely a huge fan of this method.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Sms27 (Princeton, Nj, Usa) on 04/07/2012
★★★★★
I've tried many remedies, but what best works for me is a combination of lysine taken first thing in the morning and then twice more during the day, and in the first day of the sore, dabbing it periodically with tea tree oil, holding the cutip for a minute or so, then putting vaseline on it. Taking vitain C and zinc supplements speeds up the healing process. The best part about the teatree oil is that is dries the sore and it doesn't really break-up, making it easy to conceal, especially if you catch it within a few hours of forming. If you catch it before it starts swelling, when you just have tingling and itching, then it is very lkely it won't even form.
Dietary Recommendations
Posted by Tbo (Louisville, Kentucky) on 03/22/2012
★★★★★
I wanted to share an option for treatment of Herpes with all who are looking for and ALL NATURAL and VERY EFFECTIVE option. In recent years I have been learning more about natural foods verses commercial and processed foods. A year and a half ago I joined a local food Co-Op where they follow Weston A. Price Founation practices regarding food orgins. It has been a great benefit to me and my family's health. Learning how natural (truly natural) food sources are key in our overall health. So, when Herpes invaded my happy little life I was compelled to find a remedy that would be natural and beneficial as well.
I've tried acetone, apple cider vinegar (ACV), campho phenic and I take L-lysine daily and I am still getting the outbreaks and having the full cycle of an outbreak with blisters etc. Again, hoping this info and the link provided will help someone else out there looking for natural ways to live with this embarassing virus.
Acetone
Posted by Art (Vancouver Bc, Canada.) on 03/21/2012
Dear Bella_vcista2, If you have a cold sore you have a form of herpes. Taking BHT a food preservative that kills lipid coated viruses. Your cold sore will return as mine did but does no longer. You can get it at VRP (vitamin Research Products) very cheap. The informed have the power. Art.
Acetone
Posted by Lynel (Como, Colorado) on 03/25/2012
Everything you put on your skin is absorbed into you. I for one don't want any acetone inside me or on me. If you take one 500 mg. Tab of L-Lysine a day the cold sore will go away. It's a herpes virus from the whole Chicken Pox thing. That is what causes cold sores. L-Lysine is an amino acid. The ole bod need this.
Acetone
Posted by Dongyue (Culver, Ca) on 04/02/2012
I like to give many thanks for you for this good read!! I undeniably cherished every tiny bit of it. I've bookmarked your website to consider the new things you publish.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by A Helpful Friend (Salt Lake City, Utah) on 02/07/2012
★★★★★
On Thursday the 2nd a small bump on the right side of my lip, near the corner, began to grow. At first I was skeptical about treating it so I took some garlic, since I know of its healing properties, cut a small piece off and pressed it to the small bump. This made the bump decrease slightly. The next day I went to a mongolian restaurant where I enjoyed two oranges. Not knowing the affects of citrus and cold sores, I smeared the orange all over my lip in hopes that the citrus could combat it. The bump was was very pleased, it grew instead. I could feel it growing as I sat in the restaruant with a friend after eating the orange. By the time I got home it was more than one bump, and I was more than distraught. That night, (friday) I decided to try an over the counter product because I was desperate. Searching online, I found a product with a patented formula that promised to stop it in its tracks and have the sore gone in 24 hours. Of course I was optimistic. I began using the product and noticed it was still increasing in size and had spread to the entire corner of my mouth.
The next morning I discontinued use of the product and switched to Hydrogen peroxide because of this website. I also went on to read a book about the amazing healing properties of HP.
PROCEDURE: In the morning I woke up, soaked a cotton ball with HP and pressed it to my lip. I felt and enjoyed the burn because I knew something was working. The sore began to turn white with small bubbles and dried out. Let the sore dry out every time. It must remain as dry as possible. There is no limit to the amount of times to use the peroxide as it is a natural compound. I started eating 4 small yogurts each day on that saturday to boost my immune system and get a good amount of lysine in my body. I continued doing the pressing procedure all day, by night fall it had begun to create a scab and the peroxide didnt burn anymore. Sunday the cab was more apparent. Realizing it was in its healing process I used Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula in its Palmade form to help with the healing process. I could feel the tightness of the scab around my mouth. The scab began to fall off monday night. I woke up tuesday continuing with use of the palmade. It is tuesday night at 7 pm and I have been completely cold sore free for hours. The skin showing is not red or raw. My lip looks completely fine and healed because I didn't pick the scab. My mouth looks the exact same as it was last tuesday before any hint of a cold sore.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Crazyakplayer (Pc, Fl) on 01/29/2012
★★★★★
i usually get blisters on my lips twice a year did some research found that tea tree oil works good I bought some itch away oil from a herb shop and applied it to my sore it was completely gone in two days no scab or anything ive used abreava and it doesnt work the itch away oil is awsome
Blue Green Algae
Posted by Anna (San Mateo, Ca) on 01/27/2012
★★★★★
My best remedy for cold sore (and I suffer from that since my early age 1) I found around 6 to 7 years ago by coincidence: blue green algae. I used to take every day just 1g and observed during this time no cold sore outbreaks, and useally I had it every month at least once and very bad around my mouth and lips. Now I just take it when I feel this burning on my lips and take 1g to 2g and mostly it prevents me from outbreak. And when I already got cold sore and took blue green algae then - it helped to heal so much faster and the pain was nearly gone. Zovirax never helped me.
Homeopathic Remedies
Posted by Nicole (Rockford, Il) on 01/13/2012
★★★★★
I picked up "herplex" (a herpes homeopathic formula tablets) from Walmart a while back. I got it from the clearence section. I'm now looking all over for it. It works wonders for cold sores. Seriously when I take it, no blister forms and all symptoms gone in 2 days max! So if anyone sees this in any store please comment and let me know which one. It is all natural and has some weird ingredients like crab apples and even poison ivy. Weird ingredients aside I want more!
Acetone
Posted by Lilly (Lancaster, California) on 01/27/2012
★★★★★
So I woke up with a bump on my lip the other day... I freaked cuz I knew it was coming I went to the store and got everything to try to keep it from bursting into a full on cold sore... Too late!! Ugg. I work as a host at red robin and I have had 2 days doing everything I can to get rid of it before I go back to work. I came across a few sites and found this... Nail polish remover it sounded scary but it has dried it compleatly. I mixed it with rubbing alcohol and used a qutip to put chapstick all around the sore cuz I am afraid that the nail polish remover would kill the heathly skin on my lips then I dapped the mixture on the sore for 5 mins every 20 mins with out touching it or irritating it in between, I work at 5 today and it looks like I'm not going to have to worry about ppl staring at my mouth, if only I knew about this sooner.... It really does work ppl
Acetone
Posted by Careshare (Los Angeles, Ca, United States) on 03/08/2012
Putting any type of of chemicals like bleach or acetone on a cold sore is a bad idea. It may get rid of it temporarily but it could cause unwanted side effects. The root cause of the cold sore is a virus, so you want to use treatments that attack the virus directly.
I've had good success using Lysine to treat cold sores. Here are a few good articles on cold sore treatments you can check out:
www.health911.com/cold_sores - In depth overview of a cold sore and various treatments
http://www.holisticallyhaute.com/2012/03/do-you-get-cold-sores-heres-how-to.html - Good article on natural remedies
www.yourcoldsoreremedies.com - Shows various natural treatment options you can choose from.
I know cold sores can be a major pain, but its better to do some research and use a safe treatment.
Acetone
Posted by Ads (Atlanta, Ga) on 12/18/2011
★★★★★
I had a cold sore pop up on Friday and I had a Christmas party that night so I started freaking out! I read about acetone so I started putting it on that day and it never got swollen at all. The next day the blisters had dried almost completely. And on Sunday it had completely dissolved. Acetone is amazing!
Acetone
Posted by Laurilyn (Priest River, Idaho) on 02/17/2012
★★★★★
It WORKS like magic! I have fought this virus since my college days. I have tried oral L-lysine, topical L-lysine, ice, 3%H2O2, 70% Isopropyl alcohol, and every other idea. Acetone nail polish remover on a Q-tip right on the cancker sore dried it up right away. Thanks so much, I have an interview on Tuesday. I was so worried I would NOT get it cleared up in the next 4 days. NOW. No worries!
Acetone
Posted by Kathleen Gridley (Uk) on 02/25/2015
★★★★★
I have terrible cold sores and hemoform serum works wonders. When applied everyday, the sores never get those ugly huge scabs. And the best part is they don't hurt. I would highly recommend this to anyone who suffers with cold sores
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Herpes (Phoenix, Arizona) on 11/11/2011
I have been diagnosed with the Herpes Simplex Virus (type 1 & 2). Ever since then I have been devastated and trying to find a 'CURE' (not treatment) for it. After doing some research here is what I got so far. I'm taking VIT C, zinc, VIT A (nonfat soluble), and lysine every day to build up my immune system. A strong immune system is a must have, especially if someone is infected with this bs virus. I take the lysine every other day because I noticed some adverse effects coming from it. I did some research on colloidal silver and know it can kill the virus so I bought that. The only problem with that is the virus hides in your neurons so it's hard to reach it. I'm thinking if there is any way to bring out the virus then I made be able to kill it with the silver.
I heard of a herb that can maybe bring out the virus from hiding called Yakeow, it's a Thai natural herb or something like that. Another thing I came across was known as BHT, which disrupts the herpes virus's lipid membrane coating function. Another thing was coconut oil which kills the lipid membrane of the virus.
Another thing I came across was DSMO, so I know DSMO provides an oxidative effect on the applied area, so I was thinking since the herpes virus cannot survive in oxygenated areas, we apply that with the Yakeow (to help bring it out) to its hiding place. This is lower back area (lower spine). Plus DSMO allows penetration through your skin very easily so I was thinking to use that of getting to the virus. Maybe put some colloidal silver on that area too before applying the DSMO. Doctor even use it for their penetrating abilities. They say it hides around your lower spine, in the nerves. I would do that and eat only basic foods because this virus thrives in an acidic environment. Therefore, by lowering your body's pH you will disrupt the virus. Maybe get a pH drink or something, I hear they have those. I would get foods that have very little or no carbs because the herpes virus needs those to function. Obviously, stay away from foods that have carbs, chocolate and definitely sugar. I would use a 2% iodine skin patch on my skin to help fight this virus also. I would also order Astragalus which fights breakouts outs quickly. Astragalus, colloidal silver, and Dynamiclear are the best ways to fight a herpes breakout.
After doing all this, I think I may be able to CURE herpes once and for all! I was also maybe thinking, have a surgeon cut my back open at the area that it hides and apply colloidal silver, BHT, Coconut oil, and/or others maybe lysine to that area where its hiding. This thing is controlling my life. I know they say it's not that bad and whatever but for me it is! I have read many support articles and posts about it. I can't comfortably date or even talk to women anymore! The psychological distress is too much for me! I feel that I will never get over it. I had this for about 2 months now.
Please give me some comments people, I need help!! I am going to try this and will not give up until I cure this thing. If this is indeed a way to cure herpes, I am calling dibs and copywriting this so nobody try to steal it!
Here is my email, andre200923 (at) ymail (dot) com
Let me know what you guys think please!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Lilly (Milwaukee, Wi) on 10/24/2011
Hello all... Just wanted to share my personal story with using fghp (food grade hydrogen peroxide 35%). First of all let me just say that I started the program and have fallen off a couple of times. I made it up to the 25 drops in distilled water 3times /day, and I continued that for about 10 days. I contracted hsv type 1 from a boyfriend through oral sex. I must say that my immune system at that point was very weak, I have also always battled with candida, and caught every cold my kids brought home. I have only had one outbreak and have been diagnosed for about 7months and I'm not sure if it is because of the fghp or not (which I started about about 2mo ago) but I must say it's done wonders for me. At first I wasn't sure what was wrong with me for 8 days of the program because I was eliminating large amounts of mucus. Around the 8th or 9th day I had so much energy I didn't know what to do with myself and I'm normally a person who can't get enough sleep. Around the 10th-11th day I developed a medium size blister (or could have been a herpe) I say blister because there was only one on my genital area and with my initial outbreak there were many. In general I noticed that my skin became clearer, as well as my thoughts. I firmly believe that all dis-ease starts with yeast then moves to fungi/mold... etc... As I stated earlier I go for testing next week where I will ask for a test that can measure viral count so at least if it's still in my system I have somewhere to measure from (because my 1st initial test was non-specific re:viral count).
Wish me luck! I will keep everyone posted if I still have the virus even if I don't I will be more religious about taking fghp. When I fell off the program I noticed a dramatic difference in my energy level and overall emotional state. I may also do a 10day green fast. I highly recommend reading works by a Dr. Robert O. Young who's theories are based on there being only one real disease which is over acidification of the body. Take care everyone and stay positive!
