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.
Manuka Honey
Posted by Sunny (Los Angeles, Ca) on 09/13/2018
★★★★★
I tried putting castor oil for few days and didn't work, I thought it was actually getting worse. Then I tried putting raw royal jelly and didn't work. I then put high grade Manuka honey and in few days it worked. I put honey in the morning and after eating I brushed my teeth and put the honey again and in the evening before sleep. I put it on with q-tip. It may become crusty at first, but continue still and reapply after washing several times throughout the day and it will work!
EC: Hi Sunny, no ailment listed in your post. We're guessing it's a cold sore but please correct us if we're wrong.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Anonymous (US) on 07/30/2017
★☆☆☆☆
Ok so I soaked Apple Cider Vinegar on a cotten ball and held the cotten ball on my cold sore for maybe more than ten minutes. Once I took it off I realized my lip swelled.. A lot. IF I were to do this again I would only dab on the Apple Cider Vinegar directly on the cold sore. Now I'm sitting in my room with an ice cube to my lip.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Paige (Texas) on 05/11/2017
★★★★★
Hydrogen peroxide for cold sores: just keep applying 😀
BHT
Posted by Cris01us (Hawaii) on 06/18/2016
★★★★★
I have been taking BHT for a year now and haven't had an actual outbreak since. In 2015 I had three in the course of 6 months, which is the most I've ever had in that amount of time. Now here's the disclaimer, I've had what I thought were the tell-tale signs of one coming on (you know that little bit of irritation). Now this could be paranoia and nerves or an actual outbreak, I never am 100% sure. Anyway, I always up my regular 250mg dose of BHT to 500 or even 1000mg (never more), apply some Lemon Balm to the suspect area and ta-da, and up all my other vitamins (L-Lysine too) and it never comes to fruition. Maybe one of these times I will be brave and just stick with the 250mg of BHT and see what happens (too bad my outbreaks last at least 2 full weeks! )!?
BHT
Posted by Zark (Emerald City) on 08/20/2016
BHT is a good choice - it kills lipid enveloped viruses, and that includes the herpes virus which causes cold sores.
Cold Sore Prevention Tips
Posted by Rr (Tennessee) on 12/10/2015
★★★★★
Any one who gets cold sores try this. This is to keep from getting them. Don't wash behind or around your ears. I swear there is something about oil being behind the ears that protects you from outbreaks. I was getting one after another until I realized it started when I switched from body wash to real soap which strips all your natural oils. I remembered how I had one almost all the time growing up and guess what we used...soap.
I stopped washing around my ears all together. I just wipe the area with a wet wash cloth occasionally, no soap or body wash. It has been more than a year since I got one and that's a long time for me. I also haven't had a cold since I started this.
I also only clean the ear out with a cotton swab when it feels like I have to.
I hope this helps someone.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Isabelle (Vancouver) on 03/17/2015
★★★★★
I have been using tea tree oil to treat cold sores for well over a decade - it has never failed me. As a child I was very susceptible to enormous cold sore breakouts and my parents tried all kinds of natural as well as not-so natural remedies to no prevail? In my early sdulthood I decided to try applying un-dilluted te tree oil & magic! Undilluted tea tree oil is very string and can even burn your skin, so it is important to be precise & apply it only to the direct affected spot, without letting it run or spread over a larger area. A doused q-tip works well. If you apply it (and re-apply it several times, ie. every hour) when you get the first tickling sensation of a cold sore coming on before it actually appears, it will never appear! If you are a bit lit and the cold sore has already shown its face, apply it, and the sore will quickly dry up and die without going through the whole itchy raw stage?
Hypericum
Posted by Dr. Ritu (India) on 02/04/2015
L-Lysine
Posted by Lorik (Va, Usa) on 12/31/2014
★★★★★
I have suffered from cold sores for years, mostly in my teenage years. I have used B-Complex and found that helpful to take a few times a week and my occurrences subsided. Then I discovered using Spirit of Camphor on the end of a q-tip or cotton ball helped dry them once they began. Now I strictly use L-Lysine as soon as I get an 'itchy' feeling that one is one the way. I take about 1000 mg per day for 2 days and the cold sores rarely come to a complete break out. Earlier this year I began to eat a good, healthy, balanced diet and haven't had a break out in months.. Healthy living is the best way for most issues, in my opinion.
Acetone
Posted by Rick (Des Plaines, Il) on 11/30/2014
★☆☆☆☆
Sorry, for me acetone didn't seem to help even least. The only thing that has shown any evidence of helping me reduce the growth of a cold sore (especially if started early) is Lactoferrin (taken orally).
Acetone
Posted by Thehandyman1947 (Poland, Ohio) on 12/17/2013
Cold sores, the virus is highly contagous, when the blister is present, also you have a viral shedding once a year, no sign, but contagious. try DMSO and lugol's solutition in a spray bottle, ( lugol's solutition is a mixture of potassium, and iodine) 50/50 mix, this will take care of just about any infection, iodine is very powerful antiseptic, also myrrh oil or oil of wild oregano. Also when you have a blister it's a clear sign that your immune system is down so try to build up your immune system (vit c).
Bee Propolis
Posted by Bodulica (Barrie, Canada) on 12/12/2013
★★★★★
Herpes: Bee propolis applied topically significantly shortens the duration of the outbreak. Be careful: it permanently stains textile!
Acetone
Posted by Clare (Australia) on 09/02/2015
Thankyou thankyou for listing that Chocolate is your trigger. In my 46 years, I have never ever made that connection. I have the worse cold sore epidemic on my mouth and chin at the moment after eating kg's of chocolate & cupcakes this week. Yes I'm a little piggy but the kinder. I blame my son's birthday party & the kinder for all that chocolate I should have sold for fundraising as I know I'm just gonna gorge. Now to find a piggy anonymous thread on google. Hope the acetone works.
Acetone
Posted by Littlewing (Boston, Ma) on 07/06/2018
Chocolate is definitely on the list of triggers for cold sores. My trigger is nuts, mostly peanuts and walnuts. It's the Arginine in them, which is the trigger and I believe counteracts Lysine as well, so do try to avoid overindulging. Others are seeds, carob, coconut, lentils, soybeans, spinach, raisins and a few others you can google.
Bitter Almonds
Posted by G (Nederland) on 10/12/2013
★★★★★
Have anyone tried bitter almonds on cold sores. I have now been eating them for half a year and have no outbreak of cold sores.Also I mix some bitter almond oil with sweet almond oil and rub it on my lips every night. You can also use 100% bitter almond oil but it burns like hell
Aloe Vera
Posted by Jayne (London) on 09/15/2013
★★★★★
As soon as I feel or see a cold sore developing, I put some aloe vera toothpaste on, (the kind you can buy in any healthfood shop), and leave it on overnight. It's normally gone by morning. This also helps with other sores and blemishes. It helps to dry them up and, although tingly at first, feels very healing.
Garlic
Posted by Vanessa (London, UK) on 04/17/2014
This is the first time I've commented on here but I was compelled to write because of the success of using garlic, ice and coconut oil for my cold sore. I woke up in the night to feel a bump and tingle on my top lip, I immediately applied Zovirax but by the morning the sore was already blooming. I iced the sore for 10 minutes at a time, four times in the day and applied garlic for 15 seconds in between, putting a layer of VOC after each time. It's the smallest and the quickest recovery I've ever had from a CS.
Vitamin C
Posted by Jamie (Los Angeles, California) on 02/07/2013
★★★★★
Hi! I just wanted to share my whole life I've suffered from having annoying cold sores right on my face and a couple years ago I found why I got them in the first place and how to stop them. I did some research and found out since cold sores are a virus, they can be counter-acted by boosting up your immune system. I guess I must've just had a weak immune system for my life and so a couple years ago I started taking 500-1000mg Vitamin C per day and have not gotten them since! At one point I lazed off from taking the vitamin c, and what do you know I got one again! But as soon as I noticed it/ felt it I took about 3000 mg Vitamin C per day and it disappeared! My self confidence is so much higher now and I feel way better myself and no more stress/worrying about when I'm going to get one!
Royal Jelly
Posted by Amy (Metro Detroit, Michigan, USA) on 01/31/2013
★★★★★
To my surprise, this worked really well. I just applied it several times a day and it went away.
Manuka Honey
Posted by Sms27 (Princeton, Nj, Usa) on 01/14/2013
★★★★★
Manuka honey applied topically on the lip helps diminish the virus outbreak and significantly shortens the healing time. The trick is to keep the honey on for as long as possible until the sore heals. To clean use witch hazel.
General Feedback
Posted by Bess (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 01/08/2013
Hi Gerrit - You mentioned that you would prefer using a roll-on for transdermal magnesium oil.
I apply magnesium oil (homemade) by refilling an old deodorant bottle. I pop off the top part (that contains the ball) with the thin part of a dull knife. Then I fill it with magnesium oil, add a few drops of essential oil and use that. I found it works much better than spraying it on. I even found glass deodorant bottles at London Drugs (just empty the contents which are full of chemicals). Hope that helps and good health to you!
