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.
Acetone
Posted by Taylor (Albany, Ny) on 10/12/2011
★★★★★
Okay, I don't think I have ever written a comment on any of these sites before but I know how awful cold sores are and I wanted to tell you all that nail polish remover with acetone in it WORKED! I was so upset because I am a freshman at college, just got here a month ago, and already got a cold sore. I was too embarrassed to leave my room other than to get food. Thankfully (kind of... ) I have strep throat too, so not leaving the room wasn't that ridiculous. I got cotton swabs and Q-tips and put the nail polish remover on my sore for 5 hours and its all dried up! Its still not completely healed, but I only started when I woke up at 11, and it is 5:00 now. I haven't put any on in an hour but I will again soon. Thank you soooooooooo so soooooo much
Acetone
Posted by Jessica (Denver, Co/usa) on 10/17/2011
★★★★★
So I had my first GH outbreak in quite a while and this one was waaaay worse then they normally are. I decided to search around a bit and found this thread. I bought some nail polish remover with acetone last night, applied it to "the bump" which was easily the size of the marble (with no signs of giving up any time soon), let it dry and then put clear nail polish on it over night. The itching and pain was gone within 10 min. Woke up, showered, applied more acetone and then more clear nail polish, and now two hours later.... The skin is still not healed but the bump is GONE!!!! I would guess this event will be a nightmare of the past by tomorrow morning at the latest!! Absolutely recommend giving this method a try!!!
Avoid Arginine
Posted by Barbiec1953 (Vienna, Virginia) on 10/05/2011
★★★★★
An imbalanced ratio of arginine: lysine will cause Herpes Simplex/Cold Sore/Fever Blister breakouts. Try to eat your arginine foods as little as possible... And stop them altogether as soon as you feel the tingling.
L-Lysine, Garlic
Posted by Mike (Pemberton, Nj) on 09/21/2011
★★★★★
Ok so I been plagued with cold sores since I was young but I recently found a way to put an end to it if caught fast eough and a way to reduce the amount of times you get these monsters. AT the first tingling you feel immediately hit that sucker with some ice numb it up I usually use on ice cube in a paper towel. Then I take a bunch of L-Lysine tablets which I bought for $4 and a garlic tablet I also bought for $4. Also take a garlic pill cut it open and put it on the cold sore it will prevent it from ever coming up no bubbles no scabbing nothing just looks like it might come through but it never does and withing a few hours I saw the sore completely go away. I also think the main ingredient here is a positive outlook stay calm dont stress and forget about it and it will go away along with the garlic and lysine. Worked for me and I am a server at a restaurant and trust me no one wants a server with a fat cold sore.
L-Lysine and Garlic pills especially if you dont have health insurance to get Acyclovir or Valtrex which is the ultimate best and take L-Lysine pills daily to prevent or limit the outbreaks.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mphs (Mphs, Tn) on 09/17/2011
★★★★★
I used Apple Cider Vinegar on a fever blister and it dried it up immediately.
Aloe Vera
Posted by Cocoandrico (Kingston, NY, USA) on 08/18/2011
★★★★★
Aloe Vera is a great natural remedy to try during an outbreak. While I couldn't find much research on the effects of taking Aloe supplements, they do supress other types of viruses and might be useful for herpes. Aloe gels and creams can heal sores quickly (a few days) and prevent infection. Studies have shown that compounds in Aloe disable the functioning of both type 1 and 2 and strengthen the body's immune response. For more info on how to treat herpes naturally, visit:
http://www.aloeplant.info/aloe-viruses/
Colloidal Silver, Coconut Oil
Posted by Sandy (Sedona, Arizona) on 08/03/2011
To Lea from Waterford, Mi... Yes, you need to take Monolaurin (coconut oil supplement) with ionic silver to cure herpes or any other virus (HIV, mono, HepC). Monolaurin destroys the lipid envelope around the viral cell deactivating it, also allowing the ionic silver to enter the infected cell killing it and all the other infected cells forever. This will work, just don't give up. Take both everyday, shouldn't take longer than a month. You can tell/feel when the virus is gone from your body. Blessings/Healings to everyone!!
Colloidal Silver, Coconut Oil
Posted by Sam (Seattle, Wa) on 10/09/2011
★★★★★
If you take monolaurin understand it will get worse before it gets better. It will erupt and scab over within 24 hrs. So it's not a remedy that will suppress the early stage for those who want to hide.
Once it erupts hydrogen peroxide will help exfoliate and bubble the skin. Acetone will help dry it up.
Make sure your colloidal product is made with deionized water not tap water so you are not ingesting large particles that isn't good for you, and is yellowish in color. I find that spraying the silver on the face kills the offending pathogen (virus/bateria) better, rather than ingesting.
Acetone
Posted by Lulu (Cork, Ireland) on 07/20/2011
★★★★★
I felt a cold sore coming out & then another & another, all on the SAME day!
Dabbed acetone on them, gave about 1 hour & 30 mins & then did it again, twice with 1 hour 30 mins intervals, then the next morning again. Dried them out & now they're almost gone, just slight little scabs. Thanks so much for this guys, it really helped!
Acetone
Posted by Rod (Portland, Maine) on 08/18/2011
★★★★★
I woke up a couple days ago with that dreaded familier itch on my bottom lip.... I get these cold sores a couple times a year and know I'm in for a red, sore lip for about 7 days. Not this time... Treated it with the nail poslisher remover a couple times and this morning (ALL GONE)
Oregano Oil
Posted by Gilliansage (Rowlett, Texas, United States) on 07/10/2011
★★★★★
I have tried everything, from Abreva, to prescriptions, to Herpecin. Mine get down right nasty, one time I had one about the size of a quarter on my upper lip. I than did some research and discovered Oregano Oil. It has to be the pure oil. I got it online from a specialty shop. I take a q-tip and apply it when the bumps and the tingling starts. It burns to the core, I also take lysine in pill form. I have found that too much Arginine which in is nuts aggrivates the cold sore. Make sure it is pure and not diluted. Also be very careful as it is strong as all out. I also add a drop or two to a glass of oj. Oh it's not easy to drink, but I find that when I have a cold sore, I also have a lymph node swell in my neck and my ulcer starts acting up. I take the Oregano to kill off any other infections I might have going on.
Rubbing Alcohol, Vitamin C
Posted by Mollyonmaui (Kihei, Maui, Hawaii) on 07/05/2011
★★★★★
Aloha, I love your site! Many people here use acetone, for cold sores, but I never have. Instead, I use rubbing alcohol as SOON as I feel the tingling/swelling. I apply it using a qtip or a cotton ball, and it almost immediately stops the swelling. Apply at least once an hour for the first day. I also use tea tree oil, lavender oil, and oregano oil - usually diluted in rubbing alcohol. This combination usually prevents a blister from ever forming, but you have to keep on it. This allows me to keep working and interacting with the outside world without embarassment.
Vitamin C taken in massive quantities is also crucial - I think the dip in my immune system that happens after a few weeks of not enough sleep and too much stress is what triggers an outbreak. I used to get four outbreaks a year - since I started using rubbing alcohol and vitamin c, it's down to one every year, often one every two years. This is also because I'm very proactive - if I notice that I'm feeling tired on a regular basis, I start taking Vitamin C to protect my health. It's really helped, and makes the outbreaks, if they come at all, much smaller and much more manageable.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Rea (Terrytown, Nj) on 12/22/2012
ACV is actually alkalizing.
Vodka, Tea Tree Oil, Acne Cream
Posted by Kathleen (Virginia, Us) on 03/28/2011
★★★★★
The first moment you feel the itching/tingling sensation clean the whole area around your mouth with vodka/grain alcohol, after that rub tea tree oil on the areas that feel tingly/itchy. Let this dry, and then you will take acne cream the one with (10) in the name containing benzoyl peroxide, apply this carefully to the spot(s) with a q-tip. Try to keep the dots very small as the cream will dry out all skin and cause peeling. This has been truly magical for me!! If you catch it before there is any visible sign of a sore, it stops them from ever appearing. Repeat throughout the day, keep area very clean with alcohol and tea tree, use new cotton balls/q-tips/pads for each application, be careful not to touch anything, so as not to contaminate or spread infection to new spots.
Have been doing this for many years now, with great success! If you catch it when blisters are visible this will greatly help with speeding healing and preventing new sores. Good luck to all! This is such a great site, have used many of the remedies with success, and try to pass info on to all. Thank you everone so much!
Blood Electrification and Colloidal Silver
Posted by Djproto16 (Kirkland, Wa, Usa) on 02/18/2011
Has anyone use a blood electrification unit and colloidal silver which are apart of Dr. Bob Becks protocol? I will soon be starting the use of blood electrification and colloidal silver for my type 1 herpes. Hopefully I can learn some information from others who may experiment with these remedies and if not... I will happily fill you in on what my experiments conclude. There is alot of talk about colloidal silver and blood electrification, but im one of the people who will walk the walk for myself.
Liquid Bandaid
Posted by Trying (Surburbia, Sc) on 02/03/2011
★★★★★
For those of you that have suggested a liquid bandage product - and for those of you who have wondered why on earth it might work....
I checked the ingredients this morning. In this order, it contains acetone(! ), alcohol(! ), isobutane-propane (propellant), oil of cloves(! ), pyroxylin solution. Three of its "inactive" ingredients are remedies that have been suggested in the comments as fixes, and one of them -- acetone -- has been recommended over and over.
If you haven't had a chance to check out the research someone posted earlier, there actually is bonafide medical research (by people with standard credentials) that shows that acetone does inhibit the reproduction of the virus by 90% - 97%. And it is a naturally occuring substance in the body, although NOT to be taken internally, without danger of running into things like Bell's Palsy, as someone else has mentioned. (i.e. , don't put it inside your mouth under any circumstances -- as they say, for external use only! )
Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. I'm trying them all (well, almost all). Humongous case, worst I've ever had. Moved from my lips to around my mouth, covering one jaw and under my neck. It's still spreading, but no where near as fast as it was. And no longer as completely uncomfortable and distracting as it was. Fortunately, I'm not letting it stop me. If other people are offended by looking at my disfigurement, that's their problem. I'm not going to miss work because I look funny.
Good luck, everyone!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by High Flyer (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) on 01/20/2011
I did the food grade h2o2 drops and it seemed to work, but I just could not stand the bleach taste. It felt like it was burning my throat. After reading the research on ozone, I decided to buy an ozone generator. The ozonated water is much better for me, no problem at all to drink 2 liters. The first 2 weeks I did this each day. My sinuses and ears were very sensitive. I was also very emotional. Since then I do this about 2 times a week. I have not had an outbreak in 8 months. I have had hsv for 20 years. This is incredible. I have gone on a 12 hour drinking spree, (wedding) played sports to exhaustion, and consumed chocolate at will. All these things would have guaranteed an outbreak in the past. I am not saying I'm cured, but this is the best I have ever been. I even supplement arginine now for the physical benefits. I have not been sick, even though I have been exposed to many who are this winter. I hope this helps someone, as I have tried many other remedies. The generator I bought was the air zone xt301. I have had no problems, but it costs a bit more.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Belvedresi7 (Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Usa) on 05/04/2011
★★★★★
Hydrogen peroxide works! Do this now: Sterilize a safety pin and poke a hole right in the middle of the sore, put hydrogen peroxide on lip multiple times (you will be able to feel it tingle in the sore), then the sore will dry out and you can squeeze the pus stuff out. When you see what comes out, you will know why it hurts so bad. You have to get that stuff out. Do this every day until you get it all out. It took me three days. It feels wonderful after having a swollen lip for a week. Relief!
Ear Wax
Posted by Carl (Philadelphia, Pa Usa) on 01/21/2011
★★★★★
I was plagued by cold sores for years. They were usually brought on by certain foods or sunburned lips. I read about using earwax on this site, and after trying all of the other remedies, which did not work for me, I resorted to earwax. It has been a miracle curee for me. I have been able to eat citrus fruit again. I sometimes eat three or four oranges a day when they are good. Before one orange would cause an outbreak. Thank you, everyone at this site.
Acetone
Posted by Jlrc (Buffalo, New York) on 01/02/2011
★★★★★
Opened my eyes on New Year's Day 2011 to find a large cold sore forming under my nose. AHHH, the horror. It was already bubbling up and the size of a dime. Over the years I have found when there is a serious temperature shift, from 15 degrees to 55 degrees in a day, that's when I get a break out. So yes, it was a balmy New Year's Eve and I get rewarded with a break out. For years I would get a sore and immediately apply ammonia to the tingling spot. Sometime it would deactivate a break out, sometimes not. Given the bubbles had already erupted I knew I needed an alternative solution because ammonia at this point would still allow for a 1 week heal time.
I read on Earth Clinic about acetone therapy. WOW!! It's working. I applied acetone to the sore via Q-tip several times that day and allowed it to evaporate. When I awoke this morning, the sore had dried up considerably and is hardly red. It appears the acetone has shorted the 2 week herpes life cycle to 1-2 days. I am so thankful this remedy works. I plan to apply acetone several times today for good measure. Acetone works far better than ammonia on killing this virus. Give it a try, you will be shocked.
Acetone
Posted by Girlie Girl (Unknown, Pa) on 03/06/2011
★★★★★
Yes, it works! I had a fever blister pop out last week and I stayed in the house for 5 days. I missed work 3 of those days. I read about the acetone at that time, but was a little afraid to try it out. Soon as my blister was healed and I was ready to get back to my life again.... Another very small one started to appear. I was very upset because I missed so much time from work already, I felt I had to try the acetone treatment. I applied with a Q-tip, held it on for 10-30 sec's. I did that for most of the day and this morning it is completely dried out.
To help avoid them take lysine & Vitamin C. Go to Herpe Nutrution website to find out what things are good to eat and have Lysine in them. I hadn't had one in 4 years until I ate Pumkin Seeds... Stay away from these... I hope this helps...
Red Marine Algae
Posted by Lynette (San Clemente, Ca.92672) on 12/08/2010
★★★★★
Hi: When ever l get fever blisters l use an excellant product called: Red Marine Algae Dumontiaceae (an Antiviral Food). This always cures me, l recommend it highly. Lynette, san clemente, ca.
