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.
Aspirin, St. John's Wart, Tea Tree Oil
Posted by K (New York, New York) on 12/27/2007
★★★★★
This Works on Contact. Remove the top skin from the cold sore/herpes simplex. Ground Aspirin with 2 drops or tea tree oil (organic) and 2 drops of St. John's Wart liquid form (organic). If your a baby and you can't take pain you can numb it with Ambersol. It will kill the virus on site. It will form a scab immediately, stops the oozing, itching and swelling.
Head and Shoulders Shampoo
Posted by Varick (Brooklyn, NY) on 04/14/2009
Head and Shoulders shampoo has zinc in it, zinc has been known to help prevent and/or cure herpes.
Head and Shoulders Shampoo
Posted by Jennifer (Phoenix, AZ) on 04/14/2009
Hello, to respond and add to your message about herpes, if you use iodine at the first sign of tingling or itching, no cold sores will develop at all and if they do, no scabbing , no swelling , i dont know what is in iodine that doesn't allow the whole inflamation to develop. You can easily get rid of the sore before it develops in 1 - 2 days. Eat healthy, take vitamin C, if you feel it coming on, take echinacea, it never failed me, it stops the cold sores from developing. If you follow this protocol, you can minimize to stop outbreaks altogether.
BHT
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 06/15/2008 489 posts
Genital Herpes, For herpes of any kind I would be taking 2000 (2grams) of l-lysine mealtime and bedtime. As a matter of fact I would rely on this for any virus. When I start taking it when the fever blister first starts, it is already drying up by the next day after starting it.
BHT
Posted by Surfcity (Orange County, Ca) on 12/06/2010
★★★★★
BHT works. I read about it and immediately tried it for a year, everyday (without fail). Combined with my normally strict diet, no nuts, no alcohol, no chocolate, no soda, no caffeine. Started with 500mg then moving up to 750mg a day and sometimes 1000. I never had a outbreak during this time. My year long experiment ended roughly 2 years ago and I'd say I've had 3 minor outbreaks since the experiment ended, although I have started to occasionally enjoy alcohol again and chocolate and some seeds and nuts, but no caffeine. My opinion is BHT has greatly reduced my outbreaks and improved my life.
BHT
Posted by Art. (Bc Canada) on 09/08/2016
BHT if taken with other supplements will not work, as these other supplements interfere with the metabolism of BHT. Sounds like your problem.
If you feel a break out happening take the BHT again for a while. Oscar takes it every day and says it will intensify the effects of alcohol.
Art.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Anne (Brooklyn, NY) on 09/23/2007
★★★★★
Hydrogen Peroxide is my no fail solution to a cold sore. I always rub on my entire lip area with a soaked cotton ball at any sign of tingle, the tingle goes away. The moment I have a cold sore, I drench it in the peroxide and I normally start scabbing in a day or two. It is the best remedy to an outbreak I have found!!!
Oil Pulling
Posted by Paige (Seattle, WA) on 09/02/2007
★★★★★
9/2/07: I have been oil pulling with sunflower oil once daily (mornings) for 3 weeks now,' and here are my observations from my journal:
For about 2 years I was unable to chew on the right side of my mouth because of tooth pain and extreme sensitivity to hot, sweet, cold, etc. I strongly suspect I am in need of another root canal. Starting with the second day of oil-pulling I found the entire right side of my my mouth was no longer sensitive. Beginning with the 3rd day, I was able to chew on the right side of my mouth, albeit gingerly. Now, 3 weeks later I chew on the right side of my mouth equally with the left side - no pain, no sensitivity. And I've noticed my teeth feel more secure and they no longer feel 'loose. And as many has commented on, they feel cleaner and look whiter.
The audible wheezing noises while breathing whenever I would lie down have stopped. I seem to be sleeping better too. Some nights all the way through. I have a way to go on this problem, though.
Milk makes my lungs fill with phlegm which was really hard for me to expectorate in the mornings. This too has stopped. Despite continuing to drink milk (homemade probiotic Kefir, actually) and the occasional milk in my coffee, teas and with cereal, my lungs no longer feel congested and I have no coughing fits anymore while trying to expel the congestion out of my lungs; no coughing either as there doesn't seem to be any congestion. I had been a heavy smoker for twenty-some years before quitting 18 years ago and this is probably the genesis of my lung problems.
Since early childhood I have had the herpes simplex virus in my body and suffered from frequent cold and canker sores. Now, by the time I feel one on my tongue it is gone in the morning. The other day the smallest, single-blister cold sore I ever had - which was all but invisible appeared in the corner of my mouth. It went through its stages and absolutely gone in 3 days, flat. Without treatment the blisters multiply and the healing process normally takes around 2 weeks.
NOTE: As I do not have the time nor disposition to do this oil-pulling therapy more than once a day - I 'pull' sometimes for over the 20 minutes - all the way up to an hour. None of my fillings have loosened or fallen out. A funny aside to all this is that I now find myself absent-mindedly 'pulling' all my drinks, coffee, tea, milk and if nothing else I am sure it is helping to remove food trapped in between my teeth.
Oil Pulling
Posted by Don (Tel Aviv) on 12/15/2015
Hi, since this is a very old post I would be very interested in hearing if you are still oil pulling and if you had any amalgam issues since? Thanks! Don
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Ivan (Tampa, Fl) on 05/23/2010

I have been sick with low grade fever and swolen neck glands for about a month. I also have been having tingling sensation inside my pennis.
I went to the doctor and they tested me for STDs and all negative.
Now, this week I started a military exersise working long hours, I don't drink soda but I needed something to drink during the long hours and I went for Coke One. And, surprise! My, first outbreak of genital herpes. So I had the Herpes with no outbreak until now. That explains a lot.
Well, my outbreak was quickly fading away and I hit the Coke One like 3 times yesterday. And today I wake up with a 2 new small blister in the same area!!!!
I hate you Coke One!!!
Honey
Posted by Peter (Paris, France) on 06/13/2007
★★★★★
I have been under treatment for years for Herpes Whitlow on my right hand, which occasionally manifests itself on my palette and genitals. I have always tested negative for herpes 2, and assumed my outbreaks are weird manifestations. Doctors here have never seen this combination of symptoms. They were debilitating until I started self immunizing my cat and pollen allergies with daily dose of different honeys, and cutting out practically all refined sugars in my diet. Whereas I would have an outbreak every twelve months on a maintenance dose of 500mg of Zelitrex daily (quadrupled during outbreaks) the last two outbreaks have been restricted to my finger and palette - a great improvement over previous ones. I feel the honey is helping my immune system suppress the virus, perhaps by keeping my immune system on alert all the time. I have upped my daily dosage of Zeleitrex to 15 mg, and would appreciate any comments from others who have found Honey a satisfactory palliative.
L-Lysine
Posted by Sheila (Kansas City, MO) on 05/11/2007
★★★★★
there's a vitamin called LYSINE -they sell it everywhere>>>GO BUY IT IT HELPS STOP fever blisters from coming and helps them go away..... i crush them up and put them on my lips IT WORKS
L-Lysine
Posted by Cs (Sg, Sgp) on 04/16/2013
★★★★★
I've tried just about everything. Lysine is the only thing that works.
DMSO
Posted by Beachgirl (Los Angeles, Ca) on 02/09/2010
★★★★★
DMSO also works for me. I use it any time I think I feel a tingle. But first I drank liquid oxygen for a few months and used the DMSO every day even though I was not having break outs. It has been years with no breakouts.
Dietary Recommendations
Posted by Christy (Pennsylvania, United States ) on 07/27/2022
It doesn't matter if raw chocolate and almonds are healthy to eat or not, they are still high in L-Arginine, which is why eating them leads to a breakout. I don't usually get a cold sore just from eating these foods, but if I have a breakout, it gets bigger and lasts longer if I have them. That includes nut butters as well. Eating foods higher in L-Lysine and taking a Lysine supplement is the only thing that works for me.
L-Lysine
Posted by Leslie (Barboursville, VA) on 03/03/2007
★★★★★
hey cool got it! speaking of foods and health, peanuts, coffee and chocolate all contain arginine, the amino acid which promotes the outbreak of herpes simplexes, esp. cold sores. Add lack of sleep and stress, and that risk increases. More than 97 percent of all humans have some form of these strains of viruses. To combat, take a supplement amino acid, L LYSINE, which tilts the see-saw of balance back. Usually a double dose at first then as directed for several days to prevent worsening of symptoms. The tingling outbreak will stop and it should start to heal within 24 hours (with good sleep, no coffee, etc). Also, the greens, arugula, italian rockette, will assist healing. A paste can be made to draw fluids off, too. Lip Balms sold at health food stores can be purchased that contain Lysine as well.
CAUTION: Do not take Lysine for long extended periods as it can have negative effect on the liver. Try to use foods instead and good care of the body. if necessary, milk thistle, dandelion root and burdock can assist the liver in rebuilding itself.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Briana (San Jose, CA) on 01/29/2007
★★★★★
well - i have successfully avoided an outbreak for 7 years (had one outbreak in 7 years)- i am vegan and eat organic and use no chemicals in my home- but i did have a start of an outbreak once and i rubbed wild oregano oil on it daily for 3 days and it disappeared-watch out though it burns like hell - though within 3 minutes it passes- you can dilute i with olive oil if you prefer- but i like to use it strong to stop it dead in its tracks!
Garlic
Posted by David (Reading, UK) on 12/06/2006
★★★★★
I felt the tingle and the beginning of the ache that arises when the preliminary bump starts to form on the lip, so applied half a cut garlic clove to it about three times a day. The ache stopped immediately on application, the swelling reduced and now there is only a very small crust formed, less than half the size it would normally be and I expect it to be gone by tomorrow. All this within two days, less than half the weekly cycle it normally takes. I have to say very impressed, a definite Yea. As a point of interest my Cold Sore first appeared after my lips got severely sunburned while on a boat. I was 30 years old and never had one before. So get that sunscreen on!
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Debra (Philadelphia, PA) on 09/09/2006
★★★★★
Cold sores/fever blisters I've been suffering with this problem over & over for quite some time and wasn't having any luck with the OTC stuff or Valtrax for that matter. I tried the H2O2 on its own & mixed with a crushed up L-Lysine tab (took FOREVER to crush into powder) the last time this happened but this time it seemed to come back stronger than ever. In a true moment of desperation I put 3 drops of Tea Tree Oil (TTO) into a dixie cup full of H2O2 grabbed some q-tips and (one by one never re-using) applied it to the cold sore over and over and over and over. I pressed the q-tip up against it hard and massaged it in. I swabbed my lips with it and the inside of my mouth. This process took about an hour but by the time I stopped the cold sore had gone from itching, oozing & weeping to white "bubbles" to dry crust/scab. I think I may start using TTO, baking soda & H2O2 as my new toothpaste and baking soda w TTO as my new "soap"!
Acetone
Posted by Maryann (Detroit) on 05/18/2006
★★★★★
I read on another site that nail polish remover works on cold sores so I tried it. With in two days it was gone. I put on the cold sore twice a day. I didn't have any of the usual scabbing either. So it was really great. Another thing that works really well is the amino acid L-Lysine. Before I found out about the nail polish remover I used to take L-Lysine alone which helped the reduce outbreak time. Next time I get a cold sore I probably will use both.
L-Lysine
Posted by AJ (IL) on 04/13/2006
★★★★★
Lysine didn't cure the herpes but it clears it up in no time. I also put hemorrhoid creme on the sore if it doesn't get opened. The ulcer is gone by the end of the day. If it does get opened then I used Hydrogen peroxide. It burns but it clears it up faster.
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Angela (Portland, Maine) on 01/13/2006

I never drink diet sodas, or even soda in general, last night I had diet coke. I'm usually a more natural person. I've never had a cold sore in my life, overnight I developed a blood blister on my lip. I am very worried about it. I hope this is not a start to a very bad thing. I wish I would have known that these sweeteners do this before. Spread the word!
Ear Wax
Posted by N (milwaukee,wi) on 12/31/2005
★★★★★
the wax in the ear to heal cold sores works. my mom told me about it, and for ages our family has done this to get rid of cold sores. it really does work. I agree with Marvin, from Calgary, Canada.
L-Lysine
Posted by Jane (British Columbia, Canada)
★★★★★
I use L-lysine. 500mg. Taken a few days each month. Or take at the on-set of symptoms. Very rarely do I ever get an outbreak of oral anymore. Used to get them regularly and now they are almost a thing of the past. L-lysine is the cheapest and most effective remedy that I have found. Love it.
Lavender Oil
Posted by Anne (Portland, OR)
★★★★★
Lavender oil works wonders on cold sores. It stops them turning to a blister, if caught early enough and treated enough with the oil.