Ice

This works at the first sign of a sore, quickly and every time.... ICE.... Take a cloth so your fingers don't freeze off, wrap it around a cube of ice. Place the ice directly on the sore. You can move it around the surrounding area, as well. Leave it there until you can't stand it anymore....then do it again....at often as you have time to during one day's time....
I promise you it will go away. The ice does not bother me, I'm used to it, you will too knowing the sore will be gone by evening. This works for me everytime, been doing this for YEARS!
Ice

I found that when I start to feel a tingling on my lip(slight itch) immediately I get an ice cube and place it on the affected area for 10 minutes until the itching goes away using a on and off approach..... Don't want to freeze the lip. Do this at least twice within a hour, usually once does it. This has always worked for me. If I'm out I stop at any fast food place to get the ice. If you let it go and wait until your home it will probably be too late. I haven't had a cold sore for several years using this method. TRY IT! Barbara
(Perth, Western Australia)
01/18/2013

THANK YOU! There I was on a camping holiday in the great Aussie Outdoors, a tingling sensation heralding the cold sore. Same spot as usual. I'd forgotten lysine supplement for a couple of weeks and was somewhat stressed due to a handful of late nights. Recalled the ice remedy & decided to try it. Thank God, it worked! Slight redness but no other evidence.
(Anon)
01/19/2013
Hi, another remedy that I have noticed if you have no lysine to hand or ice is to rub geny a piece of silver jewellry over the sore (b4 breakout) you will get a slight grey mark from the silver coming off but it will halt the infection - silver heals.
Ice

I have suffered from cold sores on and off since I was a child. I have tried mulitple remedies, but by far the best remedy is ice! When you feel that tingly itchy sensation get a cube of ice and press it against that spot for several minutes (Maybe 8-10 minutes). You may want to do this a few times. I think it causes the cold sore to go into remission or something. This really works!
Ice

I've used Abreva, Lysine cream and its ok but what has been the game changer is ICE! A cold sore is a fever blister, so it builds of heat. You fight the temp by reducing it, ICE it immediately. Also take advil or any fever reducer you have to calm your body temp down and relax! I got them back to back and on my big 30 birthday. I tried acetone but seemed to burn my skin and make it worse. I grabbed a glass of water, took advil and Lysine vitamins (doubled dosage) and iced my sore. Fell asleep watching a movie but the sore stopped, looked like pimple. kept icing it, I was fine next day.
Ice

Herpes No More!!!
Ice, Ice, Ice is the best thing you can do. I have tried every remedy here with no luck whatsoever. I have even tried the prescription you take on a daily basis, also with no luck. I have been getting cold sores (herpes) on my upper lip as long as I can remember. It wasn't until I was in my 20's that I actually had it diagnosed by a doctor. I used otc products for years and they just seemed to make matters worse. After having four children I became obsessed with natural remedies as I was no longer looking out for just myself. I read a wonderful book on natural cures and it gave me a lot of insight. The most important thing you can do to never have an outbreak again is to keep your immune system strong. Eat a healthy diet loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables. Stay away from processed foods and avoid fast food altogether. Also avoid tomatoes, nuts and caffine. When you start to feel that tingle, (oh that dreded tingle)head for the freezer and grab an ice cube. Hold the ice on the spot until it melts, repeat, again and again and again. It works wonders, the sore will not even have a chance of coming to the surface. You will be able to tell when to stop, the tingle will go away. Ice will even help with an already full blown sore. It will reduce the swelling and speed healing time. About 2 1/2 years ago I was so stressed I kept getting sores over and over trying every remedy in here for about 6 months. I was so embaressed to go anywhere especially work. After that horrible 6 months finally I tried the ice. I have not had an outbreak, or even felt I was about to since.
(Cabo Rojo, Pr)
02/11/2012

I have been going through a lot of stress lately and a couple of days ago I felt it coming.... An upper lip herpes eruption... I was horrified since I have had to be around relative day in and day out due to a sickness in the family... So after I read about ICE as a cure for herpes... I though I might as well and try it.... IT WORKED!! EVERYTHING IS GONE my lip is clear.... Well except for a little ice burn on my upper lip cause I put ice again and again.... Hehehehe... Hey I don't mind as much cause it is gone.... So thank!!
Ice

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.
Ice

Everytime I get the tingle, or the first little hint of a blister on my lip. I get an Ice cube, stick it in a bag and hold it on the bump til it is totally disolved. Sometimes you may need to use 1-3 ice cubes. But it works without fail. The next morning, the cold sore is already gone. And usually the scab is small and gone in a day or two. This is the fasted way to stop em. Try it.
(Perth, Wa, Australia)
07/01/2010

I've used the ice cube method also & it worked really well for me. I did it about 4 or 5 times per day for the first 3 days with only a single ice cube wrapped in a tissue. The longer you can tolerate the cold on your lip, the quicker it heals or the less severe the coldsore ends up. It seems to reduce swelling to almost non-existent & the virus really doesn't like the ice at all. A good follow-up is some fresh aloe vera dabbed on it straight after the ice treatment.
Iodine

Iodine For Cold Sore On Lip
A nasty cold sore arose on my bottom lip. After 2 days of it annoying me I decided to put a drop of Lugol's iodine on it. Yes, it burned for a few minutes, but, I think it killed it outright. I put another drop on later in the day just to be sure. The next day I noticed it had flattened out quite a lot, then, in a few days a scab peeled off in two very thin layers and my lip looked completely normal. I could not believe it!
Iodine

I have had a long standing oral herpes infection completely resolved by taking Lugol's iodine 5% solution. Ten drops in my coffee in the morning and ten more in milk after lunch. Took about two months, but infection is completely gone, including scars and blemishes.
(Brooklyn, Ny United States)
12/13/2012
Are you completely healed from herpes or the symtoms are gone?
Kale

Cold Sores:
When one of these appears in the mouth - what has worked for me is eating a good quality raw kale greens - or take Lysine tablets. it works.
Ketchup

I usually get the big cold sores that make your lip look like a balloon. It sucks. I was eating spaghetti and noticed the sauce made my lip fill better. Did a search about tomato sauce and herpes to see if there was others who tried or used it. Came across a video that said to use ketchup. It was a boring video but decided to try it...Ole family recipe or something. Anyways grabbed some ketchup and put it on my lips. Guess I know what lipstick feels like. I don't know. I put a lot of ketchup on and just started watching a movie. It tingled a little, more uncomfortable I guess. But I left it on and after about 44 minutes I could feel a cluster in the back of my jaw get zapped. Not really sure how else to explain it. Provided relied though. Provided relief for the swollen lip too. Felt like it was working and decided to put a fresh batch and leave it on all night.
Woke up the next morning and it wasn't swollen anymore. Already formed scabs and started healing. Few days later my lip was back to normal. For the healing, I put Abreva on. I typically get blisters from the sun. Haven't had any in a couple months. Might be my new go to as Apple Cider Vinegar sucks. Ketchup is everywhere! Won't hurt to try. Says to use it at the tingle stage to prevent them too.
Ketogenic Diet

I am a female who used to get herpes outbreaks one after another for two years. I was very frustrated, I tried everything from Chinese Herbs, Ayurvedic Herbs, Urotherapy, ACV, De-worming, acetone. I was following a vegetarian diet and jogged regularly. Nothing worked for me, and I would get outbreaks every two weeks, which each took two weeks to heal, so, "continuously" one after another.. I would get fever-ish, weak, depressed, get nerve pains up and down my legs that felt like shingles.. It was awful!
I decided to stop all cardio for a month and do resistance training (Jamie Eason's LiveFit trainer to be exact.. Free online program), and follow a ketogenic diet (high fat, moderate protein, low carb), and all of a sudden, no outbreaks or pains for 6 months.
L-Lysine

L-lysine for cold sores WORKS! All my siblings get cold sores and around 10 years ago one of us discovered that L-Lysine 1000mg 3 x day as soon as you feel that tingle/pain and even AFTER one has erupted. Then reduce to 500 mg 3 x d for a few more days. By that time all should be well.
If one sore has emerged, then it goes away quickly - if it hasn't then the L-Lysine makes it go away fast.
I keep a bottle of it in my vehicle, as we know those suckers can strike at any time & don't wait until you have some on hand.
Reading through the posts, some take it daily. I heard you should ONLY take it when needed and prolonged use is not good for you, other posts say it can affect the liver-so be careful out there, do your research, and if confirmed, only take for a few days to a week.
(Miami)
03/25/2023
It does work, just add vitamin C.
L-Lysine

I had persistent fever blisters on my lips for years and years. When I took 500mg lysine/day it quickly solved the problem. I do not get them now.
L-Lysine

L-lysine for cold sores WORKS!!!
My mom, sisters and I suffer from cold sores- or at least we used to, because we discovered that taking L-lysine stops, actually STOPS cold sores in their tracks. As soon as you feel that “is that a cold sore funny sore feeling “ on your lip or around lips area, start taking L-lysine immediately! Take 1000 mg of L-lysine two to three times a day. So immediately effective and we all carry in our purse and on trips so we have immediate help in case it strikes while you're out and about. I've spent so much money or various cold sore lip creams but this is the best ever! L-lysine.