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.
L-Lysine
Posted by Rodney (Charlotte, NC) on 12/09/2008
★★★★★
I heard about l-lysine for cold sores using the internet about 10 years ago. I tried it then and it did not work. This time L-Lysine closed my sore almost immediately. This time I took larger dosages. My sore was already opening on my lip when I started using Abreva. But Abreva(???no generic ointment name) is not that great once a sore starts.
Since discovering this site, I decided to use a larger dosage of the L-lysine and within 1.5 (one and one half days) the sore has closed up and is well on its way to disappearing. Even though Herpes I is widespread, it is very uncomfortable for me to deal with people's reaction to seeing an open sore on your lips.
Measurements:
I am a big guy. So this time I used 3 1000mg tablets every six hours for 2 days. And each day following the first 2 days, I will lower it 1000 mg until I am taking nothing.
I usally get sores around the holidays which is a very stressful time for me for some reason. Thanks so much!
Oregano Oil
Posted by Craig (Edmonton, AB, Canada) on 12/08/2008
★★★★★
I use Oil of Oregano for cold sores, the second I feel that tingle i put a drop or two on the area that is tingleing and repeat a few times through out the day for about 2-4 days, it never blisters and breaks out, in fact its quickly regressed and dissapears within those days. I have been doing this for over a year and usually get cold sores about 4 times a year, and its worked every time...
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Giana (Tampa, Fl) on 12/07/2008
Yes Trish, and many others do believe in miracles. I was just diagnosed as having HSV-2, about 1 week ago, although I have been experiencing cold sores since I was a little girl. When the nurse gave me the information on the diagnosis, she immediately said she was calling in a prescription for Valtrex, she was so brief and I was so confused and thought twice about taking the Valtrex because I prefer natual remedies. Certain groups say there is no cure for Herpes, but I believe there is because I have found several sources online that provide this information, but they don't disclose exactly who they are for fear of being harrassed or losing their lives, as does happen. Miracles? Yes. Cure? I do believe. Let's keep helping each other and others who believe HSV and other viruses and illnesses can be managed and/or eliminated. Thanks everyone for the great ideas on this site.
Bitter Melon
Posted by Veronica (San Antono, Texas) on 11/20/2008
★★★★★
Bitter Melon has worked wonders on cold sore outbreaks. I get a tingle, take a couple of capsules and it subsides. I have tried coconut oil, but the results were not as spectacular.The few times I could not get the capsules in time (at work), I simply took them as soon as I could and the break out was lasted about a day and was not even visible- just itching and some slight burning. Bitter Melon beats all the others, hands down.
Acetone
Posted by Jen (Portland , Oregon) on 11/18/2008
★★★★★
YEP!!! This seems to be a miracle solution for herpes, both oral and genital. I get both but if I take a cotton swab and dip it in acetone and hold it on the sores for several seconds (or as long as I can) they go away super fast. I keep putting the acetone on the sores throughout the day to dry them up and both oral and genital last only a few days at the most!! My friend's boyfriend tried the acetone on his genital herpes on his last breakout and they never became sores and disappeared in two days. Outbreaks don't seem to be as often either. I also take L-Lysine too but its the acetone that really does that trick.
Calamine Lotion
Posted by Marcy Shannon (Boston, MA.) on 11/18/2008
★★★★★
I've just read a lot of your comments on the Herpes Simplex outbreaks. I too have suffered from them, right in the middle of my face! For the past 2 days I have had it and have tried acv, hp, bacterial ointment. Digging through my medicine basket,I found the calamine loction. This one is called Caladryl by Park Davis. I dabbed this on my blister twice this afternoon with a cotton swab. I cannot believe the difference. It is drying up as I post this message. It is hardly noticeable! This blister was open this morning, between my nose and mouth and looked disgusting! I will certainly recommend calamine lotion to anyone. Good luck folks.
Camphor
Posted by Lori Keat (Blacksburg, Virginia) on 11/10/2008
★★★★★
Herpes cold sores: For years I've been using 'spirit of Camphor'. I put it on a cotton swab and put it on the area. I also have taken Vit.B Complex and that helps too...As does Lysine...
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 10/30/2008 489 posts
Hi LIA, for all viruses, including genital herpes, think L-lysine 2 grams (2000mgm) 4 times per day for adults.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by LIA (NY, NY) on 10/28/2008
I would like to ask if ACV can be used on genital herpes??
Ear Wax
Posted by Hugh (Queenstown, New Zealand) on 10/26/2008
I heard this remedy when I was mining up in the Yukon Territory. I think there is something in the earwax that is designed? to prevent infections in the ear. It is serendipity that it also works on coldsores!
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Kat (Norman, OK) on 10/25/2008
I found this site while looking up lysine, and was shocked to read about a link between outbreaks & artificial sweeteners. I've had herpes for about 3 years now (that I know of anyway- Aug. 2005 was my first outbreak ever), and I've been outbreak-free since that first one up until about 3 months ago. I could not figure out why all of a sudden I was getting an outbreak a month but then I figured it out tonight- DIET SODA! I switched from regular coke to coke zero roughly 3 months ago & that's right when all the nerve pain & outbreaks began! God no wonder. I know for a fact I have a good immune system & I'm not under a lot of stress, so I was beginning to get scared. Just bought a new case of coke zero tonight & it's going right back to the store tomorrow. I'm going to try some of the remedies listed on the site, thanks.
Alcohol
Posted by Mary (Vancouver, Canada) on 10/23/2008
★★★★★
Cold Sore Remedy: This remedy came from my mom who is 80 years old this year. I developed a cold sore at the corner of my lips. I tried food grade Hydrogen Peroxide which did not seem to do anything. Next I tried Apple Cider Vinegar which relieved much of the burning and tingling. Unfortunately the ACV did not appear to heal the sore or stop it's spread. My mom said to use any type of alcohol on it. Not wanting to put any propyl or Isopropyl alcohol on my skin I used 40% proof vodka. Within a couple of hours I saw a major reduction in the size of the sore. My mom said to apply it often and I did. Twenty-four hours has passed and the sore has healed up and the burning and scabbing is going away. I wanted to share this with everyone here as it is sure working fast.
Elderberry
Posted by Citrine (Austin, TX) on 10/17/2008
★★★★★
I take Elderberry Extract 4 times a day to cure cold sores due to the herpes virus. At the first tingling sensation, I take my first capsule with water and also dab on a little hydrogen peroxide. The cold sores usually never forms. Elderberry (medicinal name is Sambucus) is an amazing anti-viral berry. It even works against the flu virus! My family does not take the flu vaccine and has used Elderberry to knock out the flu should the flu virus strike. You can purchase elderberry extract at any health food store. There is a syrup version for kids too (but it contains quite a bit of sugar as do most children's meds). As with any viral infection, it is recommended to continue the dosage for at least 3 days to rid your body of the viral attack. Hope this helps!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Dave (Parts, Unknown) on 10/14/2008
I was originally diagnosed with GW early last March. The doctor prescribed Aldara which worked a bit but as many of you know it's very pricey. i finally thought i had it kicked only for it to return in full vengeance about a month ago. I started back up with the Aldara than stumbled upon this site.
I started the ACV treatment 3 days ago and it definitely seems to be working as the affected area is either completely raw or blackish/green in color. The warts arent raised from the skin at all and the blackish/green portion is a couple of splotches.
I have noticed that much smaller black marks have appeared on the opposite portion of my penis that the ACV has not even touched. I assume these are much smaller warts that the ACV is triggering. Is this assumption correct? If so, I guess I need to attack these too. A couple of them are on the side of the head of my penis so I'm not looking forward to my head getting even remotely raw. Any advice?
Anyways, thanks to everyone for sharing their stories and advice. This remedy definitely seems to be working and I am optimistic for the first time in a long while. Well best of luck to everyone and thanks again!
Acetone
Posted by Nina (Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada) on 10/10/2008
★★★★★
Just had an GH outbreak after going 9 years without one! It was a small cluster on the outside labia (not on the mucous membrane) I was devastated and didnt want to have to go through weeks of pain. I was willing to try anything, and i did! I tried the acetone remover trick and IT WORKED. I pressed a q tip to the small cluster of sores that had not broken open yet, about 10 times yesterday and kept the area VERY DRY with cornstarch all day and night. Today, they are healing over and almost gone! they didnt break open, they didnt scab over, they didnt get any bigger...they are healing and almost gone. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
Ear Wax
Posted by C.R. (Springfield, MO) on 10/05/2008
★★★★★
OK this is gross ... But it works, I even had my boss try it.... Grandma said when you have a coldsore, use your own earwax. But don't lick your lips! I know. I know. But if you like me I use to get them all the time.. I havent had one in years.
Acidophilus
Posted by Marvia (St. Catherine, Jamaica ) on 09/30/2008
★★★★★
I've always had outbreaks of cold sores for more than ten years until a friend told me about Acidophilus. Whenever I feel the tingling on my mouth I crush two tablets of the (Probiotic) Acidophilus (preferrably the Schiff brand) with 1 tsp. of milk and take and repeat this three times a day.
The outbreaks of my cold sores usually happens after the intake of antibiotics which usually breaks down the friendly bacterias so the acidophilus regularises the friendly bacterias and it's a great digestive support.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Lysine
Posted by Jay (San Francisco, California) on 09/28/2008
Today, i mixed the 3% Hydrogen Peroxide with L-lysine together to make a paste, then i applied it onto my cold sore, a few minutes later, my cold sore gets bigger and more red, any suggestions about whats going on and if its helping?
Dietary Recommendations
Posted by Walter (West Palm Beach , Florida) on 09/28/2008
★★★★★
I started suffering from a form of herpes called gladiatorum herpes in my face from practicing brazilian jiu jitsu with someone who had the virus. It has one of the most, or perhaps the most horrible illness I ever had. Started taking L-lysine and it helped, stopped taking anything with Aspartame, it helped, however, everyweek for the last three months I was having outbreaks every single week!! Reading and researching on the internet, I figured I had a very acidic PH in my blood so I started doing the Gracie Diet (google it), I can say after a week and a half I am for the first time in months, free of outbreaks.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Shelly (Middlebury, Vermont) on 09/22/2008
★★★★★
I currently have an outbreak (the second one in 2 weeks) and I used peroxide on my second one after the first day. I didn't catch it in time but I'm finding that using the peroxide only 2 times has prevented it from really blistering and scabbing over too much. I popped the blister and drained it with a tissue and then used a qtip to dab it on a few times. It seems to take out the infection and dry it up faster. I'm going to continue applying peroxide every few hours and see how it works. I think if I'd have done this quicker, it wouldn't have blistered out quite so much. But it's less sightly than it would normally be.
L-Lysine and Vitamin C
Posted by Jay (San Francisco, CA) on 09/14/2008
Questions to Cathy:
O, well do i have to rip the scab off first before applying the cayenne pepper?, cause i don't think the cayenne pepper will go to the source without peeling the scab off first, so what do you think? Also, which brand of kind do u suggest? Also, when i peel the scab off, yellow liquid immediately starts to slowly come out so just apply the cayenne pepper onto the whole infected area? What kind of cayenne pepper, like the liquid kind or powder form?What kind do you use?
L-Lysine and Vitamin C
Posted by Cathy (Playa del Carmen, Mexico) on 09/14/2008
Without a doubt, CAYENNE pepper. Put it directly on the cold sore. It will sting but the next day it should be 90 % better. I have used Oil of Oregano and it works very quickly but Cayenne is the fastest. Good luck!
L-Lysine and Vitamin C
Posted by Jay (san francisco, california) on 09/11/2008
★☆☆☆☆
Well, I had a cold sore on right corner of my mouth for about 6 months now, it just kept scabbing, then falling off, then scabbing, then falling off, i tried everything, so far its been 1 week from taking l-lysine and vitamin c daily, about 10g a day, and so far, nothing, i still have the cold sore, my doctor gave me acyclovir, but yet it didn't do a thing. Anyone have any suggestions, im really suffering from those terrible cold sore i had for about 6 months. HELP!
Urine
Posted by Michelle (Toronto, ON) on 09/07/2008
★★★★★
I've suffered from cold sores my entire life. I hate when I feel that tingle coming on. I tried everything, and some things will help and shorten the duration, but I finally found what will stop if from even developing. My step-dad said he heard of people using their own urine. Just pass a q-tip through your own stream of urine, then dab it on the spot where a coldsore is developing. I was VERY reluctant to try this, but one day I felt one coming on and I was desperate. I tried it, and it worked!! Nothing came of it! I've tested this 2 or 3 times since, and can happily report its still working! I'm so happy to have found something that works.
Astringent Toner
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 08/26/2008 489 posts
To correct error in L-lysine for Herpes Simplex or cold sore. Should read 2 grams or (2000mgm) four times per day.
