Cold Sores
Natural Remedies

Natural Cold Sore Cures

L-Lysine

23 User Reviews
5 star (21) 
  91%
1 star (2) 
  9%


Posted by Maria (New Jersey)
5 out of 5 stars

I used to have back to back cold sores. Neither over-the-counter nor prescribed medications worked for me. I discovered L-Lysine. It is excellent. I try to take one daily on an empty stomach. If I get lazy and the tingle of a cold sore starts, I take several for a day or so. The sore does not breaks out, but can still be painful .Though not a cure, L-Lysine is the very best possible preventative. All my family with the same malady have had equally great results.


L-Lysine
Posted by Liz (Louisville, KY)
5 out of 5 stars

I had frequent outbreaks of cold sores and my dentist recommended I take Lysine. Since I started taking 1000 mg Lysine daily, I have not had a single cold sore in years.


L-Lysine
Posted by Tina (Weiser, ID)
5 out of 5 stars

When I was a child I used to always get cold sores on the corner of my mouth, when I was 12 I had this really bad one and I had used Blistex (for cold sores) well, instead it caused it to spread even larger and I ended up with a large outbreak all over my lips, horrible for a 12 year old girl. So my mom heard about Lysine, I took the tablets, and in about 2-3 days they were all gone and believe it or not I have never had a cold sore since (now I am 26) So yes, I believe in the Lysine treatment 100%.

Replied by Rein
(Gatineau Quebec Canada, [email protected])
09/01/2010

Hi Tina, If your herpes never really came back again without continous preventive treatment, then this Blistex must have something to do with it, synergy ? Or it made your body react so accute or it may have overwhelmed the virus so strongly together with Lysine so it didn't survive, what chemical it might have been? There are so many varieties of Blistex now? Reinhold from Germany in Canada


L-Lysine
Posted by Jane (British Columbia, Canada)
5 out of 5 stars

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.


L-Lysine and Diet

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by Lorik (Va, Usa) on 12/31/2014
5 out of 5 stars

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.


L-Lysine and Vitamin C

3 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  67%
1 star (1) 
  33%


Posted by Aviva (Tel Aviv (Gosh Dan)) on 11/16/2022
5 out of 5 stars

I came up with the tingling feeling of a cold sore. There it was. on my upper lip. I took 4 grams Lysine per day + natural vitamin C 4000 mg per day and put some coconut oil on the blister. It stopped growing and tingling immediately and the blister began drying quickly. Now it is the 3rd day and only a wound remained.


L-Lysine and Vitamin C
Posted by Mike (San Jose, Ca) on 05/04/2011
5 out of 5 stars

Back in the mid 80's my girlfriend at that time saw me breaking out on my upper lip. She instantly told me about Lysine and vitamin C.

I've been taking Lysine and vitamin C since then, and have stopped outbreaks about 70% of the time. When I do have an outbreak, usually on my upper lip, Lysine and vitamin C shorten the active period and make the healing much faster. I don't use any skin treatment as the herpes is causing the breakout from within the skin.

I've experimented over the years with taking only one or the other and they don't work nearly as well apart.

When I feel an outbreak coming on, I take 2000mg Lysine and 1000mg of chewable vitamin C with each meal. Works reliably and quickly for 25 years now.

Replied by Merryanne
(Orange City, Florida, Usa)
05/04/2011
117 posts

It is true that L-Lysine kills viruses, it has saved me several times from severe colds that would have put me in the bed for at least a week, but I do not want to miss that much time off my job. I am 64yo so it can be hard on me. I also take lysine 2000 mg every 4 hours as long as I am up, and the next day, as long as I have any symptoms, sometimes I do get very congestd, but not so that I have to miss work. If I had any permanet virus I would take it every 4 hours, 4 times a day for a few months and see if I could get totally free of that bug, but that is just me... I do have faith in lysine, the last cold I had, it started with a tickle in my thorat. I started with the lysine, the next day I was still sick.. I kept up with the lysine, then it was gone in two days, no coughing, no drainge, if not for the lysine I would have been down for a long time. And I did take some C 2000mg a day... For children under 60 pounds, I have given 250mg every 4 hours. Merryanne in Central FL


L-Lysine and Vitamin C
Posted by Jay (san francisco, california) on 09/11/2008
1 out of 5 stars

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!

Replied by Cathy
(Playa del Carmen, Mexico)
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!

Replied by Jay
(San Francisco, CA)
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?

Replied by Anita
(New York, Ny)
09/08/2010

I'm a picker myself and must say that I do believe Lysine and Vit. C does help. It the picking that keeps it going! Try putting a rubber band on your wrist and each time you have the urge to pick snap the band. Hope this helps...


L-Lysine, Garlic

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by Mike (Pemberton, Nj) on 09/21/2011
5 out of 5 stars

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.


L-Lysine, Licorice Tincture

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by Bettina (New York, NY, USA) on 02/09/2009
5 out of 5 stars

Cold sore remedy: I have found that L-Lysine and Licorice tincture help the best. When I feel an outbreak coming on (in my case usually around the nose, inside the nose or around the lips) I start taking 2-3000mg of L-Lysine spread over the day and dab the cold sore spot with Licorice tincture several times throughout the day. I also try to cut out all caffein (coffee, chocolate etc.) all sugars (natural and artificial) and processed foods and increase eating eggs, plain natural yoghurt and leafy green veggies.

Licorice tincture is made by soaking licorice root in brandy or vodka for about 6-8 weeks. Shake daily, if possible. After it has soaked for the required time, strain and store in a dark glas bottle, that has been cleaned thoroughly and sterilized. It keeps a long time. ALWAYS use a clean Q-tip EVERY SINGLE TIME to dab tincture on the cold sore.


L-Lysine, Nail Polish Remover

4 User Reviews
5 star (4) 
  100%


Posted by Mary P (Los Angeles, Usa) on 01/31/2011
5 out of 5 stars

Yes... I have suffered from cold sores for 15 years, and in the beginning I used drug store items and suffered 7-10 painful days. In the last few years, I've tried other remedies, and the daily Lysine - I take 1000mg a day along with a B12 helps reduce the type of outbreak, they are tiny if they come at all - I work in a high stress business and sometimes it can wear me down to the point of a cold sore breakout. I then double up the lysine, and press nail polish remover on it for several minutes (5-10) an hour until it is barely noticeable. It really works... oh and I wouldn't adivse popping the blisters unless they are really big, if you pop them, it will only irritate the area and slow down the healing process.


L-Lysine, Nail Polish Remover
Posted by Victoria (Saint Johns, Florida) on 01/29/2010
5 out of 5 stars

I get about 2-3 cold sores a year on my lips. After a attempting a few remedies, I have found the cure. Once I feel that tingling sensation I immediately take 2 capsules of L-lysine at 500mg. each. If I see a red spot coming out, I get a q-tip, dip it in nail polish remover & using the tip only, apply it with a slight pressure to that area for a few seconds until I feel a burning sensation deep within. That's how you know it's working. I repeat 2 more times that day and the next along with the L-lysine. The cold sore never even comes out. Sometimes, I've had a cold sore start at night while I'm sleeping & when I wake up, it's already painful & clearly visible. Even then, I take my L-lysine and apply the nail polish remover and it stops it in its track! It kills the virus and stops it from growing. I tell all my friends and family & it has worked on them too!


L-Lysine, Nail Polish Remover
Posted by Victoria (Saint Johns, FL) on 08/06/2008
5 out of 5 stars

I get about 2 or 3 cold sores a year. Unfortunately, the last cold sore I got hit me in the middle of the night as I slept so when I woke up, it was already in the painful stage. Finally fed up with these unsightly things, I did some internet searches and found several positive remarks about applying nail polish remover AND so I immediately dabbed a q-tip in it and stuck the tip directly at the cold sore site. The sore had come out by this time but it was still small and had not broken the skin. I made sure to place a folded tissue on my lips to catch any nail polish liquid excess. After a few seconds, I felt it burning inside! I repeated this for a total of 3 times that day and twice the next day and my small cold sore only lasted 3 days! Otherwise, it would normally have lasted 7 days. It never became a scab. I also read up on L-Lysine capsules and decided to keep them at hand for my next cold sore. Well, this morning, I felt a tingling on my upper lip which started to turn pink and swell so I immediately took 2 500MG capsules of L-Lysine and dabbed on some nail polish remover (2 times). I can honestly say that it is completely gone! No sore, no redness, no swelling! I am also taking 2 more L-Lysine capsules before going to bed as a precaution. I am recommending this remedy to everyone I know.


L-Lysine, Nail Polish Remover
Posted by Michelle (Brooklyn, N.Y.) on 04/01/2008
5 out of 5 stars

I have been suffering from cold sores since I was a kid. As long as I wear sunscreen on my lips when I leave the house day or night I do not get them. Occasionally I forget, and that is what happened a week ago. I decided to try this wonderful site and tried the lysine pill and the nail polish remover. Now I do not know which one worked but that nasty cold sore was completly gone in 2 days. This has NEVER happened before. I am so glad this site exist. I will no longer worry when I get a cold sore because i now found an instant cure. I will use both remedies since I do not know which one worked and I also take one lysine pill a day. Thanks!


L-Theanine

1 User Review
4 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by Found Another Option (Columbus, Ohio) on 02/08/2010
4 out of 5 stars

I have had cold sores since I was 6. L-Lysine never worked for me. Once I discovered that this virus is in your nerve endings, I thought of anything that would be a destresser. One day by accident I tried L-Theanine. When the tingling came, I had just taken one. It broke out but only stayed two days and did not have any redness. The tingling and soreness was never felt. Thought I'd put this one out there for anyone who might want to try this.



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