Garlic for Cold Sores

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Happyhappy (Del Mar, California) on 08/30/2014:
5 out of 5 stars

Garlic works!

I have had this virus since I was 5 or 6, maybe younger for all I know, but I just remember first finding out I had a cold sore. I honestly thought it was a type of cold, and I never knew there was a stigma behind them until I was about 22. Once I figured out people have the audacity to look down on people with this virus (even though they likely have it too), I became very stressed whenever I would have an outbreak. I never knew you could stop one until I researched it. Learning about garlic on this Earth Clinic website, I had to try it, especially since I usually buy too much and have it lying around for about 3 months at a time.

I hear people talking about a garlic supplement not working, but I am talking about FRESH garlic. I personally cannot chance an outbreak by using a garlic pill when I have the real deal fresh garlic. You can buy a couple of bulbs of garlic and it will last for quite some time (I've had my garlic for almost two months, and even though it may not be as pretty as new garlic, once you cut it, that fresh garlic juice is there). I just cut a small sliver (just take a knife and take a flat slice from biggest part of the garlic so it will cover a larger area, which can help kill the virus on AND around the offending area) from a clove and hold the little sliver against my lip. I do this if I feel a tingle, if I bite too much dry skin off my lip (bad habit), if I feel discomfort of any sort around my lips/mouth, or even question an upcoming outbreak, I go on and press that fresh sliver against my lip, and that is EXACTLY what you should do in those cases too.

The nice thing about garlic is that you can even use it IN the mouth, whereas many other things (i.e. alcohol, nail polish remover) cannot be used for blisters inside the mouth.

Even if you have a blister when you wake up, ice it for as long as you can to calm down the swelling and numb the lip, then immediately grab your garlic clove, cut a sliver off (save the remainder of the clove, this way, as you need more, you can keep cutting slivers off throughout the day, thus releasing more fresh juice every time you use it. ) The Garlic will send the active virus to hell where it belongs and you should notice your blister rapidly receding, as the garlic will not only obliterate the active virus, but don't lick your lips after applying the garlic, because the garlic should help dry that sucker out.

(When you get to the last possible piece of your garlic, it may be dry because there is not more garlic to cut off to release the juice. If this is the case, just gently squeeze the last piece to release the juice, and it will be good to go! )

Anytime you think, know, doubt, assume, wonder, or question rather or not a cold sore is coming, USE THE FRESH GARLIC. I recommend using it every couple of hours to ensure you won't get a breakout during times you need it, however, I've used it once on red swollen skin (the stage RIGHT BEFORE impending blister) and feel asleep, and next morning, nothing. If you fall asleep, just use more garlic next day.

WARNING: You will have to man/woman up for this, as the garlic MAY cause an extreme burning sensation as you press it on the offending area. Sometimes it barely burns, especially if my lips are not cracked or damaged, and sometimes my mouth, eyes, and nose water because it hurts so bad. But I deal with it, because it is less painful than walking around feeling like you have a black eye on your lip. Embarrassing.

Summary & Tips:

  • Buy FRESH GARLIC and just keep it around. The juice inside the garlic will be there a very long time, so even old looking garlic can be cut to release juice with that power garlic "medicine."
  • You only need to cut a sliver off of the garlic each time you need some garlic, as each flat sliver has the "miracle" garlic juice on it.
  • If in doubt and if you have an outbreak, still use the garlic. It may even possibly kill the virus on the skin (the shedding) to help protect others or spreading to other parts of your body (please still use ALL the safety precautions that you would use if you had giant oozing blister on your mouth.)
  • Carry a clove of garlic in your car, backpack, purse, etc. It may not be legal to carry a knife (especially if minors and/or anyone at an educational institute), so carry something that can help you release the juice from the garlic. Plastic knife, spoon, even a sanitized filer on nail clippers.
  • Don't forget to brush your teeth! You don't know how many people admit they forgot to brush their teeth the day/night before an outbreak. The virus loves moist and unclean. Also, avoid toothpastes with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (sls), as it is believed to cause outbreaks.
  • You may want to gargle with peroxide to kill the viruses that may be throwing a party in your mouth. I also take a piece of cotton, paper towel, or even toilet paper (anything disposable) and put some peroxide on it, and clean my lips and mouth area to also help remove any shedding I may not be aware of.
  • In between outbreaks, always keep lips moist with something that helps prevent outbreaks. Something with lysine, an antiviral essential or even some balm that if for cold sores. Just use something to help keep these at bay.

Thanks to everyone who sticks around to read this long post.

Good look and be happy!

REPLY   9      

Anon (Australia) on 07/04/2013:
5 out of 5 stars

YEA to garlic, ice and honey for cold sores. I tend to get cold sores on my lips when I'm run-down and haven't been sleeping and/or eating very well. I usually don't get a tingling sensation until after the little monster rears it ugly head, the only sign I have to go off is dry, chapped lips, which can easily be attributed to the winter weather.

Noticed the tiny, tingly/itchy bump when I woke up a yesterday and freaked out because I'm volunteering at a week-long event starting tomorrow and didn't want a massive blister in the centre of my bottom lip. I usually use Zovirax but that usually takes over a week to heal and even then has left small blemishes/scars.

I read on another site about the garlic remedy and decided to test it out. Cut a clove of garlic in half and crushed it to release the juices, then held it over the bump for about thirty seconds. Burned like no tomorrow, but the tingling sensation was gone and never came back. Once the burning sensation had died, I soaked some paper towel and dabbed it clean before applying honey. Repeated every few hours. Next day, no blister! Just a small scab that's a good half or third the size of my usual sores.

Came here to see what other natural remedies could be added to the program, but I don't fancy the idea of popping or invading the wound to apply solutions for fear of infection and chemical solutions like acetone or hydrogen peroxide scare me. At any rate, I now use a clove of garlic, followed by a cube of ice, dab it dry and then add a touch of honey, applied every couple of hours. Swelling is pretty much non-existent and there is no tingling or itchiness at all. From the looks of things it'll be gone in a day or two! (Fastest recovery time ever! )

REPLY   4      

Fae (Santa Rosa, Ca) on 06/11/2013:
5 out of 5 stars

The juice of fresh raw garlic clove applied topically stops a cold sore dead in its tracks! Results are felt instantly. I've tried many of the natural Earth Clinic remedies for cold sores (ice, peroxide, L-lysine, nail polish remover, etc. ) with varying degrees of success so when I say it works almost immediately, I am speaking from experience! As soon as you feel that dreaded tingle or see any sign of the blister, peel a raw clove, nick the end to release the juices (or smash it in a garlic press) and apply to the sore. Hold it on there for about 15 seconds. It will sting like a sonuva..but that is the garlic juice doing its job and is actually a satisfying sensation. I usually only have to do this 2 or 3 times within an hour or two, holding it on there for about 15 seconds each time (any longer and the strong juice may irritate the skin) and the virus inside the cold sore dies or retreats. You can feel it! Any physical damage the cold sore has caused will have to heal in it's own time which is why it's best to catch it before there is any visible sign but even when I had a big red swollen bubble, it flattened within an hour, dried up and flaked off within a day or so. Instantly effective and dependable! I have read that garlic is a strong anti-viral and it is now my only cold sore treatment. I love Earth Clinic and wanted to share this simple but effective cold sore cure.
REPLY   6      



Anonymous (Nc) on 02/08/2013:
3 out of 5 stars

Better But With Side Effects

Garlic works. However, garlic will eat up the infected area and leave a hole! I used garlic for a boil under my arm and it left me with a hole. The skin grew back but it was not pretty. Be careful with garlic. Very potent stuff!

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REPLY   1      

J.t. (Delta, Oh, Usa) on 11/16/2011:
0 out of 5 stars

I've been putting fresh garlic on my lip, not only burns, surrounding area seems to be discolored as well.

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REPLY   1      

Curative (Midwest) on 11/22/2010:
5 out of 5 stars

Garlic took care of a cold sore on my lip. I cut a piece of raw garlic in half and placed it on my lip for a few hours. I did this every day and the cold sore was almost slim to none in 3-4 days whereas for me it would take a week or more. The site where the cold sore was was not even noticeable.
REPLY         

Steven (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) on 12/06/2009:
5 out of 5 stars

There have been many times where i've ignored or taken for granted the initial tingles of an oncoming cold sore. So the remedy I'm going to share even works for cold sores at their maximum size and strength! Mix half a clove of crushed garlic with about 1/2 a tablespoon of toothpaste. Depending on the size of the cold sore(s), this mixture will make enough for a few applications. Apply it thick, on not only the cold sore, but around the affected area also. I do warn you, this will burn like mad! Leave it to dry for 3 hours, then remove and re-apply. Do this 3 or 4 times during the day.

The reason this works well is because the toothpaste acts as a barrier, not letting air to the affected area, giving the crushed garlic increased potential to kill the infection.

REPLY   1      

Anna (Charlotte, USA) on 06/29/2008:
5 out of 5 stars

Garlic Remedy for Cold Sores: My mom traveled to Europe and while she was there, cold sores broke out around her mouth. An Austrian man saw her and told her to cut a clove of garlic in half and hold it to the area for 10 minutes three or four times a day. It works like a charm for her.
REPLY   2      



Shane (Sherman Oaks, California) on 12/27/2007:
5 out of 5 stars

I have been studying Natural Remedies and herbal cures for years and found only an obscure reference to garlic for the treatment of boils in an old text. I used to get herpes around the mouth really bad where it would sometimes completely encircle my lips by 1/4 to 1/2 inch. The way to use garlic to treat these outbreaks is this (not entirely pleasant) - Take any size clove and break or cut in half. Eat one half immediately and chew completely. Take the other half and rub into the affected areas. THIS WILL STING- That's it! repeat as necessary until the herpes pain is gone. The first time you do this it will take a few applications every day until it stops the progression of the blistering. It will scab up. There will be a longer interval between outbreaks but the next time it happens start the treatment with garlic as soon as you feel it coming on. The blistering should not get very far if it even blisters at all. It takes 3-4 progressions of outbreaks and by they should be further and further between. I have not had an outbreak since 1995. A year ago I felt it a little and used the garlic right away and the feeling stopped immediately. ODORLESS GARLIC GELCAPS DO NOT WORK FOR THIS!!! I TRIED THEM AND THEY ARE WORTHLESS. Must be fresh garlic. Do not cut corners.
REPLY   3      

Emily (Madison, Maine) on 05/10/2007:
5 out of 5 stars

I take the odorless garlic softgels for my Herpes outbreaks. I take twelve softgels when I feel the tingling and then three every four hours while awake for the next few days. If I don't get it soon enough to prevent it then it only lasts a few days. I also use the softgels for when I have ear pain. I pierce the gelcap and squeeze the contents on a cottonball and put it in the offending ear for an hour. Then do the same over night. You will feel an immediate response and the overnight treatment only needs to be done for a couple of nights. I LOVE garlic. These remedies I have found through many health and herbal remedy books.
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