Facebook Pixel
EmpowHER Guest
Q: 

What’s the best remedy to make a fever blister heal fast

By Anonymous December 6, 2017 - 3:43pm
 
Rate This

Add a Comment1 Comments

HERWriter Guide

Hello Anon

Thank you for writing.

Fever blisters, also known as cold sores, come from the herpes virus. They are found on the lips and sometimes around the outside of the mouth. They can be incredibly painful as I am sure you know, and are rather unsightly.

There is no cure for cold sores. The old adage goes that cold sores last for about 9 days. Three days coming, three days here and three days going. This is generally accurate.

Medications like Valtrex can actually stop a cold sore from forming. It's taken as soon as that tell-tale tingly feeling starts on the lip and the swelling begins. Valtrex that is taken within an hour or less can successfully suppress a cold sore. If it doesn't suppress it, it can make it heal at lot faster. Other prescription medications are Acyclovir (Zovirax) and Famciclovir (Famvir) .

Other treatments include topical antiviral creams and ointments, such as penciclovir (Denavir) cream. Some research demonstrates that penciclovir appears to reduce the
average size and duration of cold sores.

Penciclovir reportedly is best used as quickly as possible after symptoms (pain, tingling, itching, burning or blisters) begin to appear. Although the recommended dose varies with the individual, the average adult dose calls for applying the cream to the affected areas every two hours, while awake, for four days.

Alternative Treatments

Diet

Eating a healthy well balanced diet is believed to keep cold sores at bay.

-Imbalance of Amino acids Lysine and Arginine. A diet rich in amino acids may help prevent recurrences of cold sores. Herpes sufferers want to increase intake of lysine and decrease intake of arginine. Lysine is found in most vegetables, legumes, fish, and turkey. Arginine rich foods that should be avoided include chocolate, peanuts, almonds, as well as other nuts and seeds.

-Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugar.

Vitamins

Vitamins helpful in reduction of cold sore outbreaks:

-Vitamin C and bioflavonoids have been shown to reduce the duration of a cold sore outbreak as well as reduce the number of sores produced.

-Vitamin B complex can give support to the nervous system where viruses can hide out. B complex vitamins can also help manage stress, an important contributing factor to the outbreak of herpes viruses.

-Vitamin E. Applying the oil in vitamin E capsules directly to cold sores may provide relief of symptoms.

-Zinc lozenges are known to enhance the immune system as well as affect the reproduction of the herpes simplex virus.

-Ointments containing lemon balm or licorice and peppermint have been shown to help cold sores heal faster.

Newer Treatments

-Xerese. This is the only FDA approved pharmaceutical agent that can prevent the progression of cold sores. It has been proven to reduce the likelihood of ulceration along with faster healing and improved symptom relief. It is also the only medication that is antiviral and anti-inflammatory(contains steroid). Only recommended for 12 years and older.

-Lip Clear Invisible Bandage. This is a clear bandage that is applied directly to the cold sores. This protects transmission of sore while active, can be used as a concealer, and promotes faster healing.

-Viroxyn Professional – This is a single application cold sore treatment available only thru dentists and physicians. Viroxyn contains 7.5% Benzocaine to numb the cold sores site along with an antiviral ointment. The dual action application will begin healing of the site almost immediately. Removing pain or discomfort as well as promoting faster healing. A typical cold sore last about 10-12 days but with proper use Viroxyn has been shown to reduce that time down to as little as 3 days.

I hope this helps.

Best,
Susan

December 6, 2017 - 3:53pm
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
By submitting this form, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy
Add a Comment

All user-generated information on this site is the opinion of its author only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. Members and guests are responsible for their own posts and the potential consequences of those posts detailed in our Terms of Service.

Tags:

Blisters

Get Email Updates

Blisters Guide

Have a question? We're here to help. Ask the Community.

ASK

Health Newsletter

Receive the latest and greatest in women's health and wellness from EmpowHER - for free!