Home Remedies for Cold Sores on the Lips

Unsightly and painful, cold sores appear when you least expect them, stay longer than you want them to and just generally make life miserable. The problem is, once a person's body is infected with the herpes virus, the virus remains forever, sometimes dormant, sometimes active. It is a mystery why some people seem more vulnerable to cold sore attacks than others, especially people in relatively good health. Exposure to sun, stress in a person's life, hormonal changes, illnesses, such as flu, colds or even allergies, can prompt an outbreak of cold sores, also known as fever blisters. However, the fact remains that the lesions come and go, like it or not, and require some form of treatment. Several home remedies have been quite successful in combating a cold sore outbreak, should a person prefer not to use prescription antiviral agents available through a physician.

L-lysine Amino Acid

• The cold sore virus needs an amino acid called arginine in order to thrive and replicate. Arginine is found in nuts, various seeds, such as pumpkin and sesame, red meat and cereals like oatmeal. Therefore, a reduction of the amount of arginine in a person's system is thought to make the virus harder to replicate. Cutting down on these foods is advisable, as well as taking L-lysine supplements. L-lysine inhibits herpes virus replication, and one 500 mg tablet daily of the amino acid, in conjunction with cutting back on foods high in arginine, can be effective in eliminating or preventing future outbreaks.

Lemon Balm Tea

• Europeans have been using lemon balm tea or ointment for years to treat cold sore blisters and genital herpes. Lemon balm is a lemon-scented herb grown in sandy soils that has proven antiviral properties. A tea made from the leaves (steep 2 to 4 tsp. of the crushed herb in boiled water for five to 10 minutes) can be applied to cold sore lesions up to four times a day. The lesions often disappear within three to five days using this remedy. Lemon balm cream, also known as Melissa cream, is available in health food stores. Lemon balm taken internally may interfere with some prescription drugs, especially those used to treat thyroid problems.

Milk or Buttermilk

• A compress of room temperature milk can ease the pain and speed the healing of a cold sore. A cotton ball or soft cloth dipped in milk should be placed on the cold sore and allow to remain for 10 minutes. Also, some cold sore sufferers say drinking buttermilk, which also alleviates canker sores, is beneficial and cuts down on the number and severity of cold sore outbreaks.

Goldenseal

• A cure-all among Native Americans for centuries, goldenseal has very strong antiseptic, astringent and disinfectant properties. Goldenseal is available in powdered or leaf form, and is readily available in health food stores around the country. A moistened cotton swab dipped in a small amount of goldenseal powder and applied to the cold sore will relieve the pain and generally control the cold sore outbreak in a day or two. The combination of goldenseal and myrrh is a highly effective treatment in the treatment against cold sores.

Ease of Pain

• If the pain from a cold sore becomes too much to handle, use an ice cube on the area to provide immediate relief. The ice cube should be removed after five or 10 minutes. Aloe vera ointment will also help ease the pain. A small amount of petroleum jelly will keep the area around the cold sore from cracking and bleeding. A cooled, steeped teabag of black tea can also be placed on the cold sore for about ten minutes. While none of these remedies may prevent future episodes of cold sores, or help the lesions to heal more quickly, they will help to ease the misery associated with cold sores.