|  | Conditions Treatments | Herpes

Homemade Remedies to Kill a Cold Sore

Cold sores, fever blisters, herpes: all different names for the same annoying sore caused by the herpes simplex virus. If you aren't able to get over the counter medication, there are still many effective home remedies to you can use to swiftly kill your cold sore.

  1. Treatment

    • As soon as you feel the telltale tingling of a cold sore, ice your lip. Icing your cold sore early on will lower swelling, and you may end up with a smaller sore. Cold sores dislike acidity, so in a pinch you can dab your cold sore with vinegar or lemon. Some people swear by rubbing alcohol and nail polish, but why use harsh chemicals on your face if you can use natural ones instead? Lemon balm contains polyphenols, which can minimize the length of an outbreak. If you're at home, rubbing raw garlic onto the sore can also shorten the outbreak duration. Once the sore has become crusty, apply petroleum jelly to keep it from cracking. Take care not to infect the jelly, which can harbor the virus. Use a cotton swab.

    Supplements

    • Lysine is your best friend when you have a cold sore and is one of the most effective ways to quickly clear up a fever blister. This amino acid blocks the copying of the herpes virus. Take 3,000 milligrams a day while you're having an outbreak. Take echinacea vitamins as well to bolster your immune system (about 1,200 milligrams per day).

    Diet

    • Cold sores thrive on argine, an amino acid that's in many essential foods. Kill your cold sore by avoiding foods that have a high argine content: chocolate, beer, whole wheat cereals, popcorn, nuts and gelatin. Studies have shown that eating good quality yogurt with live cultures can help slow down the growth of the virus, so be sure to eat plenty of yogurt during an outbreak.

Herpes - Related Articles