How to Prevent Cold Sores With Ice

There are no absolute cures for cold sores. However, there are methods to help heal them faster or help prevent them altogether. One of the easiest home remedies in preventing cold sores is the use of ice. Creating a cold atmosphere for the infected area before the sore visibly appears slows down your skin tissue's metabolic rate. This prevents the cold sore's nutrients from growing in the first place.

Things You'll Need

• Ice
• Plastic baggy
• Paper towel

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Instructions

• 1

  Recognize when to apply ice. When you feel a tingling or itching under your skin, that's a sure sign that a cold sore may be coming. Start applying ice treatments immediately upon recognizing a cold sore's beginning formation. Don't wait until the cold sore actually forms.

• 2

  Prepare the ice. Fill a small, plastic baggy with a few pieces of ice. If the cold sore is directly in your mouth in an area that an ice baggy can't reach, it may be better to wrap a single cube of ice within a paper towel.

• 3

  Apply ice directly to the tingling area. Once you have established that a cold sore may be forming, it's important to apply ice to the area immediately. Hold the ice directly to the appropriate area of skin for 5 to 10 minutes straight.

• 4

  Repeat icing process. It's best to repeat the icing process every hour for approximately 10 hours or until the tingling under your skin diminishes.