How to Get Rid of Cold Sores Fast With Home Products

Cold sores are a common ailment, especially during flu season. Cold sores appear on the lips, nose, and mouth as a result of a viral infection known as the herpes simplex 1 virus or HSV-1. Because cold sores are not healed by your body's defenses, they are likely to reoccur if you do not take proper precautions. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take at home to catch the early signs and fend off existing cold sores.

Things You'll Need

• Ice pack
• Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)
• Tincture of myrrh
• Cotton swabs
• Yogurt
• Petroleum jelly

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Instructions

• 1

  Apply an ice pack to the affected area to reduce pain, swelling and redness. Icing the cold sore will make it appear less obvious and inflamed. Use ice when you first feel the tingling of a cold sore to help the cold sore stay small.

• 2

  Take 125 mg of acetylsalicylic acid each day. This will reduce your pain and can cut down the infection time by 50 percent.

• 3

  Apply a small amount of tincture of myrrh to the affected area approximately ten times a day. Be sure to use a clean cotton swab each time. Myrrh can directly attack the virus and help cure the affected area.

• 4

  Consume products such as yogurt that contain live acidophilus bacteria. The live bacteria have been shown to prevent the growth of the virus and stop cold sores in their tracks.

• 5

  Coat the cold sore with petroleum jelly once it has developed a layer of scabbing. This will prevent the sore from reopening when you move, which will be especially helpful if the cold sore is on your mouth. Preventing the cold sore from cracking will reduce your healing time.