₪ Review: Zovirax - 2g Pump ₪
This review is for any of you who suffer from cold sore flares or will do in the future.
₪ Introduction ₪
Seeing as up to 85% of people have the "Herpes Simplex Virus no.1" laying dormant in their nerve cells until it's triggered ... Read review
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the cream on cold sores on your lips and face. Do not use the cream inside your mouth. Zovirax should not be used to treat mouth ulcers. If you are in any doubt w...
A review by grown_up_girlie on Zovirax Cold Sore Cream July 13th, 2005
Author's product rating:
Value for Money
Good
Side effects
Hardly any
Effectiveness
Excellent
Advantages:
Soothes sore, relieves pain, aids repair - perfect !
Disadvantages:
Slightly expensive, small stinging sensationi upon application .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
₪ Review: Zovirax - 2g Pump ₪
This review is for any of you who suffer from cold sore flares or will do in the future.
₪ Introduction ₪
Seeing as up to 85% of people have the "Herpes Simplex Virus no.1" laying dormant in their nerve cells until it's triggered by any of the many daily triggers that will cause it to become active. I am sure that many of you can relate to me when I say a "cold sore" really makes you feel down.
The symptoms of a cold sore are:
• A tingling sensation around the mouth and lip areas. • Small and painful, fluid-filled blisters on a raised, red, painful area of your skin. These blisters may in-turn develop into a larger blister. • A pain or tingling sensation, often preceding the blisters by a day or two. • If allowed to develop, the blisters will weep and the sore will scab over. 'Herpes Simplex Virus no.1, (HSV-1)' is highly contagious so do not share face cloths, towels, cutlery and avoid kissing. HSV-1 is a virus that you have for life, if you follow a healthy diet and avoid potential triggers then this will reduce your chances of an outbreak. Unfortunately though, like me you'll always be susceptible to reoccurring flares throughout the rest of your life.
Please read on if you want to know what you can do to help yourself.
₪ Packaging ₪
The 2g pump of 'Zovirax' is supplied in a small carded box. Contained in this box is the usual pack leaflet that will explain any contraindications etc. As with all medicated products, you must always read this leaflet before using the product. The pump itself is the same size as a chap stick and is white with a white capped lid.
₪ Product Information ₪
'Zovirax Cold Sore Cream' is the branded name for the sole ingredient Aciclovir BP, 5.0% w/w. It is a topical treatment that will not cure the infected sore, but will certainly help ease and aid the clearance of reoccurring sores/flares. The cream itself is white in colour and of a nice thick consistency. Only a small amount is needed in any one application, normally a single pump will be sufficient. 'Zovirax' doesn't have a scent to it and nor does it taste of anything, so should you like me, end up accidentally tasting it with your tongue you won't be screwing your face up with disgust.
How 'Zovirax' Works: Aciclovir BP works by preventing the HSV-1 virus from duplicating and forming any blisters or sores on the infected area.
This cream is for the sole use of the Herpes Simplex Virus no.1 which infects the mouth area. It hasn't been unheard of either to develop a sore inside the mouth or nose. There are also other forms of the 'Herpes Simplex Virus' which in turn affect the genital areas or eyes - this cream is not for use in these areas. You should see your GP for medical advice if you are concerned.
Side Effects of 'Zovirax': Apparently very few people have been allergic to 'Zovirax'. There have been a few rare reports of allergic reactions. Some of these include swelling, especially of the lips, face and/or eyelids and skin rashes. Mild flaking and dryness can occur on the affected area as well. If you experience any of these symptoms, please check with your GP immediately and do not use this cream again unless your GP or Pharmacist tells you to do so. I have never suffered myself from any side effects and nor has anyone I know. Seeing as it is can now even be purchased in supermarkets, this just highlights the safety of using this product. None the less though, of course be cautious.
₪ Application ₪
Okay so we are in the same boat here, you've had a flare. Ideally, as advised on the packaging, you should apply this cream to the first sign of a flare up. When you start to feel a tingling or burning sensation this is when you should apply a small amount of the 'Zovirax' cream to the affected area, I find that ideally a single pump of the tube is all that's needed to cover the entire infected area. I also find that after applying this treatment, there is an initial stinging sensation which lasts albeit a few seconds.
By applying this cream at the first symptom of a flare you do greatly speed the healing process by days. I find it to be a complete god send.
I always massage the cream carefully over the sore/s with a clean finger tip. A useful tip is that you could also use a cotton bud to aid your application if you don't wish to use your fingers. I always ensure that I wash my hands both before and after the application as you can run the risk of not only infecting another area of your mouth but also passing it onto others.
I repeat this same process as advised 5 times a day at 4 hourly intervals.
₪ Results ₪
Here is how I have found 'Zovirax' to work for me:
Day 1: The treatment immediately eased my pain and discomfort from my very first application. The soothing sensation relieves my need to touch it and helps keep the tingling sensation to a minimum. No other visibly noticeable effects from this cream.
Day 2: The cold sore has dramatically reduced overnight, its redness and size is less visibly noticeable. The small collected blisters have seemed to dry out a little and the sore is starting to show the first visible signs of healing.
Day 3: The sore has halved in size, the amount of cream needed from each of my 5 daily applications is reducing. The small blisters have completely dried out/disappeared and the redness is now to a minimum. There is no longer an annoying pain sensation and the skin around the sore is repairing itself with every application. I can really see the effects of this treatment.
Day 4: Carrying on with my 5 daily applications, I am now only left with a substantially smaller and ever so slight noticeable red sore on the corner of my mouth. The skin seems to be repairing itself and there are no visible cracks or dry skin. There is no more pain.
Day 5: My cold sore is nearly totally gone. Only a very slight trace of what was a very unsightly sore. Applications are continuing as above but with less cream in each application. I recommend the continual use of this cream to prevent the chance of another flare.
Day 6: Completely gone.
Now that can't be bad! As I mentioned earlier this does not cure the infected area, but dramatically reduces the symptoms and aids its repair much quicker than just leaving it. Without this treatment it could take between 7-14 days for a sore to clear on its own accord (If at all).
'Zovirax' should be used for 5 days and then if not completely clear, can be used for a further 5 days to a maximum of 10 days. If yours has not cleared at this point please seek medical advice.
₪ Where To Purchase ₪
'Zovirax' is available to purchase at any chemist and is available to buy in a 2g tube or 2g pump. Some of the more popular supermarkets stock it as well.
'Zovirax' retails in most chemists/supermarkets at around £5.49. Now although it is expensive, anything to help aid and sooth the discomfort of a flare, is to me, money well spent.
Another good point to make is that a 2g pump or tube will last you through 3-4 flares so it makes the initial cost much more acceptable.
There are also other brands available to buy which contain the same active ingredient: Aciclovir BP, 5.0% w/w, but I am sure you would have to look around as I find that many chemists primarily only stock this extremely popular brand - 'Zovirax'.
I used to make the mistake of buying 'Blistex Relief Cream' thinking it would work on my cold sores, but have found that it isn't effective enough to help fight against the HSV-1 virus. It's much more effective to help chapped or dry lips. If you wish to aid cold sores then please don't make the same mistake as me.
₪ Further Information ₪
For further cold sore information please go to:
www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/coldsores.htm
For further information on 'Zovirax' please go to:
www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100003323.html
The manufacturer of 'Zovirax' is the household name - GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). For more information on this product you can go to their website:
www.gsk.com/products/zovirax_uk.htm
₪ Recommendation ₪
This is a superb cream for a painfully nasty reoccurring problem. With 'Zovirax' having a long shelf life of approximately 3 years, it means that even if you don't have regular flares then you can keep it for those irregular ones too. It really does work and is well worth every single penny in my opinion. It is very easy to apply, there are few side effects and is easily available.
Advantages: Reduces severity of cold sore outbreak Disadvantages: It is not a cure
...seemed a bit extreme!
ZOVIRAX Zovirax is a white cream containing 5% aciclovir. It should be applied to the sore five times a day at approximately 4 hourly intervals for five days. If the sore has not cleared up after five days, treatment can be continued for another five days. It is supplied as either a 2g tube or in a 2g pump.
The manufacturers claim that if Zovirax is applied to your skin at the very earliest stage of the attack – when you feel ... ...blister does appear, treatment with Zovirax should speed up healing. However it does not get rid of the infection, and so cold sores may reoccur later.
THE EARLY DAYS
I first became aware of Zovirax in the late 1980’s when my mother, another sufferer, told me about a new wonder cream that had just been invented. At the time it was only available on prescription, and I found that gps and pharmacists seemed quite wary of dealing with it. One pharmacist ...
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...to Sainsburys and bought some Zovirax because rumour has it; tingling (which it was now plainly obvious what that weird lip feeling was) or blisters; this stuff will stop the need to wander around looking like a plague victim or having to pretend you’ve just bought a motorbike. So I bought some ignored the instructions and slapped some on my lip on a regular basis, probably every hour or so and certainly every time I’d had a cup of tea. What I bought ... ...stupid side that sticks up so it won’t fit in your handbag without ditching the packaging. There was a choice of pump action or an ordinary tube, the kind lady in Sainsburys recommended the tube rather than the pump action as the tube is £4.98 compared to £5.98 and as she so kindly pointed out, the tube is slightly cheaper only because it has a tendancy to spill its contents as you take the lid off (like you weren’t going to smother your lip with ...
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Advantages: All in opinion Disadvantages: All in opinion
...be Zovirax. Zovirax is a unique cream formula that works wonders - It comes in two forms either in a small tub or a squeezable tube – the Zovirax tube is slightly smaller than your ordinary lip relief tubes but seeing that only a small amount is needed to cure the cold sore the size really doesn’t matter because it really does work and therefore you do not need to apply as much – not like many of your lip creams where you need to apply and re-apply ... ...Zovirax works best in the early stages of a cold sore – the red sore stage where you start to feel a slight irritation on your lip, a stage where most people ignore. I don’t understand why most people wait for the blisters to fully break out before they decide to apply some form of cream. Zovirax has a special ingredient called aciclover, an ingredient that prevents the cold sore from forming if caught on time. It is these early stages that Zovirax ...
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Value for Money
Side effects
Effectiveness
very helpful
02.11.2001
Help for Herpes Review ofZovirax Cold Sore Creamby
Squiggles
Advantages: Can stop cold sores developing if applied early enough Disadvantages: Reduces healing time only marginally
...genital area! *blush*
Costwise, Zovirax will set you back around £5.50 for the squeezable tube and £5.99 for the pump dispenser one.
Overall, Zovirax is a brilliant preventative treatment against cold sores, provided you apply it soon enough (when you first feel that tell-tale tingly or numb sensation). Otherwise, it can be used to help heal up your cold sores, and reduce the pain and discomfort, but I’ve found in general that the healing ...
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Advantages: Can stop cold sores from fully developing Disadvantages: Expensive
...them clear up quicker (eg Zovirax which I will talk about later). There are also other creams such as Cymex and Blistex (formerly Blisteze) which help soothe the cold sore and stop it from drying out. You should be very careful when washing and drying your face as you may inadvertently pull the scab off. Always remember to thoroughly wash your hands after touching the sore to minimise the spread of infection. It is also worth avoiding sharing towels, ... ...~~~~~~~~~~
Now to Zovirax - officially my best friend in the world (well, when it comes to cold sores anyway!) As I am a regular sufferer, I always make sure that I carry a tube of Zovirax around with me in my bag as I never know when I will get that characteristic "tingle" on my top lip. I am one of the lucky ones that does get this tingle warning (some people don't or don't realise what it is) and as soon as I feel it, I put Zovirax on straight ...
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...I have suffered with coldsores for many years but thankfully don't have frequent attacks. The creams (mainly Zovirax) do help, but as you still have to go through the blister period. I decided to give Compeed a go.
They come in a dispenser which means that they remain hygenic when chucked in a handbag, but at nearly £6 for 15 patches they are over priced for the benefits they provide. They are easy to apply and it does look a lot nicer than a blob of cream on your lip. You need to take care that you don\'t over stretch the patch on your lip when first applying as it then feels strange and the patches don't last as long.
I also found that they feel like they are peeling off when they get damp from eating or drinking. And when they get damp then they become more visible and are as not as discreet.
They did appear to help cure...
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Advantages: Very effective, cheaper than popular brand Disadvantages: None
...I recently developed a coldsore for the first time in my life. I could neither believe how painful it was nor how unsightly. I did some research on the internet and found that coldsores were due to a virus which is present in most of us, and the symptoms could be brought on by stress, insomnia and other factors. The average lifespan of the sore was nine days.
By day five my sore was large, the scab was coming off frequently, it kept bleeding, and as the sore was located right in the corner of my mouth it was difficult to eat. As I have to visit people's homes as part of my job, I felt particularly self-conscious about it, and when another sore began to develop on the other side of my mouth I sought help.
I chose Boots ColdSoreCream as it seemed identical in content to the leading brand Zovirax, but at £5.59 was 60p cheaper...
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Advantages: It works and hides it well Disadvantages: Can be expensive
...Unfortunately I am a coldsore sufferer… I do get the odd attack when I am run down, stressed or when I am coming down with a cold and until Compeed came on the market I was forced to leave my herpes exposed with a mountain of white Zoviraxcream on top which inevitably I ended up swallowing anyway!
Compeed is a totally innovative product and if you do suffer of coldsores I would definitely suggest you to give it a go!
WHAT IS COMPEED?
**********
Compeed is a medicated round sticky and transparent patch that goes on your coldsore. It basically contains the same ingredients as Zovirax and by sticking on top not only does it avoid the infection to spread but also keeps the sore protected and the constant contact with the active ingredients ensures it constantly works to heal. It absorbs some of the liquids the coldsore...
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19.08.2007
31.10.2005
