Zovirax Cold Sore Cream > Reviews (28)

Cold sores caused by herpes simplex virus. Once you’ve caught it its yours for life. It lives in nerves and breaks out most commonly at times of bodily or physiological stress including menstruation (period) or colds and flu. These items can’t be stopped in reality but other things that trigger are ultra violet rays of the sun which you can at least partial block using good sun blocks etc.

Aciclovir is the active ingredient of the brand Zovirax its active in the “tingle” stage of the cold sore. Anti-virals are known to be extremely slow to work, there also not very good, by this I mean you need frequent applications (not large amounts) just frequent, zovirax is four times a day this is the most important thing I point out to my patients but still if I ask most use it wrongly:
- I put twice as much on when I got home from work because I forgot to take it with me. Wrong
- I use it every morning to keep them away. Wrong and very expensive (you can’t even attempt yet to damage the dormant virus.

If you’ve missed the ‘tingle’ stage and are in the blister stage “please don’t use Zovirax” its very expensive and of no use know. The virus has ‘been out to play’ its gone again and you wont be able to damage it now. Zovirax will be a very expensive drying agent (which it does well). A this time it is more appropriate to use something like the cytex or Boots do an alcohol drying liquid which is good.

At this stage with your big fat lip it maybe nice to know:
- 12 million people in the UK get cold sores.
- They get them only 2 to 3 times a year.
- THEY ONLY LAST TEN DAYS !!

To help mainly others remember a few key things.

It’s a virus and highly contagious, don’t touch it if you can help, use separate drinking vessels etc. No sharing.
Kissing the boy or girlfriend could give them it, just think it might be bad you have it but both of you at the same time! Its only 10 days.

Do not touch the eyes or genitals of yourself or another person if you think you have touched your cold sore.

I intend to write this statement at the base of any of my medical reviews

I feel its important to get an objective view point from a healthcare professional, your pharmacist been an easy choice. Reading these types of reviews may lead you to believe you've a condition you've not got, or even worse underestimate other symptoms. As a pharmacist myself I still find I run "what’s up with me?" past a college. This review type information should not be trusted explicitly as your an individual and by this definition DIFFERENT.

Get well soon
Eatcha (Andrew)
BSc Hons MRPharmS