I suffer too much from cold sores, I can guarantee that when I’m feeling particularly run down or low, I’ll get one of those revolting itchy blisters that seem to take forever to heal up. A few weeks ago I wasn’t too well and was rewarded with three of the little blighters. They’re painful, ugly and very easy to spread. And once you get your first, you can pretty much resign yourself to the fact that you will get others as time goes on.
So what exactly are cold sores and why do we get them at all? Well, scarily, they are actually a form of Herpes (Herpes Simplex to be exact), a virus that once contracted stays within your system and can flare up again. Recurrences are all too common I’m afraid! In my case, they spring up when I’m run down and my body’s natural defences are low, such as in the early stages of another viral infection, cold, flu etc.
Cold sores normally appear as nasty fluid filled red blisters on your lips (but can also appear on eyes, fingers and other parts of the body!) and are very itchy and can be quite painful. Most people get an early indication that one is about to flare up by experiencing a tingly/itchy sensation in the affected area. Then the blisters will scab over before finally falling off or drying up altogether but this can take some time (normally 10 days to a fortnight). Quite often as they become drier, the skin around them is prone to splitting and bleeding. They are also extremely contagious, so it’s best to avoid kissing, sharing towels, glasses, cups and so on, particularly in the blister stage.
So how can you treat them? Well, there are many over the counter remedies available but in my experience, one of the best has to be Zovirax, a cream formulation available in a squeezable tube, or a little pot that has a pump type dispenser. The latter costs a little more but is the one I prefer as it makes application considerably easier by dispensing the right amount each time. Each pot contains 2g of the cream.
The one disadvantage is that this product only works at it’s best if you catch the cold sore in the ‘tingly’ stage, before the blisters break out. Apply it soon enough, and it should stop the blisters developing full stop and your cold sore shouldn’t develop any further. The active ingredient is aciclovir, an anti-viral agent that prevents the cold sore from forming. But if blisters have started developing before your first application, the product WILL speed the blister healing process and reduce the pain. Most should disappear within 5 days to a week in this instance.
The cream should be applied regularly, every 4 hours or so, 5 times a day. Always make sure you wash your hands before and after application to prevent spreading the infection. You might find the cream makes the infected area sting or tingle but this only lasts a few minutes and shouldn’t be of any concern and other side effects are very rare. You should continue the treatment for five days but if the blisters still remain after this time, you can continue for a further five days. As with any medication, never exceed the stated dose and follow all instructions carefully. You shouldn’t use it near the eyes, or, erm, er, around the 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 time isn’t shortened that much.
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I got a cold sore on the side of my mouth, where my lips meet the skin and it never tingled but my husband told me it was a cold sore, so i got some of this stuff! hope it goes away soon!
great op
k
Excelle 18.05.2001 14:13
I hate cold sores :( In fact, I'm just disposing of some now, they're a pain in the bum! Great op Lou, might give this a try!
Zovirax Cod Sore Cream for the treatment of cold sore.Before you use your cream :Only use ... more
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...
Postage & Packaging: £1.51 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Probably psychosymatic. Maybe the cream starts the healing process. Disadvantages: Doesn't work fast enough, I don't think it makes a major difference
Advantages: None really Disadvantages: It's expensive, doesn't work very well, and there is a host of other, cheaper, more effective solutions out there
LouisaNott 03.07.2001 (03.07.2001)
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Review of Zovirax Cold Sore Cream
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