A cold sore blister is the outward symptom of an outbreak of the Herpes Simplex Virus–most likely the Type 1 strain, aka HSV-1, although 1 in 6 cases of oral herpes involve the HSV-2 strain, which is the one typically associated with genital herpes, see What Is A Cold Sore? for more info.
They normally occur on or around the outside of the mouth, most frequently on the edge of the lips. These blisters usually start out with minor itching, irritation, and tingling on the spot where the cold sore will emerge a few days before the actual outbreak. Often, if you notice this and realize an outbreak is about to occur, you can take preventative action that will usually stop the cold sore from ever emerging before it has a chance to–this is done through some simple over-the-counter treatments such as what I cover here: Cold Sores Home Remedies. I’ve found the most effective to be the application of witch hazel by q-tip every 2 hours to the spot where you think the cold sore will emerge, if you want a quick tip to try out the next time you feel an outbreak coming on.
Cold Sore Blister Treatment
There is no permanent cure for cold sores nor, once you’ve been infected with the Herpes Simplex Virus, can you get rid of it. If you’re having an outbreak, then there are anti-viral medications (prescription only) that can reduce the severity and healing time of the outbreak ONLY if they are taken as soon as the itching and irritation develops–they will have almost no effect if taken after the cold sore has developed. Oral anti-virals can also be taken every day to prevent cold sores for those who tend to have frequent outbreaks. Those medications and their effects are:
- Acyclovir (Zovirax): This will shorten the duration of the pain by up to 1 day, and can reduce the healing time required for your first (ever) outbreak of herpes by 1 to 2 days.
- Famciclovir: This medication is sometimes used to treat the herpes virus that causes cold sores as well as genital herpes (it acts on both the HSV-1 and HSV-2 strains, in other words), and studies have shown that it can work as well as Acyclovir in treating oral herpes outbreaks. Possible side effects include itching, fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, or diarrhea.
- Valacyclovir: Valacyclovir was approved by the FDA specifically to reduce cold sore duration in people who are at least 12 years of age or older, and it’s also been noted that Valacyclovir is absorbed much easier than other anti-viral medications such as Acyclovir. Possible side effects include allergic reaction, headache, skin rash, insomnia, dizziness, and fatigue.
(Source for oral anti-viral info: WebMD)
There are also topical ointments (creams applied to the skin) that are both prescription and over-the-counter which you can use. These can be used at the first sign of an impending outbreak of cold sores and they can also be applied to a cold sore once it’s already developed, although so far it seems that the best these creams can offer (both prescription and over-the-counter) is to shorten the duration of the cold sore by a few hours or a day at best, and right now even those results are in question pending further study. For more information on topical treatments for cold sore blisters and a full list of all prescription and non-prescription ointments go here: WebMD Page on Topical Creams for Cold Sore Blisters.
*Note: the first outbreak of cold sores can make eating and drinking so painful that small children may need to be encouraged to drink water to prevent dehydration.
Something My Friend Concocted…
My best experience with home remedies is with something concocted by Grace, a close friend of mine, and I must say that this cold sore treatment has worked every single time for me (often inside of 24 hours), and even more impressive is I’ve seen it work on about 25 other people she’s tried it on, with very good consistency. She was so enthusiastic about her discovery that she has decided to turn it into an e-book, so I wouldn’t be much of a friend if I didn’t try to help her out a bit on my blog. One of the first women that we “experimented” on (she’s our close friend and was glad to give it a go), was Gretchen, who occasionally crosses the border from Wisconsin to come visit us, look at what she said:
“Grace,
I wanted to get a note to you to thank you for the information in your e-book. I must admit I was very skeptical when I read your instructions, but you were right on the money. My double bout with cold sores was gone after only 6 days. The best part of this entire program has been that to this point (3 months later), the cold sores have not returned. I can hardly believe it – thanks so much!”
Gretchen Rhodes, 47
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Please go have a look at my friend Grace’s solution for the matter here: Cold Sore Freedom: Cold Sores Cured in 3 Days–I’ve personally tried this and it is currently my favorite method of handling my cold sores, and it’s not because it’s necessarily the fastest (I’ve found that if I drain, wash, and apply nail polish remover to a cold sore several times a day while keeping an ice cube on it the WHOLE day, about 50% of the time it’ll be gone in about 2 days, but it’s unreliable at best and you can’t do ANYTHING else that day but attend to your cold sore). It’s because it works EVERY TIME, often within the first 24 hours–3 days is more like the unlikely maximum, you’re much more likely to see it gone within 24 hours or so–and it only requires a few minutes of your time every day, so I highly recommend you give it a chance and if it doesn’t work then just get your money back, no harm no foul we’re all still friends, ok?
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