Cold Sores Remedies – Personal Experiences with 20 Different Remedies

Here’s a list of 20 various remedies that myself and my friends have tried and found effective to one degree or another, plus our personal comments and opinions on each one.  I really hope that you not only find this list useful but actually go ahead and try some of these yourself and post your results in the comments–also, if you’ve got a remedy for cold sores that you’d like to contribute, believe me you’re more than welcome to post that as well, and thank you so much for your contribution!

1. I woke up and my cold sore was already open, but this is what I did to have it gone by the next morning…I melted an entire ice cube on my sore, even tho it’s a little painful at first..Then dab the sore to dry it and put rubbing alcohol on immediately after with a Q-tip..I did this once every 30 min. to an hour, and by the next morning, you couldn’t see a thing!!!
2. When you first fell a cold sore coming take Lysine Tablets, 2 tablets 3 times a day. Starts fighting off the cold sore before it forms. Also put the Lysine topical cream on. Helps it from getting really big and helps it heal up really fast!
3. When you feel it starting to come out take a Q-tip and soak an end in mouthwash.Next apply the soaked end to it and hold for several minutes.I use this all the time and find it works best.
4. Dab Tea Tree Oil on it several times a day. Works very good!!
5. Aloe Vera – This home remedy for cold sores will work if you your cold sore does blister on you. Take a leaf from an aloe vera plant and rub the liquid from it onto your cold sore blister. It may sound strange, but it gives results. Do this a few times a day and at night. Within a day or two your cold sore will be gone. I know people who will grow aloe plants in their home just for this very reason.
6. Vitamin B – Taking vitamin B supplements has been shown to help get rid of a cold sore. Vitamin B-12 works especially well. [I also personally think that Vitamin C helps as well because it boosts your immune system, which I mention here: Get Rid Of Cold Sore in 24 Hours At Home]
7. Coconut Oil – Take 100ml of coconut oil, 2ml of dettol, and 3ml or carbolic acid and mix them together. Apply twice daily directly on your cold sore. Some people say this formula also works on boils and mosquito bites.
8. My Doctor suggested this and it works like a charm. Take a tube of chap stick PLAIN flavored , break open a capsule of benadryl and sprinkle the powder on the top of the chap stick , rub on the cold sore so as to make a paste of balm and benadryl powder. First day will dry it up…and within 3 days no sign of a cold sore at all!
9. Rubbing aloe, lemon balm extract, or tea bags to cold sores is also known to lessen their size and help reduce pain. Drinking less coffee is another home remedy for cold sores. It is believed that coffee can be a catalyst in the formation of cold sores. It is recommended that people who are susceptible to cold sores cut back on their coffee intake.
10. There are also some foods that you do not want to eat when experiencing a cold sore. These foods will only make the problem worse. Avoid eating chocolate, oatmeal, seeds, peas, nuts, and any wheat products. [this sounds fishy--kinda like the old wives tale about chocolate making acne worse, which has been disproved many times over, anyone know anything about this one?]
11. Another home remedy is salt. Regular powdered salt can be applied directly to the affected area of the skin using the forefinger. Make sure to slightly wet the finger prior to application of salt. Slightly press on the sores using the finger with salt. Follow on with Aloe Vera cream or skin lubricant for a more soothing action.
12. Applying Witch Hazel on sores will give you some relief. Dip your moist index finger in powdered common salt and press the sore for 30 seconds using this index finger.
13. Petroleum Jelly will keep the sore area and skin around it from cracking.
14. Eucalyptus Oils, like the kind you put under your nose and on your chest with a cold, may speed healing and reduce pain.
15. Doctors today are recommending to patients that they take plenty of vitamins and supplements. Vitamin C is one of the most
    popular because it has proven to promote healthy skin, prevent viral infections, such as common colds, and so on. Vitamin C and E are recommended also, because the two have an antioxidant to help fight viruses. Vitamins can be used to improve various body functions. Vitamin B-5 for example is one of the most recommended supplements for controlling cold sores. Vitamin B-5 is helpful for reducing stress. Since medical experts associate the cause of these sores to stress, it is logical that the vitamin can help by reducing the stress.
16. If I keep the area covered with a heavy, greasy type ointment–either Carmex or DCT Blistex–it tends to almost prevent an imminent outbreak…
17. Taking ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) or acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) to reduce pain. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20 because of its link to Reye’s syndrome.
18. Using a mouth rinse that has baking soda to soothe a sore mouth.
19. Avoiding foods that contain acid (such as citrus fruits and tomatoes).
20. Using nonprescription ointments (such as Orajel or Anbesol) that numb sore areas in the mouth or on the lips.

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 ebook. 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?