Cold Sore Treatment

Cold sores will usually heal by themselves within 10-14 days.

• A range of treatments for cold sores are available from you pharmacy. \\they contain either anti-viral medicines, anaesthetics or antispeptics like povidone-iodine. These medicines help either to heal the cold sores, relieve pain or prevent a bacterial infection occurring. Talk to you pharmacist about the most suitable product for you. Tell you pharmacist if you are, or are intending to become, pregnant or are breast feeding.

• With an antiviral cream, apply it as soon as you feel a cold sore coming on since the sooner you start treatment the more likely you are to prevent the cold sore developing further. Rub the antiviral cream onto the cold sore as often as instructed by the directions. Some anti-virals need to be applied 5 times a day and some as often as every one to two hours.

• When the blisters have broken out, keep the area clean by bathing it with warm water and patting it dry with paper tissues.

• When applying a cold sore cream don’t reuse the same finger to get more cream out of the container as this could contaminate the medicine. Use a different finger or an applicator such as a cotton bud.

• Wash you hands thoroughly with soap before and after cleaning the cold sore or applying any medicines.

• To prevent the cold sore drying and cracking and possibly developing into a bacterial infection, use a lip moisturizing cream.

People who get cold sores often or very sever and painful sores, may need medicines only available on prescription from your doctor.