You may have multiple patches of cold sores during an outbreak. There’s no cure for any type of herpes simplex virus, which is the cause of cold sores. After an outbreak heals, it may recur any time.
The best time to begin treating a cold sore is as soon as you feel tingling or itching around your mouth. These symptoms may happen a few days before blisters appear.
Lysine is an amino acid that may help prevent the herpes simplex virus from being more active. According to an older studyTrusted Source from 1987, lysine tablets may reduce the number of herpes simplex virus outbreaks and their severity. Lysine may also help reduce healing time. You can find a variety of lysine tablets here. Research on lysine for cold sores isn’t conclusive, so talk to your doctor before using it to treat a cold sore.
Propolis is a resin material that bees collect from botanicals and use to seal crevices in their beehives. Propolis is high in antioxidants and thought to have antiviral properties. Research has shown propolis may prevent the herpes simplex virus from replicating. According to a 2002 study, an ointment tested on rats and rabbits made of 5 percent propolis improved symptoms of active HSV-1 infection by helping to prevent symptoms in rats and rabbits. It is available in a 3-percent concentration for human use. Several options are available on Amazon.com.
According to a 2001 studyTrusted Source, a topical cream made of rhubarb and sage may be as effective for treating cold sores as the antiviral medication acyclovir (Zovirax) in topical cream form. The study found rhubarb and sage cream helped to heal a cold sore in 6.7 days. Healing time with acyclovir cream was 6.5 days, and healing time using sage cream alone was 7.6 days. Read more
