How to stop an oncoming cold sore

5 Tips to Get Rid of a Cold Sore Faster*

Patience may be a virtue but that’s little comfort when you want to get rid of a cold sore overnight. Unfortunately, you can’t get rid of a cold sore in 24 hours, but you can shorten cold sore healing time and cut down the duration of painful cold sore symptoms.

Just because there isn’t a cure for cold sores, doesn’t mean you have to suffer patiently until it clears up on its own. Here are 5 tips to get rid of a cold sore faster*.

ACT QUICKLY AND APPLY ABREVA

• An effective way to treat cold sores and help them heal faster is by applying Abreva Cream as soon as you feel that familiar tingle and/or see redness on or around your lip.
• Abreva starts to work immediately by soothing on contact and shortens the duration of pain, itching, burning, and tingling of cold sores.
• Abreva is clinically proven to shorten the healing time of a cold sore.

COOL THAT COLD SORE DOWN WITH A COLD COMPRESS

• Similar to using ice to relieve a painful sprain or injury, placing a cool, wet towel on a cold sore can help reduce pain, redness and swelling.
• Apply a cold compress 3 times a day for 10 minutes at a time to help it feel better.

TAKE AWAY THE PAIN

• There’s nothing to gain by toughing it out. Taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help reduce the pain and swelling, although this won’t get rid of the cold sore faster.

AVOID HOT BEVERAGES AND FOODS THAT ARE SALTY, SPICY, OR ACIDIC

• Do yourself a favor and steer clear of foods that are likely to irritate a cold sore. Things like pretzels, curry, hot sauce, or citrus fruits could aggravate your cold sore and make the pain worse.
• Tomatoes and citrus fruits like oranges contain acid that can irritate the skin.
• But many of these acidic fruits also contain Vitamin C that can boost your white blood cell count to fight off the infection.
• Instead, take a tablet containing Vitamin C to get your body’s defenders fighting the battle for you.

HANDS OFF

• Keep your hands off that cold sore. Resist the temptation to pick at it because you may prolong the healing process or make it more irritated.
• Remember, cold sores are contagious so if you accidently touch it, DO NOT touch any other body parts, especially your eyes.
• Be sure to wash your hands as soon as possible to avoid spreading it to another area or to somebody else.

SHOW YOUR LIPS SOME LOVE

Dry lips are more prone to cold sore outbreaks and make it easier to catch the virus that causes them. Find out how to keep lips moist.

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To be sure this product is right for you always read and follow the label. *In clinical testing, Abreva is proven to reduce healing time of cold sores to median 4.1 days when used at the first sign of a cold sore. An untreated cold sore can last approximately 8-10 days.

Abreva Cold Sore Cream. When used at first sign, Abreva Cold Sore Cream can heal a cold sore in as little as 2½ days.* Timely use of Abreva Cold Sore Cream is one of the most important steps you can take to stop a cold sore in its tracks.

Stop Cold Sores Before They Start

Chronic stress can have a devastating effect on the immune system.2 Additionally, stress and changes to the immune system can trigger cold sore outbreaks.3 One of the best ways to stop a cold sore is to keep it from forming in the first place. Activities like exercising and utilizing relaxation techniques can help to relieve stress and boost your immune system. By proactively supporting your immune system in this way, you can help to keep cold sore outbreaks from starting. While it may not solve your dilemma on how to stop a cold sore when it first starts, managing your triggers may help you avoid the situation altogether. Discover even more ways to manage your triggers today.

Keep Yourself, and Others, Safe

Cold sores are contagious from the moment you first feel the tingle until they are completely healed.4 It’s easy to spread the virus that causes cold sores to others, as well as to other spots on your own body. To make sure that you stay safe, and you help protect others, make sure you follow these guidelines until your cold sore is totally healed. 5

• Wash your Hands. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially after applying topical cream to your cold sore.
• Do not touch your cold sore. Touching your cold sore is one of the easiest ways to spread the virus, both to other parts of your body or to other people.
• Take over the OTC pain medication. To help ease the pain associated with a cold sore, take and over-the-counter pain medication like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
• Do not kiss anyone. Kissing is one of the main ways the virus is spread. Avoid kissing anyone before your cold sore is completely healed.
• Don’t share items. Avoid sharing any items that may have come in contact with the cold sore, like towels, lipstick or cutlery.
• Don’t have oral sex. Performing oral sex before your cold sore is healed can potentially give your partner genital herpes.

Shifting your thought process away from how to stop a cold sore when it first starts is critical for long-term management of cold sores. Start thinking about how to manage your triggers to avoid cold sores in the first place. Treat the cold sore with Abreva Cold Sore Cream when you first develop symptoms. Finally, act cautiously while your cold sore heals to make sure you are protecting both yourself and your loved ones.

*Median healing time 4.1 days. 25 percent of users healed within 2½ days.

SOURCES

1. American Academy of Dermatology Association. Cold Sores: Signs and Symptoms. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/cold-sores-symptoms. Accessed 1/11/21. Referenced text is highlighted in PDF.

2. American Psychological Association. Stress Weakens the Immune System https://www.apa.org/research/action/immune. Accessed 1/11/21. Referenced text is highlighted in PDF.

3. Mayo Clinic. Cold Sores: Symptoms and Causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cold-sore/symptoms-causes/syc-20371017. Accessed 1/11/21. Referenced text is highlighted in PDF.

4. National Health Service. Cold Sores. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cold-sores/. Accessed 1/11/21. Referenced text is highlighted in PDF.

5. Ibid.