How to Get Rid of a Cold Sore Fast in 5 Simple Steps at Home
A cold sore is the outward symptom that you've been infected by the herpes simplex virus.
You likely contracted this virus through the most common avenue: a close relative when you were a small child (they likely kissed you when they themselves had a cold sore, thereby infecting you).
The outbreak itself's most likely triggers are excessive sunlight, cold, other illness or infection, and the most common one of all, stress.
Just a note for the future: the best ways to prevent cold sores are to avoid the above triggers, and take plenty of Vitamin C (boosts your immune system), B-12 (shown to help prevent cold sores), and l-lysine.
Lysine is an over-the-counter supplement that's been shown in multiple studies to help prevent cold sores as well as abate the severity and duration of an outbreak after it has happened.
The normal recommended dosage is 1000mg 3 times per day during an active outbreak, and 500mg once per day after that as a preventative measure.
Alright, now here's how to get rid of that cold sore once you've got it--this typically cuts the outbreak time in half at a minimum, and can often have that cold sore gone by the next day: 1.
Keep the cold sore clean and dry--wash it once every 2-3 hours with a wash cloth, soap, and water.
Use a new wash cloth each time.
2.
Ice the affected area, this reduces swelling, itching, and irritation as well as reducing the severity of the cold sore by slowing down the metabolism of the virus.
3.
If necessary, sterilize a needle with alcohol and puncture and drain the cold sore of any fluid that's contained in it--soak it up with a kleenex or paper towel.
You don't want any of that virus-containing yellow fluid in there, it makes things worse.
4.
After draining, if it was necessary, dab it with a q-tip that's been dipped in witch hazel.
This is an old home remedy that I've multiple people tell me works, and I've found through my own experience that it is, in fact, quite effective.
5.
Put some clearasil (acne cream with 10% benzyl peroxide) on it, finally, to help keep it dry until you go through this procedure all over again in a few hours.
You likely contracted this virus through the most common avenue: a close relative when you were a small child (they likely kissed you when they themselves had a cold sore, thereby infecting you).
The outbreak itself's most likely triggers are excessive sunlight, cold, other illness or infection, and the most common one of all, stress.
Just a note for the future: the best ways to prevent cold sores are to avoid the above triggers, and take plenty of Vitamin C (boosts your immune system), B-12 (shown to help prevent cold sores), and l-lysine.
Lysine is an over-the-counter supplement that's been shown in multiple studies to help prevent cold sores as well as abate the severity and duration of an outbreak after it has happened.
The normal recommended dosage is 1000mg 3 times per day during an active outbreak, and 500mg once per day after that as a preventative measure.
Alright, now here's how to get rid of that cold sore once you've got it--this typically cuts the outbreak time in half at a minimum, and can often have that cold sore gone by the next day: 1.
Keep the cold sore clean and dry--wash it once every 2-3 hours with a wash cloth, soap, and water.
Use a new wash cloth each time.
2.
Ice the affected area, this reduces swelling, itching, and irritation as well as reducing the severity of the cold sore by slowing down the metabolism of the virus.
3.
If necessary, sterilize a needle with alcohol and puncture and drain the cold sore of any fluid that's contained in it--soak it up with a kleenex or paper towel.
You don't want any of that virus-containing yellow fluid in there, it makes things worse.
4.
After draining, if it was necessary, dab it with a q-tip that's been dipped in witch hazel.
This is an old home remedy that I've multiple people tell me works, and I've found through my own experience that it is, in fact, quite effective.
5.
Put some clearasil (acne cream with 10% benzyl peroxide) on it, finally, to help keep it dry until you go through this procedure all over again in a few hours.
