10 Natural Cold Sore Treatments
Cold sores are red blisters or pimples on the lips. You often feel itching or a burning sensation locally before the cold sores really become visible. That way you know an outbreak is coming. Fortunately, there are good, natural treatments for cold sores.
According to specialized studies, almost everyone has had some cold sore before they reach adulthood. And since the condition is so common, there are many different options to help you prevent or even treat these cold sores.
Try these cold sore treatments
Often we don’t realize we have an oral herpes outbreak until we get up and see a cold sore. When this happens, there are a number of things you can do to reduce the symptoms and make it less of a burden.
Before applying any natural treatment, we recommend cleaning the area with antibacterial soap and water. This prevents the virus from spreading further.
Garlic treatment
Garlic is a natural antiviral product. So it is one of the best natural treatments for cold sores. All you need to do is cut a clove of garlic in half and rub it over the affected area for a few seconds.
Treatment with milk
Milk is rich in lysine, a component that helps suppress arginine. The latter is the amino acid responsible for the emergence of oral herpes. This allows you to speed up the healing process by using milk. Moisten a cotton swab with some milk and rub it over the cold sore.
Ice treatment
As soon as you notice itching or swelling around your lips, we recommend that you wrap some ice in a towel and apply it to the area for a few minutes.
Treatment with black tea
To reduce the pain associated with cold sores, as well as speed up the healing process, apply a black tea compress to the affected area.
Treatment with tomato and aloe vera
Cleanse the affected region daily and then apply some tomato pulp. Leave it on for a while and then apply some aloe vera. This will help dry out the blisters.
Treatment with lemon juice
Lemons are natural antiseptics, meaning they are very capable of warding off viruses such as oral herpes (which causes cold sores). For the treatment, simply drop four drops of lemon juice on the blisters three times a day.
Yogurt treatment
Yogurt contains a component that naturally eliminates the herpes virus and cleanses the region. We therefore recommend that you eat yogurt during the entire time that you suffer from cold sores. You can also apply some yogurt directly to the blisters. In that case, the yogurt must be clean and cold.
Treatment with green tomato
Mix the pulp of a green tomato with a tablespoon of baking soda. Apply this mixture to the affected region with a cotton swab.
Treatment with honey
Mix a teaspoon of pure honey with a little vinegar. Apply this mixture to the affected region three to four times a day.
Treatment with salt
Use a spoon to crush some salt very finely. Then apply it to the affected area with a cotton swab. Repeat this process two to three times a day.
Recommendations for even better results
In addition to these natural cold sore treatments, you should also remember that there are some hygiene practices that can help eliminate the virus. As a result, you will suffer less from it in the future.
- If you want to dry out cold sores quickly, you should clean them every day.
- Avoid keeping the cold sores in direct sunlight.
- Do not squeeze the blisters or remove dead skin if they are dried out. This will disappear on its own once the virus is no longer active.
- After treatment, throw away any material that has come into contact with the cold sore. These are, for example, your toothbrush, razors, make-up, etc.
- Do not eat too many foods containing arginine. This amino acid is crucial in the metabolism of the herpes virus and will ensure that the virus will remain in your body longer. Foods with high concentrations of arginine include chocolate, cola, peas, peanuts, gelatin, walnuts and beer.
