All current treatments are designed to combat the symptoms of cold sores, equally whether they are medicinal in nature or home remedies. While the products available from the drug companies have proved to be disappointing in their efficacy, they do work well for some. However, with many preferring natural treatments over medicines due to side effects and cost, cold sore home remedies are extremely popular. As you can imagine there are quite a number to try.
Applying ice to the infected area is one of the most practical solutions, and can be applied in conjunction with conventional remedies. If an ice pack is applied to the area as soon as the tingling sensation is experienced it can reduce the overall healing time. All you need to do is put the ice in an ice pack or plastic bag and hold it against the skin for half an hour or so. There are people who go as far as claiming that it can prevent cold sores from appearing altogether, but is unlikely you’ll be so lucky. However, simple, cheap and readily available, it is one cold sore home remedy worth a try.
Another home remedy found in most people’s home is the tea bag. Add boiling water to the tea bag as if making a cup of tea and allow it to cool enough so that it can be placed against the cold sore without discomfort. The tannin in tea - the compound that stains your cup - is naturally antiviral in nature and acts on the herpes simplex virus, reducing the time it takes to disappear.
Perhaps not so readily available in the home, but easy to obtain all the same is lysine. It is an easily obtained supplement that can be taken daily to help prevent cold sores too, but after an outbreak as started it can help accelerate healing. However, lysine is naturally found in some foods, such as the flounder - a fish common to the Atlantic and Pacific - and so by adding this to your diet, especially after your cold sore outbreak has commenced, you can help heal the lesions faster. Other sources are meat and dairy products and although there are topical creams that you can use, the skin does not easily absorb lysine.
