If you have the cold sore virus – which is actually the oral form of the herpes virus – you are no doubt aware that a sore can develop at any time. When it does develop, it can look unsightly, which causes problems to the sufferers self confidence; in short, people who develop a cold sore, usually do everything they can to find cold sore remedies that work.
The problem with the condition is that, once contracted, herpes never goes away; the virus remains in the person’s body. This means that, whilst an individual sore can be treated with cold sore remedies and will usually go away within a week or two, it can return again at the most inconvenient times.
With this in mind, it is important to recognize what triggers the sore to return in your body. For some people hot weather can exacerbate the problem and cause a sore to return, whilst for others stress (and the change in hormonal levels that goes with stress) can make the condition worse. Although it is easier said than done, when you have identified your own triggers, rather than looking for cold sore remedies try to avoid situations that might cause a cold sore to develop as much as possible.
It is also important to identify when a cold sore is developing as quickly as possible. The itch that is associated with a cold sore should not be ignored because the sooner the cold sore remedies are used, the less effect the cold sore will have and the sooner it will be gone from your face. If one does develop, try not to touch it, and especially do not scratch it. The more you touch it, the worse it will become and the more chance there will be of you spreading the infection.
When a sore has developed, you might initially use petroleum jelly as cold sore remedies (some know this as the brand name Vaseline) to seal the sore itself. This will help to prevent any of the infection from spreading to other areas around the mouth and can help to keep the sore as small as possible. After this, use hot water and an antibacterial wash to properly cleanse the whole area around the sore. These types of cold sore remedies will reduce the chance of the infection spreading and can also help to reduce any excess puss and other unsightly discharge from the wound.
There are a number of cold sore remedies that you might try; some will work better than others. However, pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars developing medication to fight conditions such as this and, in reality, the best types of cold sore remedies to fight the condition are usually specially formulated medication made by chemists specifically for this condition.
The chemical acyclovir, which is contained in creams such as Zovirax and Cyclovir, can usually clear up an outbreak within a matter of days. The creams can, however, be fairly expensive, and if you suffer from a lot of cold sore outbreaks the cost can add up. Ad discussed above, the adage that prevention is better than cure is as relevant here as anywhere: instead of seeking out cold sore remedies, try to avoid those situations that may lead to an outbreak to minimize the risk of a cold sore developing. Unfortunately of course, there will be instances where, no matter what your intentions, cold sore remedies are necessary.
