Cold Sores

lolly5648

How long do your cold sores last? I caught my last one at the first tingle and used aciclovir but the scabbing etc still lasted 2 weeks and I didnt feel that my lip was back to normal until 3 weeks later.

Steph998

That was a bad one. Mine (before the l-lysine!) used to last about one and a half weeks from tingle to nothing. In my experience, the attacks got milder the more I had - and I had a lot. The first one, aged 17, the center of my top lip was so swollen I looked like I had been punched repeatedly, and the blisters when they came spread everywhere. The last one - ages ago now - was a tiny little thing like a spot, took the same time to clear up but was hardly noticeable.

Horrible things.

lolly5648

I seem to get two a year, one in autumn and one in Spring, always in the same place and they seem to last for around 3 weeks whatever I try.

trixie73

iv just got my 4th one in as many months, but this one is absolutley huge.right in the centre of my top lip and very painful. the minute i felt it tingling i applied my cream but it hasnt stopped it one bit. im going to buy the patches tomorrow and giv them a try.hope they work,im getting really fed up with keep getting these horrible things

Fern_Merkin

I used to get cold sores almost constantly. The Doc didn't want to diagnose it properly so I was left with a blistered wet top lip and inside my nose for months. Finally I was sent to a specialist and now take Acyclovir tablets on prescription. They are great!

If you really are having terrible repeat flare ups it may be worth a visit to the Doc.

Fern_Merkin

Toothsmith wrote: »

I thought STDs were diseases that can only be caught through sexual contact.

Cold sores are not STDs, but genital warts are also caused by a herpes virus, and these are an STD.

Genital warts are caused by the human papilloma virus, not herpes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/genitalwarts1.shtml

dr_who3

used to get cold sores quite regularly then found liquorice balm from
www.skinshop.co.uk which works well for me, reduces the sore and the frequency i get them.

beedeedee

Hi All
Boots have an Electronic Cold Sore Treatment - has anybody got one?
Do they really work quicker and better than cold sore creams?
They're advertised at £34.25 (with a 2 year guarantee) which really wouldn't take us long to recoup methinks. Usually have to buy about 3-4 tubes a year at least...
Cheers

katini

Has anyone else tried the Boots Electronic Cold Sore treatment machine? I bought it in December because I had an horrific cold sore outbreak, looked disgusting and it was my work Christmas party.

Anyway it emits a UV light (unseen to the naked eye) which is supposed to trigger the area around the cold sore to start fighting it. You press a button on it and place it over the cold sore for two minutes and then it switches off. You are supposed to use it as soon as you get the tingle, or twice a day once the cold sore has come up in case you haven't caught it in time.

I found that it took my cold sore from throbbing pain to the scab stage in 24 hours and the whole thing went in under five days unlike the usual ten days I normally experience them for. I haven't had another one since, and according to some of the internet research I have read, a lot of people don't suffer from them again after using the device.

I have been recommending this to everyone I know who has cold sores because I was so impressed with it and the one person I know who has bought one has had the same experience as me. It is expensive- about £34.99 in December when I bought it- but personally I think it is really worth it if only from a vanity point of view!!

The Boots device seems to be exactly the same in appearance as the one on this website so if you have a look at that you will see all of the technical information for it.

Hope this helps someone!

katini

I just posted a message about this here.

I think it works much better and what I forgot to write in the other post is that it completely seems to eliminate the pain.

I couldn't recommend it enough.