Prevent And Treat Cold Sores Naturally

Once you’ve contracted the herpes virus, you can’t get rid of it. The virus remains latent in your body and causes symptoms when your immune system is weakened.

Initially, you feel a tingling or itching on your lip. You look in the mirror, but don’t see anything out of the ordinary. A few days later, the itching has gotten worse and you realize you have a cold sore. Fortunately, it is possible to prevent cold sores with some useful tips.

However, once you’ve contracted the virus, preventing cold sores is no longer an option. Then all you can do is try to make sure it doesn’t develop into a cold sore. Learn more about this in the article below.

Cold sores can only be prevented with a healthy immune system

Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus. This virus spreads in two ways:

Mouth to mouth (by kissing).
By sharing objects that are contaminated (toothbrushes, glasses, make-up…).

Unfortunately, once you have been infected with the virus, you cannot get rid of it. Don’t worry though – the virus can remain latent in your nervous system, meaning you’ll never have a cold sore again. To do this, you need to have a strong immune system.

If you have been infected by this virus, there is a good chance that your immune system was weak at the time of infection. This made the virus strong enough to enter the body and stay here forever.

If your goal is to prevent annoying cold sores, then you need to start taking better care of your immune system.

How? By maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough exercise.

Other factors that can trigger cold sores include:

stress
Exposure to sunlight
Sleep deprivation

How can you treat cold sores with natural remedies?

There are not many home remedies to treat cold sores, as little is known about the virus that causes them.

Still, thanks to these 100% natural remedies, many people have been able to say goodbye to their cold sores for good. Are you ready to find out what these remedies are?

1. Ice cream

Ice is one of the most popular ways to treat cold sores.

All you have to do is hold an ice cube against your cold sore.
Do this for ten minutes or until the ice cube has melted.
Repeat this trick again after two hours.

The ice will ensure that the inflammation is inhibited and your pain is alleviated. This treatment only works if the blister is still intact (ie before the blister ruptures and starts to leak. When this happens, the virus can spread much more easily).

2. Hot Compress

You can use this treatment when the cold sore is in the second stage, when the blisters rupture and start to leak.

It is very important to avoid contact with your partner or children during this phase . In this phase you can very easily transfer the virus to them.

It’s also a good idea to keep your skin care products and makeup away from the people you live with and their care products. Try applying one of the hot compresses below to your lip:

A towel that you just ironed.
A cloth soaked in hot water.

3. Tea Bags

This is also a good option for the phase in which the blister has already ruptured. A used tea bag can be very helpful.

Brew a cup of black tea the same way you usually do. However, do not throw away the tea bag.

Let the bag drain and cool for a minute (you don’t want to burn the area where your cold sores are bothering you).
Gently hold the tea bag against your lip until the bag has cooled completely.
Wait two hours and then apply the treatment again.

4. Essential Oils

The most effective oils to treat cold sores are peppermint oil and lemon oil. However, other essential oils that you may already have at home can also be helpful.

Put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and press this cotton ball against your cold sore. This will help soothe the cold sore site and relieve the discomfort.

5. Sugar

Remember that this remedy can sting a little. However, this remedy is very effective.

Simply cover the cold sore on your lip with a few grains of sugar. This will not only dry out the blister, but it will also eliminate bacteria in this area.

6. Herbs

In this case you have two options: internal or external use. Make a tea to use the herbs internally. If you prefer to use the herbs externally, you can also just hold them directly against the blister. The herbs commonly used to treat cold sores are:

Sage
valerian root
Coin
Echinacea

Tea made from these herbs can boost your immune system and help you fight the virus effectively, making you more resistant to the microorganisms that transmit disease.

When used externally, you initially make a tea of the herbs as you normally would. Then soak a cotton ball in the tea and press the cotton ball against your cold sore. You will find that this treatment dries out your cold sore faster than any other treatment.

7. Sea Salt

Sea salt is the most powerful of all. You may have already tried this treatment if you suffered from a cold sore.

However, you have to be able to handle this treatment. You can choose from three available options:

Salt and water: Mix a tablespoon of sea salt with a few drops of water until the two ingredients form a paste. Apply the paste to the cold sore with a cotton swab and let it sit for as long as possible. Rinse with warm water. Apply this treatment three times a day.
Salt and toothpaste: With this treatment, you don’t mix the salt with water, but instead with toothpaste. Apply the mixture to the blister in the evening and rinse it off the next morning.

Salt and lemon: Sprinkle a small piece of lemon with some salt. Gently press the lemon against your cold sore for as long as you can. We say as long as you can, because this treatment can be very painful. Repeat the treatment (if you can handle it) again later in the day. Do this every day until your cold sore is gone.