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Veteran Cold Sore Fighter Fights Cold Sores - Instructions

Submitted by The Veteran

Good news: A natural immunity IS BUILT OVER TIME. thank god..

In the meantime - How to stop outbreaks from being noticeable:

There are definitely ways to reduce healing time but the healing doesn't begin until the virus is dead or re-suppressed. As we all know, once contracted, this virus is with us for life.

The good news is that as we age our bodies become more capable of fighting it and the outbreaks become fewer and heal faster. I've been getting cold sores since I was 8 and now 20 years later, they are not very bothersome but are still UTTERLY depressing when they occur.

I have one now and woke up with it 16 hours ago (blisters already showing). I immediately took 2 Valtrex (I'm not sure if extra helps but we are all willing to do whatever we can to beat these fkers!) and applied ice. I've found that ice is very effective but I did make the mistake of applying ice directly (didn't have a plastic bag) and this caused it to grow somewhat more that it would have otherwise.

Valtrex works quickly and generally kills (or suppresses) the virus within a few hours (2 days for really bad outbreaks).

I do not have genital herpes and generally once you develop oral herpes your body CAN develop an immunity to genital (simplex I vs. simplex II herpes).

It is very important (for our own sanity as well as others' health) that we take every precaution not to spread it orally, or otherwise..

Basically, if you have oral herpes and you perform oral sex, you can give the other person genital herpes.

Even if you think it is dead, it probably isn't... I recommend at least a week before making physical contact with someone else (horrible, I know).

Also, you can have gentile herpes without ever getting blisters. This means you might give it to someone else without knowing and then THEY may develop the blisters..even if you don't. So, get checked out if you've been having a lot of fun lately.

Very crappy stuff.

When there are no signs of outbreak, it is unlikely that you will give it to someone else but the studies say it is possible.

I recommend just being super careful and telling anyone you can that you care about them and so that is why physical contact can't be made for a while.

If you don't have Valtrex I think the best strategy is ice ice ice (in a plastic bag) until the thing eventually dies (1-2 days). Many of the creams don't have a lot of real scientific support behind them. For example, Abreva was actually shown in some studies to worsen the healing time..

The first day is critical, I've found that enough ice at the first signs of an outbreak can actually stop it all together. After the first day, you will likely notice that when you wake up the second day it has actually gotten WORSE in your sleep. Everything I've said previously comes from research and medical sources I judge to be sound. The idea that things worsen over night while sleeping, is not something I've read about, but something I've experienced. This sort of stinks because sleep is good for the body but the virus seems to attack while we sleep (or at least while I sleep). So, if you have any of the proven medications (e.g. valtrex) I recommend taking it right before sleep and actually limiting the amount of sleep you get (5-7 hours is my plan tonight).

The virus produces minor cold/flu like symptoms and they exhaust us and SEEM to dehydrate us (this is why we somtimes sleep for hours and hours when we have a cold sore, not to mention the depression..). I'm not sure of the merits of drinking water (not read in any medical journals about it) but it FEELS like it makes sense.

Once the thing is dead (you will know because the irritation has stopped and the other flu/cold like symptoms go away. in short, we just feel better), then some of these home treatments can be applied to help..(personal opinion).

I don't know what the medical support is for the methods suggested here but I have been applying isopropyl alcohol (basically just extra strength rubbing alcohol) and it has been visibly improving the sore without damage to the surrounding skin (on my lip). I do not believe the virus is not quite dead yet but I have prevented the virus from spreading or getting worse with the Valtrex. Without the valtrex, the alcohol could make things worse (until the thing dies on its own with help of ice, 1-2 days later)..

It is true that you should NOT go out drinking or further exhaust yourself through lack of sleep or lots of exercise in my experience (I am drinking a beer right now but this is a mistake).

Exhaustion and alcohol will reawaken the virus, even with Valtrex therapy... I'm gambling with have another blister in the morning but plan to drink only 1-2 beers.

Once the virus is dead (time + ice or valtrex + ice) and alchohol has been used to dry out the ugly dead white skin/scab I believe healing agents should be used.

WARNING: It feels like the best thing to do, once the virus is dead, is to rip off the ugly dead blister, but this will leave an exposed bleeding mark which then scabs and is very obvious on our faces. So, I believe once the virus is dead the blister should be shrunk (pop it if you must but don't get the insides on other parts of your face!) with alcohol.

Now comes the complicated part, this whole process is a balance and once it is dead and shrunk you must begin applying lip ointment BEFORE it dries completey and the scab falls off (exposing wound). This has 2 purposes: 1. When the scab falls off the underneath looks horrible 2. If you leave the scab on, it will help shorten healing time.

We all know of neosporin, chapstick, carmex, abreva and all the others. I've found CARMEX is the best. Carmex reduces the appearances and moisturizes the area without slowing down the healing process.

Neosporin is supposed to help but neosporin is really just and antibiotic which won't help and I think it makes the area look MORE obvious.

Continue to apply carmex and you should be back to 100% in 5-10 days BUT the best part is this thing will be kept to unnoticeable levels throughout the healing process, thus minimizing embarrassment.

This doesn't mean you can kiss your boyfriend or girlfriend! Atleast until day 5 or so.

So, in summary:

1. Kill the virus before beginning alcohol/nail polish remover
2. Dry the area out with alcohol / nail polish remover (I prefer alcohol as it does not ruin other parts of your skin)
3. Moisturize and help heal (CARMEX seems best)

I do not see any benefit to hydrogen peroxide.. This seems like it would just damage the area. It won't kill the virus (even though I've refered to "killing the virus", you can't actually kill it, you just have to chase it back into our sensory nerve cell bodies [yup]), so we can't add some topical solution (e.g. peroxide) and expect to kill it. Instead peroxide will simply mess up our faces and at best dry out the blister.

When it is active (itchy, burning, tingling, we feel like we have the flu) - KEEP IT DRY AND COLD (add Valtrex if you have it).

Once it deactivates: SHRINK the blister right away (alcohol).

Once shrunk but NOT completely dried out / scabbed: Begin adding Carmex

This approach will have you feeling human again after 2-3 days.

Good luck for the first 2 days, I'm in the worst of it right now. Hiding in my room.

That said, pink eye is herpes too, canker sores too, and many many many other ailments. There are some serious ones too but let's not make this any worse than it already is.

The point is, most people who notice that thing on your face, notice because they've had one too. It's alright. We're not the Untouchable People but we do have to be wise/not infect others.

Use this time of solitude to reflect on what matters most. To quote a post above: You did not loose your legs in 'NAM! It'll be alright :)

With love,

The Veteran