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Tea bags for cold sores

Use a warm tea bag on a cold sore. Press it to your mouth for 20-30 mins. The next day it will be gone! I didn't believe this when someone told me, but I tried it (and felt really silly) - but when I woke up next morning it had completely disappeared!

Visitors comments

omg lol Comments By: Chelsey on 2004-07-28 I felt really silly and my parents even took a picture of me, lol   havent tried it Comments By: anna on 2004-08-02 I'm trying it right now   Tea bags will help a Cold Sore Comments By: Steve on 2004-08-12 Use a warm tea bag on a cold sore. Press it to your mouth for 20-30 mins. The next day it will be gone! I didn't believe this when someone told me, but I tried it (and felt really silly) - but when I woke up next morning it had completely disappeared!   Does it really work?>?>>? Comments By: britanie hambrick on 2004-08-13 Ok I tried this idea and I used it before I went to bed.....then in the morning I woke up and it was brown from the tea bag ....Did I do something wrong was I supposed to wash my face afterwards ?>?> please help me!!!! TipKing Says: Many of the tips sent to the site are trial and error. Maybe this was not the remedy for you.   wow Comments By: Sarah on 2004-08-17 I have the worst time getting rid of coldsores but when I read this review I tried it and my coldsore's size was cut in half the next day. Thanks! :)   Tanic Acid is the Trick! Comments By: V. on 2004-08-20 The teabag compress has tanic acid. This dries and heals the sore. Also try to reduce citrus from your diet during an outbreak. P.S. This cure also works for "below the belt" cold sores (aka: herpes).   disaster Comments By: owie on 2004-08-26 Tried this - it made it WORSE! I guess it works for some people, though.   - Comments By: cassie on 2004-11-22 im trying it right now ahh this is what its come too!   Less than an hour! Comments By: Eric on 2004-11-24 I am not sure if it was a cold sore or canker sore. I'm 32 and never had either of them but my sisters had problems with canker sores over the years. I had it for about 4 days just on the inside of the lip, you could not even really see it unless you were watching while I talked. The pain was very very minor but on the 5th day it became very painful. I tried some topical anesthetics and although they helped I could still feel it. I tried the teabag trick that I read somewhere else but they said to do it 1-2 minutes every hour. Tried it and it failed. My wife went and bought some hydrogenperoxide mixture that the pharmacy recommended but while she was gone I tried the 20 minute tea bag trick. Slightly hot water and put in the teabag, decaff if it matters, just as it was starting to turn the water brown I pulled it out, drained it against a spoon and put it on the sore. Took it off 20 minutes later and literally within an hour it had dried up completely. It hasn't scabbed, the skin is still there, it did peel off a bit and although just a bit tender underneath the sore itself is totally gone. Well worth the try and use warm/hot water to get the tea bag working and releasing its ingredients. Leave is slightly moist and have some papertowel on hand since you will make a bit of a mess deppending on where the sore is.   Tea bag trick Comments By: Brandon Colbert on 2005-06-10 Does IT matter what kind of tea bag you are using? I am going to use green tea. we will see what happens   it sucked Comments By: Keith Flynn on 2005-08-01 that stuff did not work i woke up the next morning the only thing it was was a little smaller   this better work !!! pleaseeee Comments By: claire on 2005-11-29 im gonny try it right now! i hope to god it works! i hate them soo much! i had one for a week now its just going away im getting another ahhhhh !!!!!   the teabag trick- lets wait and see... Comments By: callie on 2006-06-19 i have tried the real stuff that u can buy from chemists and doctors but it just takes tooo long (im very impatient) i've tried honey, as somebody suggested to me, this didnt't do much. i now have toothpaste on it to try and dry it up, but this tea bag idea sounds kinda hopeful, so wish me luck!   Tea Bags Work! Comments By: Clare on 2006-07-20 Yes the tannins in the tea soothed the sores in minutes and I have woken up today much more comfortable. Great remedy... and so cheap, natural and readily available. Is it no always the case though, that the remedy lies in nature. Thanks for the tip!   Hopeful Comments By: Kylee on 2006-08-09 I have gotten cold sores my whole life, and I am only 14 almost 15 years old. This is about the worst time of the whole year that I could get them! I play softball and I didn't wear sun screen and I didn't have a vizor on and I think I have sun blisters, not cold sores! Well, My lips are REALLY swollen, and I don't know what to do! I have Denivir, which works for cold sores but does it work for sun blisters? I got told to put warm tea bags on my lips, but doesn't the heat make my lips swell more?? ughhh!!   if this dont work im eating a 9mm Comments By: ozzieguillen on 2007-03-13 im gonna give it a shot....last resort effort here....i have my harvard interview tis thursday and go into it with herpes all over my face.....   last ditch effort Comments By: Lipcrazy on 2007-07-28 I'm going on a cruise, and this intrusion started on Tuesday. It's Saturday, and I think I tried everything; two different otc's, toothpaste, listerine, even earwax. I want it GONE!!!   feel stupid Comments By: anon on 2007-08-19 the pain is going away im really tempted to suck on it to get the tea i love tea lol   this time trying tea Comments By: aGIRL on 2007-11-07 I get them every time I'm sunburned,stressed out or get frost bite.SICK OF IT!!!it is day 2,looks bigger than yesterday.I'm trying earl grey bags(for 30 min).I can tell you what doesn't work:alcohol,draining whats inside it,antibiotic cream,ice-although it does relief pain,crushed aspirin.LET'S HOPE TEA WORKS!!!   this time trying tea Comments By: aGIRL on 2007-11-08 It worked!!!!I mean it's not like my lip looks perfect but it looks and feels like I have it for over a week(it's day 3),so:it is dry,I have a little scab and it doesn't itch or burn.It is healed!!!TEA ROCKS!!!   nnnnnnoooooooo Comments By: anon on 2008-05-27 it made it worse and more dark   i burned my self Comments By: loz on 2008-08-21 i burned my self and it really hurt i forgot you said warm ones so it was like boiling hot and it hurt awww i cant believe i did that but hey it got rid of my cold sore i think   hahahaaaa Comments By: Emma on 2008-09-02 i'm doing it right now! i've suffered with coldsores all my life, and i am praying this works for me! I feel so silly!!   visible sores can green tea still help? and a tip as well Comments By: miss embarrased on 2008-09-04 i have multiple on my lower lip right now cuz i just had a horrible fever which really got the virus attention, and they are already visible so will the green tea bag still help them heal?? oh and if you apply just any triple antibiotic ointment (which contains a good amount of zinc) will help if go down and also applying cold ice   hope! Comments By: sezz on 2008-09-25 ive tried absolutly every method possibe to get rid of theses awful coldsores! im definatly giving this a go....such a simple thing i dont think ill mind looking silly for a while lol wish me luck   helpp :) Comments By: Elliiee x on 2008-10-06 hey, im 14, i hate my coldsores i get them all the time, its awful going to school with them, cause you get laughed at, i have started to do the tea bag remedie because it seems the least painful, but how many times do i need to repeat the process and how quick will my coldsore dissapear aprox? :)   cold sores suck!!! Comments By: Angela on 2008-11-07 ok i don't hate anything as much as much as i hate cold sores it just ruins your whole day, my boyfriend was going to make me dinner tonight but since i got a stupid cold sore i didn't go and now i'm sad but i'm trying the tea bag hopefully it works guys and lets hope they find a damn cure for this soon because i'm getting sick of it!!!   Does It Really Work Comments By: IhateColdsores on 2008-11-08 I Have To Go skwll on monday does it really work or just make it work. Omg i hope it Works Wish me luck !   Not sure Comments By: cdyf on 2008-11-19 I have really been stressing out witht his dam thing. I got the flu and then suddenly i find sweelling on the side of my lip and I FEAKED out. The day i was going to ask my wife to marry me I get the worst... Although ive had it for about a week and the swelling has gone down very little. The blister itself is very small and i dont give a crap about it but the swelling is very noticeable... So I've decided to find the peoples views and cures... I chucked a teabag witch was soaked and made it hot in the microwave. and the next day the swelling was half cut. and by 2 days its gone... THANKS   Giving It A Try Comments By: Shakayla on 2008-11-26 Im 19 and this is the first time ive had a cold sore. I want to cry. I start a new job this coming week and i dont want to go in with a cold core. I dont want to pay lots of money for some silly creames and i have a large amount of tea bags available. Wish Me Luck! Im trying it as we speek, Thanks For The Tip!   NO Comments By: Shakayla on 2008-11-28 I Tried It And It Only Made The Itchy/Tingly Feeling Go Away For A Few. So I Went And Bought A Thing Of Abreva, Only 14-16 bucks. So Far Its Stopped The Itchy Feeling And The CS Has Been Getting Smaller. Looks Like It Should Be Gone In Another 2 Days Or So.   I'm trying Comments By: John on 2008-12-30 I'm 18 years old and i'm having a new years eve bra and panties party at my house tomorrow. Just so happens, I get a cold sore, 2 days before it. I'm trying this tea bad method, hopefully it'll work. Wish me luck =\.   :| Comments By: D on 2009-01-26 I Sooo Hope This Works Im Going To A Water Park Tomorrow And This Big Baby Isnt Goin Out In Public!   ice Comments By: drew martin on 2009-02-04 i tryed ice on day and it actually went away the next . might have just been a lucky one i'm tryin t-bag now   they suck Comments By: tom z on 2009-02-11 i got a cold sore the size of texas it emmbarrising and makes me worrie too much its all i think about so im just gonna keep puttin on tea bage it realy sicks i stay home from school because of it now i gotta make it up life sucks keep you heads up pce n luv   It REALLY Works! Comments By: Samantha on 2009-02-26 I hate cold sores and nothing worked for me except waiting until it went away in like a week or two. I tried the tea bags and it made it half the size after the first time. The second time it cut it in half even smaller. It is not noticeable at all and only takes a couple of days instead of 2 weeks to heal. I love tea in more ways than one. Natural remedies usually work best...but the doctors dont want you to know that cause they want you to spend money.   Comments By: Tina :) on 2009-03-02 Ok well i have the tea bag on my lip right now i hope it works! i missed school today because of my cold sore! I think i might try it tonight again. i hope it works   funnnyy Comments By: mary on 2009-03-09 ok so i have a fkn coldsore and i just found out today that i got a job and my training starts tomorw...im currently putting the tea bag on my lip i reaally hope its gone by tomorww thanks for the tip/// im also using abreva do u think its guna make it disseaper even faster?   These are a killer Comments By: Anon on 2009-03-28 I've had this problem my whole life. It's BEYOND embarassing, lol. I'm trying the tea bag now as we speak actually, it did take the swelling down a bit. Ive been doin it all day, and then putting abreeva on afterwords. I don't know about you guys, but abreeva doesn't really work on my cold sores. Toothpaste doesnt work, or witch hazel. If anything, it made it worst. lol sorry to vent.   Oh, I hope it works! Comments By: Brooke on 2009-04-01 I've had this darn sore for 3 days now, Im going on a second date with this guy in 2 days, and I cannot go with this huge thing on my lip! I got a tea bag on it now, (I feel dumb) but I hope it works. Wish me luck!   crossing fingers Comments By: courtney on 2009-04-15 i get them every 4-5 months, i think mine are from stress, i have tryed everything. and abreva was the worst thing ever. the sore was on the corner of my mouth, and it literally spread onto my skin.and left a scar. i hope this works!!! :(   dang Comments By: larun on 2009-04-18 well i am 14 years old and i have a cold sore and it is so embarising cause i am currtnly attanding high school and everyone be looking at it but that is not the onlt thing thos i get to at a time omg i am trying a tea bab right know i hope it works   Comments By: amyp on 2009-04-19 well i have just finished with the teabag no my face so fingers crossed it works   ugh! Comments By: t.k. on 2009-04-21 Mannn I woke up with this thing on my lip never had one be4! Its ugly! Got the tea bag on my lips rite now hope it works!   5 days and gone Comments By: Methodman on 2009-04-24 Ok, I used to only use abreva, and typically I'd be looking at 1.5-2 weeks of visible sores. After researching all of the remedies online, I found a method that cut the time down to 5 days. Here's what I did each day: Day 1: I woke up and there were 3-4 blisters forming, but not very big or "blistery" yet. I immediately put ice on it for 10-15 minutes. While icing, I read about the tea method, so when it felt like my lip was back to body temp. I used a warm tea bag for about 20-30 min. Then I applied abreva and did not bother it for about 2 hours... I repeated this process for the remainder of the day. (Probably 5-7 times) Day 2: I woke up and found though the existing bumps got bigger and eventually blistered, there were no new ones that formed, and usually mine got much bigger and developed more blisters by day 2. I continued to ice, tea, and abreva the sore at about the same frequency as the day before. Days 3-4: By day 3, the sore had burst and began to show signs of scabbing over. At this point, ice was not going to help the healing process, so I just used the tea method each time before applying abreva (about 3-5 each day). Day 5: The scabs began to flake off, and though there were still signs of the sore, they were very minimal. As the day went on, it got smaller and smaller. The next morning, it was hard to tell I had ever had one. I understand that everyone reacts differently to different treatments, but I truly feel like this cut down the healing time by half. Also, I'm sure it wouldn’t hurt to use other remedies like lysine, garlic ect... Good luck, and I hope this method works as well for you as it did for me.   Another victim.... Comments By: Victimized on 2009-05-06 I am another unfortunate victim to cold sores. I have had them since I was young, but as a recent grad working two jobs they have become more frequent and more vicious. They are getting bigger, and spreading.. FAST! I tried to put vitamin E oil on the cold sore and that only seemed to make it worse, so I am going to try the tea bag method. I have been sick for the last few days with a nasty virus (that is another story in itself), so between this and the cold sore, I am not feeling my best. My boyfriend is graduating in a few days and I want to look nice on his arm, seeing this will be the first time I meet most of his family, and some of his college buddies, so I sure hopes it goes down in time because I CANNOT show face looking a mess. Wish me luck, I will post my results.   This has gotta work Comments By: megatron 3000 on 2009-06-13 ok im seeing this pretty girl 2 moro so this has gotta work,i felt it coming thru lastnight,teabag here i come   FML! Comments By: Ce on 2009-06-16 ugh woke up today with the devil on the corner of my left upper lip! usually do this remedy when it starts to itch, and the blister never fully comes out. BUT this time, it advanced further than normal bcuz I slept in! it's already swollen and looks like it's somewhat of a pimple lol. hope it freakin works this time around..! got work tomorrow and summer school on monday ahhhh!   i'm trying it now Comments By: Anon on 2009-06-17 I have had my coldsores for about a week now and i am getting sick of them!! one is on my lip and the other is just above my mouth. i'm going to try the teabag now, hopefully i works!   it really worls Comments By: sandra on 2009-06-28 i have found that as soon as you start feeling one come out is the best time to start using the tea bag. as with any condition the longer you wait the longer to get rid of it. i put a tea bag on as soon as i feel it starting to come out and within an hour you can notice the difference. i have tried all types of other medication even prescription and the tea bag has worked the best   hopeful :) Comments By: Nicole on 2009-07-21 I have two cold sores on either corner of my mouth, yeah you guys think you have it bad with just one, unfortunatly I didn't catch them when they first started out..so last night I put 1 teabag on each coldsore for 30 min. and then i put carmex (really good lip stuff, good for cold sores too)and the next day my cold sores were slightly smaller, and I just did the teabag thing again for 30 min, then put the carmex on, so wish me luck! hopefully they will be gone in the next couple of days! I would recomend this remedie.   trying it now Comments By: beth on 2009-08-14 ok I just got over a cold sore outbreak. took famvir and only had for 7 days or so. finally completely healded and anouther comes. WTF!!!! i just poopod 3 famvir tabs at once and am tryin the teabag. hope it helps. im desperate. my dr said cold/hot will just make worse, but at this point ill try anything. tried iv=ce last time but still got and when i went to dr he said stop, will make worse. please please please tea bag work. =(   omg i hate this! Comments By: ashley on 2009-08-15 I've tried abreva and it made is worse. i tried ice ans it didn't work at all. i'm gonna try the tea bag and i hope it works, because i'm going to my boyfriends house in a couple of days and i want this GONE! I've been getting cold sores since i was born and i am 16 and want to just chop off my mouth. wow i can actually feel it working. the hole tea bag thing. :) this is awesome! thanks guys!   trying it now Comments By: Harry on 2009-08-18 is it supose4d to be damp yeah   Disappointed Comments By: Natalie on 2009-08-26 I have 3 coldsores at the moment as a result of being in the sun too much. Yesterday they were managable but I thought that I would give this a try....It made them worse. Today my lips have swollen severley and I am unable to leave the house a look horrific. I am confident that if I had not done the teabag thing yesterday they would have at least stayed the same. Don't risk it!! If you suffer from bad coldsores the likelyhood is that if you put any compress on it for 30 mins you will spread the virus across the dampened area, which is what has happened to me.   Trying everything. Comments By: Nicky :) on 2009-09-03 I have tried literally everything to get rid of my coldsore but its just not going away. I really hope this works because i'm going to alton towers with my boyfriend tommorow.   Tryin it right nw lol Comments By: Kay on 2009-09-10 Hope this works neva had a coldsore in my life nd woke this morning with multiple lol   I need a miracle Comments By: Betsy on 2009-09-10 ok i have five cold sores flared up right now im in so much pain i havent eaten anything all day im trying to eat atleast a pudding. but im going to try it and hopefully it goes away soon because i have to go to school monday so i have three days for it to go away ill get you all know if it worked.   Painful, crappy cold sores Comments By: Darlene on 2009-09-12 I've had cold sores all my life. Tried EVERYTHING. The one I have right now is very painful. Put the green tea bag on it and it took the pain away instantly. Hope it heals faster now. It's HUGH. Taking over my whole mouth.   Valtrex and reduction of sugars Comments By: Fred on 2009-09-16 Your doctor can prescribe Valtrex for you and it'll prevent the swelling and cut the coldsore time in half. Not perfect, but helps a great deal. I also learned that sugar (refinded) is my weakness. Lots of sweets reduce my immune system and allow cold sore breakouts. So, discipline is important for me.   TAKE SOME LYSINE PILLS!!!! Comments By: Jay on 2009-10-13 Teabags aren't bad, but if you wanna shorten the duration of the cold sore go to your local drug store and pick up some LYSINE PILLS. They help reduce the recurrence and severity!!   Trying the tea bag Comments By: Brittany on 2009-11-10 It's me and my boyfriends 11 month anniversery this friday and I got this cold sore monday.. I'm going to try this tea thing tonight! I hope it works. [=   hope it works Comments By: hannah on 2009-11-16 i really hope it works, it seems like a good idea and im doing it right now. i have just finished taking it off and i can feel it tingling is that a good sign /?? :)   cold sores suck!!! Comments By: S on 2009-11-17 Ok well last week i was sick and since i have been getting these nasty things my whole life i just knew i would get 1!! I am leaving sat to orlando and then thurs ill be with fam for thanksgiving! so a sore coming tues is NOT COOL...I woke up and felt it growing...rushed to the kitchen and rubbed salt and peroxide and it got swollen but the sore didnt get to come out since the salt kills the virus...(at least for me) Started reading online...Found this site...Went to the bathroom to wash off the salt and then got a teabag...Read all the reviews...And now while i am typing this...The swelling is hardly noticeable and the sore itself is brown but i really dont even think it will be here by the night time...It worked for me...I used a green tea tea bag...Thank god!!! I am no doc so i am not going to tell every1 to try it but i do know what i saw for my self so i am a happy camper right now :)   I JUST POSTED ABOUT MY COLD SORE... Comments By: S on 2009-11-17 I just told u guys that i am going to orlando sat and seeing fam for thanksgiving next thurs...On top of the salt peroxcide and tea bag i also took a lysine pill!! I take them a lot and i hardly get bad sores anymore, i would sometimes get them every month and BAD! but the lysine pills help A LOT so you should ask a doc about that if u are not sure!!   i think its working Comments By: victoria Byrd on 2009-11-27 im pretty sure its working. its making the redness less noticeable and the swelling has gone down some. thank you very much!   No : ( Comments By: Tigger on 2009-12-05 Didn't work for me, made it worse,it hurt like hell when i put the tea bag on it and when i took it off the cold sore nearly came of with it and it was white. It hurt like mad, i was holding my mum's hand so tight i nearly broke her hand!!!   WHY US???!!!! Comments By: @!!#$^)&(@$#!$ on 2009-12-09 I hate cold sores ... tea bags help a little for me but not overnight as claimed!Time unfourtunately is the best remedy for me!!!! Its like having a third eye only its a dif. color and on your lip!   New Boyfriend / Christmas Cold Sore. Comments By: Sally on 2009-12-23 This couldnt be a worse time for me to get a cold sore. Just met a new guy. And its christmas eve. TWO COLD SORES. Trying the teabags. Hope to god that they work for me. Also applying "Chemists own" cream in between bags. Im just gonna repeat all day and night and see what happens tomorrow.   Is this normal? Comments By: Lea on 2009-12-30 I have left the tea bag on for about 5 or 10 mins or something like that, the cold sore is gone but there is a red thing left where the cold sore was and I was wondering if this is normal and will it go away?   IT WORKS Comments By: CrazyColdsoreGirl on 2009-12-31 Ive been getting coldsores most of my life and im only 13. I got a coldsore just yesteday and there is a party tonight, so as you can imagine its at the satge were your lips start to swell up, i put a PG Tips tea bag on my coldsore for about 20 minuets dunking it back in boiling water and leaving it for a bit to cool down then reappling it to my face and its starting to go! i have also been using perscripted cream from my doctor, so you should try that to. thanks anyway. :)   Im not too sure about this Comments By: Hazel on 2010-01-10 I have a teabag on my cold sore right now, i hope it works, but i just read some more of the comments and people are sayinbg it makes it brown? i hope to god it doesnt go brown..i HATE getting cold sores!!! PLEASE GOD! LET IT BE BETTER BY TOMORROW !!   Great Idea Comments By: Michelle on 2010-01-25 To all you sufferers, I used to use all these tricks, and noticed the tea works the best to get rid of cold sores (on the mouth)fastest. Howver, my dermatologist told me to start taking L-Lysine daily to prevent them. You can buy it at Wal-Mart (500MG, 250 pills) for about $5. Take it daily for at least 3 months and you should build immunity against the cold sores. I started by doubling the recommended dose on the bottle for about a week, then continued daily with the regular dosage.. I use it daily as part of my vitamin regimin, but ran out once and forgot to buy more. I was without it for a couple months and never have had another cold sore.   Yes, It works for some. Comments By: Isa on 2010-02-02 Im not sure if it works for everyone, but so far it has worked for me. When i have stress i get at least two cold sores on my bottom lip. I used green tea and placed a folded damp tea bag on my bottom lip and kept it on continuously. Its made it less visible and less painful. Dont make it wet with warm water too much though. You want the cold sore to become dry and the heat will keep moisture in it.   It is working for me!! Comments By: Anon on 2010-02-05 Read about the tea bag remedy, decided to try it with Campho-Phenique cold sore gel with drying action. Both remedies along with a little ice here and there throughout the day IS working even at the blister stage. Please give it a try!!!   Some things that work for me Comments By: Daria on 2010-02-06 My cold sore just started tingling this morning and is swollen, but it hasn't blistered yet. I'm trying the tea bag as we speak and should be done with it by the time I finish this post (about five more minutes). While it seems to be relieving some of the pain, I haven't noticed a difference in the swelling at all yet. I get cold sores any time I'm extra stressed or not getting regular sleep (going to bed too late, getting less than 8 hours, etc.). I've noticed that if I take action the day it starts tingling, I can usually prevent a cold sore from blistering up and be done with it within 1 day. Things that work for me if I start AS SOON AS I feel tingling and swelling: -Abstaining from sugar, chocolate, and nuts -taking a vitamin C supplement -Carmex (the regular kind--NOT the cherry or other flavored kinds) -getting extra sleep/relaxation -avoiding exercise or any kind of activity that will strain my body (parties, singing, yelling, crying) Also, if you can see the doc immediately, a prescription of Valtrex on the first day used to zap it completely for me. I don't have this luxury anymore since I lost my medical insurance, but it's really helpful if you can get it. Things that HAVE NEVER WORKED for me: -Abreva (DO NOT waste your money) -popping the sores (that actually seemed to make it worse for me) -peroxide -continuing to do things as usual When your body is stressed, it will let you know. If you get a cold sore, the best remedy is to take it easy and take care of yourself, get enough sleep, eat right, etc. It's also the best way to prevent future cold sores. So it's been 30 minutes with a green tea bag and the verdict is...it's not gone completely but the swelling and redness has gone down a little. I'm not convinced yet, but we'll see how it looks tomorrow!   Im trying it now Comments By: Bridget on 2010-02-11 I was in Juvenile Detention center , and it was warm outside when I went in there ,and I got out expecting it to still be warm and there was snow on the ground . Well my lips were already chapped from being in there without any chapstick ,and since the weather had drastically changed I got two cold sores . They aren't that bad , but they are still nasty . I hope this works .   A miracle! Comments By: HAPPY CAMPER on 2010-02-15 i have tried everything. including tooth past with salt..peroxide..alcohol..earwax...everything. now im trying the tea bag and within 5 minutes it shrunk in size and damn near dried up...thnkx for this   the teabag method Comments By: keith redfearn on 2010-02-22 next time i get one of those namn coldsores im gonna try a teabag first thank you for the tip   It workss Comments By: BigBlackMan on 2010-02-23 da fucking thing acherly works loool i get cold sores yearly and its fucking annoying the zovirax cream does work but i had no money yesterdya lol so i did the teabag thing yesterday and by morning its now its in scab stage(healing stage)im am happy with the results of an out-of-date peppermint teabag i used looool :D:D still get the cream its better lol but if ure broke like me at times just use this loool   Hmmmmm Comments By: Lacey on 2010-02-27 Well pain went away but the sores are STILL there. Still swollen and visible as ever though. I used the tea bag for 20 mins. Will do it again in 2 hours.   WHAT KIND OF TEA?? Comments By: Rita Geary on 2010-03-08 i am going to use Lipton tea??? i don't know i REALLY hope it works becuase i always get coldsores and absoulty HATE them!! i looked at the tea bag tip and would give it a try i hope it works!!!   i hope this works Comments By: beeeee on 2010-03-16 i hate hate hate cold sores and i hope this tea bag thing rly works. cross fingers!   i love it!!! Comments By: breezeeeee on 2010-03-17 it real works! not as fast as i would of liked it too lol but i woke up in the morning and it looked a little better but by 6 oclock that night u could barely see it! its just a scab now but i also used releev which is a cold sore medicine but its awesome and i used the Lipton tea packets if anyone wanted to know. its definetly worth the try becuase i was super nervous it wasnt gonna work, just heat up some water the hotter the better, and make sure you squeeze the tea bag either with a spoon or ur fingers, and hold it on for 15-20 minutes. ive only done it twice and its done alot of progress so i think the more the better. i recommend once every hour. hope it works for u guys too!   A fast remedy Comments By: Lionheart on 2010-03-21 Well, we all have tried most home recipes or otc's... Well, last night after dinner i felt the familiar tingle- woke up today to find that i had a blister. Serves me right for enjoying the beautiful weather this week w/o protection. Anyway, immediately i went to the store and bought a btl of L-Lysine, b-12, vitamin C, milk, yogurt, avocado, eggs, cheese, and made plenty of ice cubes. Mind you i have a new job i start in 2 days, i need this to vanish!! Well, this is the first night, i can tell you that the swelling has went down next to nothing. The small cluster has seemed to be in submission. I am right now trying the t-bag method because i ran out of cream (used it all in one day), as i ran out of abreva, i find that i does not help kill but it does not allow it to fester. Keep your fingers crossed that the teabag and h-proxide are enough till' 2moro. If anyone tries my method (early stages only) please tell me the results. Good Luck & Keep Smiling   it helped :) Comments By: Anon on 2010-04-17 i dont know about the rest of you, but the tea bag has worked for me. i pressed the tea bag to my lip for 30mins and afterwards, the coldsores were smaller and had scabbed over. i have another teabag on my lip as i type this, hoping that it will be nearly gone at the end of the 30 mins. now my only problem is the scabs - theyre sorta noticable, and i have school tomorrow :\ hope it works for anyone else out there :D   first thoughts Comments By: Anon on 2010-04-19 i've had the tea bag on my lip for half an hour and it was ok when it was on there, but since i've taken it off, it seems to be tingling again! i hope this doesn't mean its going to get worse =/ i've also heard that perfume helps dry out cold sores aswell, give it a go =)   Doing it atm Comments By: Will on 2010-04-24 Woke up this morning, just fine, got tired took a nap and when i woke up after 2 hours i had one >.> I GOT A DATE TONIGHT, so im trying this. hopefully i caught it pretty early and this works :P   currently trying... Comments By: abi on 2010-05-13 sitting writing essays with tea bag pressed to my lip. must say this is much better than ice, which i have tried before.   eeeeeeeeeeeh :) Comments By: marlene on 2010-05-17 ive tried the tea bag and in just 30 min i has gotten smaller it hasnt gone away completly but still gratful in those 30 min i would switch for one warm tea bag to another keeping the cold sore warm i go to daep (school) tomorrow so i hope it goes all the way away wish me luck as i do to you :)   Trying it Now! Comments By: Louisa on 2010-05-18 I have had a fever for the last 3 days. I though it ended last night when i woke up absolutely drenched and shivering. Though this afternoon my fever has started to come back (I have rosy cheeks making me look 12 years old - i'm 23). Anyway, not a clue what was wrong with me. Doctors gave me antibiotics. This evening about 2 hours ago I noticed a sore in the corner of my mouth. looks quite raw. literally only just appeared. can't really see any blisters yet but its tingling and i have just got a new boyfriend after 4 years of being with one guy, so I'm assuming its a cold sore!!! so now trying everything i have in the house!! just dabbed a bit of aloe gel and tea tree essential oil (tastes foul and i know im not meant to put it directly on my skin! but im desperate!) and now sitting here with a tea bag in my mouth. feel ridiculous! please work!   make sure its hot Comments By: beth on 2010-05-31 Try to put the tea bag on pretty hot as this will denature the enzymes causing the virus. Remove it as soon as it starts to cool because denaturation of enzymes only works at temps above 45 degrees (optimum temperature is about body temp). Good to see my A level biology is coming in handy!   Ive had a cold sore every year Comments By: caroline on 2010-06-15 Ive had a cold sore evy year and drives me crazy, im going on holiday next week and want it to be gone plus got a new bloke aswell, so im trying this hopefuly it works fingers crossed.   well pleased Comments By: caroline on 2010-06-16 I normally use zovirax but when i got a cold sore come up on tuesday i did not have nay money, so i read about the tea bag ive tryed it been putting it on evy couple of hours and its hardly there by 2morrow it should be completey gone, tea bags are the way forward for cold sores lol x   Frustrated!!!! Comments By: Lindsey on 2010-06-30 I'm trying it right now. I really hope it works!!! These things suck so bad.   uhh..?/: Comments By: cOCOOO on 2010-07-09 Im doing it now. i hope it does work/: cause my crush just came back into town and i realy dont want him to see me like this !   What a Surpise a Coldsore!!!! Comments By: Scarlett Clace on 2010-07-14 Woke up to three coldsores on my lip and typically have a hot date in three days so made me panick! I have just put the tea bag on the coldsores for 20 mins and already i can see a good difference..which is awesomeeee and i am positive they will be gone by my hot date :D I plan to do the tea bag remedy every few hours throughout the day!   do i try it or not? Comments By: ben on 2010-07-26 hello people, i am meant to be meeting my girlfriend tomorrow to sort us out, but i cant go out with this stupid coldsore on my lip, i'm thinking bout trying this method, jst aint sure about it, does it matter what tea bags you use or not? and if it doesnt work does it make it worse? if it dont work i aint that bothered just wont see her tomorrow, but i really badly need it gone by wednesday becuase my local football team are at home, if it doesnt work is there any other methods that do actually work?   cold sores suck! Comments By: lauren on 2010-08-12 k so ive been getting cold sores since i was in 6th grade! but i thought i was done getting them since i didnt have one for 3 years! then last summer i had the flu and of course i got a sore but it wasn't a bad one then again over decemeber break i went on vaction and sat on the beach for a week and got one. its summer now and ive been on the beach for awhile and two days ago i woke up with a small one. normally i just use creams like aberva etc they dont work fast enough but i put it on first thing when i noticed the sore. yesterday i woke up and it was worse and i was embarssed to go out so i treid EVERYTHING. salt, ice, rubbing alchol, aloe... those things worked a little bit but not enough! ive done them over and over again im doing the tea bag now and it looks a little better but not enough what should i do?   Already gone down Comments By: Lisawitha coldsore on 2010-09-18 I have been using a green tea bag on my cold sore for like ten minutes and half of the swelling has gone down... I'm 15 and the last thing I want to do is show up to high school and have my boyfriend see me with a cold sore... But it's working on the first day!   try drinking green tea also Comments By: valerie on 2010-09-19 i have noticed outbreaks most often when i have little time in the morning and skipped my morning cup of green tea. try drinking a cup of green tea at breakfast time EVERY day and see if this works for you. also reduce sugar and try to keep your stress levels in check. get 8 hrs of sleep every night also. the tea bag trick on the lip is helpful but i really think that drinking the tea is the key for prevention.   i think it;s working!! any 2nd day tips?? Comments By: and on 2010-09-20 as i speak i am holding a teabag because last night first sore ever and it got worse this morning even after zovirax pills and ice. it already looks led red, apppears to have popped maybe and will hopefully dry.. does anyone have experience using on the second day? everyone mentions catching it at the beginning so what about day 2????   I'm nervouse Comments By: Anon on 2010-10-03 I have a cold sore and I'm going back to school tomorow after a family tragidy , I'm scared and really want to get rid of it - please work! Wish me luck :/   made it darker! Comments By: anon on 2010-10-03 i woke up wednesday morning and had a cold sore! i put on campho phenique (drying action). my mom popped it with a sterile needle on thursday night (soaking it w/ hydrogen peroxide& applying more CP) for the next couple of days i alternated between campho phenique, hydrogen peroxide, vitimin e capsuales, and neosporin). its my 5th day now and i really wanted it completely gone, it seems like everything was gone it was just red, so i decided to try the tea bag thing and i think it made it more brown/darker. . . it may work for you but it didnt for me. i will try rubbing some baking soda and water on it to lighten it? i hope it works!   i hope it's gone. Comments By: Anon on 2010-10-15 so, i get home from school today and notice i have this thing on my lip i've never seen before. i tried mint leaves earlier and it really helps, so try that too. ice works, and right now i'm trying this tea thing just to make sure it's gooone. i'm not goin to this party tonight with this thing on my face!   reply to made it darker Comments By: anonymous on 2010-10-19 well it made it darker because you had previously used hydrogenperoxide and popped the blister, 2 big no-nos. For the tea bag method to work you have to make sure it's hot, just as somebody mentioned about the temperature to denature the virus. Seems like green tea works better for me but thats just personal experience. Also don't be cheap and user more than one tea bag i use 2 every 3-4 hrs. I know it looks silly but rather look silly at home than silly with a cold sore. so remember to make sure the tea bag is hot. It is uncomfortable to put hot stuff to your face but small price to pay for faster results. if the cold sore is on the outside of your mouth try dabbing it with tea tree oil after you do the tea bag regimen. good luck i have been dealing with cold sores every time i get a cold i know how irritating it is when you get that tingling around the lips.   trying it now Comments By: jake on 2010-10-20 im typing with a tea bag on my lip bc i woke up with a little bump which i know is a cold sore. i usually never get cold sores but i have gotten one like every month these last 3 months it sucks bs im looking for jobs. i first started with putting ice on it know trying the tea bag i hope it goes away!!!   tea bag trick Comments By: shazza21 on 2010-10-20 i have 2 huge coldsores on my top lip just trying this no will let ya know if it works, im hoping it does coz they look horrible   this actually works Comments By: shazza21 on 2010-10-20 this actually works just tried it left the warm teabag on my lips for 20 mins and it dried the blisters out and has actually relief the pain and itchness a hell of a lot thank you so much   Comments By: michelle on 2010-10-29 during the process, are they supposed look grosser looking? because they look naaaaaasty.   hope it works Comments By: Tiffany on 2010-10-30 i too have suffered from cold sores and like the many postings here i have tried EVERYTHING so i decided to try the tea bag thing i REALLLLLLLLLLLY hopes this works... so far it has seem to wish me luck. Thanks so much for all the encouraging words. I dont think no one wants to have an embarrassing stupid cold sore.... ill keep yall posted on my outcome!!   i dont no Comments By: Gary on 2010-12-05 well i usually only get coldsores around winter time and i got rid of one on my face the two days later i got another but on the other side of my face i think it didnt help i was drinking last night quite heavly lol but any i have never tried the tea bag trick as this is known very well in the usa but im from th uk i will post if it works thanks guys   Giving it a go.... Comments By: Anon on 2010-12-06 After 30mins not much improvement. itching and pain feeling still there. Looks slightly smaller but that may just be due to the pressure I was applying! I can feel it drying. Hope it has not gone worse tomorrow morning. Will keep you all posted.   should i use peppermint teabag or green tea teabag??? Comments By: sheffield UK blackboy on 2010-12-11 should i use peppermint teabag or green tea teabag??? I hope this works i am on acyclovir 800mg pills twice a day to prevent outbreaks and I had to go through 6 doctors for them to prescribe for me.. its been two months on the acyclovir and in those two months i've had 2 outbreaks :( I take lysine,vitc wiuth bioflavanoids & zinc, selenium, calcium magnesium zinc, brewers yeast vit B12 complex, odourless garlic capsules, plain low fat yoghurt, fuit juices, lemon balm ointment, echinacea, tea trea oil, alkalising water drops, DMSO, i have the Virulite cold sore machine & the biostick device, campho phenique, carmex, lysine+ lip ointment, biopropolis, cold sore gel, apple cider vinegar, YOU NAME IT IVE TRIED IT AND I USE THE COMPLETE REGIME BUT STILL GET THESE HIDDEOUS VERMONS. This is my last resort!!!!   GARRR!!! Comments By: Anon on 2010-12-15 I got a cold sore yesterday without any of the so called "tingling" warning! It looks horrible and is on the corner of my mouth! So far I have used Zovirax, Ice, nail polish remover, aloe Vera, and am now trying the tea bag method. I keep changing it up and it looks like the cold sore is going down. I also read about using honey, ear wax and salt water which I might have to try as a last resort later. Wish me luck!   TRYING Comments By: LIZZZZ on 2010-12-19 IM TRYING RIGHT NOW HOPE IT WORKS!!!!!   ice or tea bags Comments By: SD on 2010-12-21 it is best to apply ice for 10 mins every hour at the early stages and once the cold sore has an open wound it then needs to be kept warm to speed up the heeling process and it's at this stage tea bags should be used.   Cold sores suck Comments By: ALLANNA on 2011-01-23 I used this for about 20 min. changing out the bag once as it got cold. It defitenly relieves the tingling and itching but i dont think it makes it smaller so far it is the same size. It depends on the stage of your cold sore. If it is tingling and there is no bumps yet i recommend just dont think about it forget about it mediatate and get a lot of sleeep. If it at the new bumps i would recomend this and abreva if it is drying out LEAVE IT ALONE!   Its working Comments By: Anon on 2011-02-07 So sunday midday a hell of a cold sore appears at the right bottom of my lip i've been using ice and rubbing alcohol and it goes but slightly and i have work monday, but monday morning i wake up and another one and the left top lip but i read the tea bag and used it on both and i wished i had used it on the bottom sore a lot earlier the top one is bearly noticeable and the bottom one is scabbing already and its only some hours hoping to go to work tomorrow pls go away sores.   oral medication - nothing better Comments By: Doug on 2011-02-09 I am 40 years old and cold sores have been my worst companion since early childhood. A couple years ago I was made aware of a drug called Acyclovir. As soon as I feel the tingling on my lip I take one. I almost immediately begin to feel it attacking the sore. The blister almost never has time to grow and begins to scab within a day or two. I'm not sure such a drug existed when I was a teenager but it would have saved me a great deal of hell... please try it. You need a prescription for it, then take it to Rite Aid's pharmacy program and it will only cost $8.99 if you don't have insurance. I'm pretty critical of pharmaceutical companies but this drug has been a godsend...   you guys think you have it bad???? Comments By: Meghan on 2011-02-12 When I get cold sores..I wish I only got it in the corner of my mouth..no, I get it covering my entire mouth, above and below my mouth (up to my nose, and down to my chin) and some times on the roof of my mouth. My doctor told me that my case, is one of the worst he has ever seen. I take valtrex every day, but that doesn't always work. I use very hot tea bags (as hot as I can take it) it really helps then to dry up a bit quicker. I also ice--but only before the blisters form. If I am quick enough with the ice, sometimes I can prevent it from getting to bad. It is so embarrassing. I look like angelina Jolie with too much botox.   i hope this works haha Comments By: anon on 2011-02-21 i have the teabag on my lip right now and i have to go to school tm the counselour says im not allowed to miss school not one day so i rlly hope it workss.   Trying this now for the very first time...tea bag, please work!` Comments By: akaocean on 2011-03-13 The tea bag with warm/hot water felt good while I was doing....tomorrow updated comment to follow on if it helped or not. Cross your fingers   sore Comments By: georgiana on 2011-03-14 tea bags work my sores gone down so happy i recommend it to everyone thank you   IT WORKS!!! Comments By: jenna on 2011-03-22 i have suffered from cold sores since kindergarden with no type of remedy growing up. it was horrible. now thank goodness i have acylovir and abreva works great. i got an outbreak yesterday and researched home remedies and came across this teabag idea. i did it twice last night with a bag of green tea steeped until the water was brown. applied it directly to the sore for 20 minutes each time, while the teabag was still warm. my huge red blistery cold sore is GONE today. THE VERY NEXT DAY!! of course, i am still taking my pills and applying abreva like mad woman but this tea bag trick really got rid of the blister asap. i am SO HAPPY to have found this trick and will use it FOREVER!! try it, what have u got to lose...that ugly unsighlty cold sore is what!!!   hope this works please Comments By: dariana on 2011-03-28 i tired it on and finshed just right now. so i hope this coldsore is gone by tomorrow.   I LOVE THE TEA BAGS Comments By: Ron on 2011-03-31 Whoever decided to use a tea bag on a cold sore, I LOVE YOU. I'm 15 and have gotten cold sores many times a year since I was 3. I struggle with hiding it at school and it's such a pain. I've even bought Vygone, a 200 dollar zapper for the cold sores, which helps me sometimes. But this morning during school I felt a tingling and knew a cold sore was coming. I wasn't about to use the Vygone right away because it was at my house. After school, I've been constantly using it and putting on this ointment specifically for Impetigo (an infection I get ON the cold sore). I've read EVERY SINGLE COMMENT and convinced my dad to let me try this. IT IS A MIRACLE! I love this! My dad and I were very skeptical but I used a green tea tea bag for 20 minutes and it's already drying up!! I hope by the end of this weekend it'll go down enough to not be embarassed for school but thank you everyone for convincing us all with this horrible virus to try this wonderful TEA BAG remedie! I love you! haha   Three Buggers. Comments By: Courtneylynn. on 2011-04-03 I woke up on Friday for school, and I felt the tingling. Jumped right out of bed when I noticed myself reaching up to scratch it. Snatched my Abreva out of my "cure" bag, and splashed it all over my dang lips. I hate cold sores, and I hate the embarassment of them. All last week, starting on Monday afternoon, exactly as the bell rang to go home, I felt dizzy. I started with coughs later that night, and a slight fever the next day. Wednesday and Thursday I stayed home from school and came completely flushed! I didn't know what was wrong with me. My cousin had been sick a week before, so I knew it must've been karma from her(because I beat her up; she's nine, I'm seventeen). Anyway, I had horrible fevers, so I stayed home from school those days. Got amazing rest, and by Friday I wanted to chance going to school and when I woke up, well I already mentioned, I felt the tingling. Throughout school on Friday though, even with the Abreva on there, I could feel it growing. My lips became a tad swollen by seventh period, and everyone kept asking about the white crap on my lips(the Abreva). Well, It's Sunday. I have Three nasty cold sores. Two directly across from each other on the left side of my mouth, top and bottom, and a third on the corner next to them on the same side. Read many things on how to get rid of them quick because Nothing, and I mean NOTHING(!) works for me:/ Hopefully the Teabag method works. Thanks so much for posting this. I think you just saved my weak reputation!:D   Tea Bag In Cold Sore Out! Comments By: LaSpice2011 on 2011-04-21 GOSH! I was very skeptical about using a TEA BAG on a COLD SORE! But amazingly, it worked. After the intial Application, the tingling and pain were gone! After the second application, the sore was reduced tremendously. I used the tea bag twice a day along with Abreva and my cold sore was almost completely gone in 2 days!   it works! Comments By: lucy on 2011-05-11 hello! not many comments on here are from people who saw this article and come back to report how they went. but i got a cold sore on monday morning, i found this site monday night, and have been putting the hot teabag on my cold sore every night (it is now wednesday night) and after putting the tea bag on for 30 mins, i put some cold sore cream on about 5 times a day, and i also took these lysine tablets for cold sores, and with all three of those methods, my cold sore is practically gone today! i've got the tea bag on there now, hopefully it will be gone in the morning. I was so desperate to get rid of it as my senior prom is on saturday, and usually my cold sores last at least a week, but this time 3 days with the tea bag, cream, and tablets! do it! this article saved my liiiife! thank you!   i hope this works :D Comments By: Anon on 2011-04-27 well i want 2 go to the bowling alley with my boyfriend on friday i lied 2 him and told him that my jaw was swell bt he said he dnt care ho i luk he wants 2 see me so im tryin this teabag remedy 4 the first time................did i mention that this is my first time with a cold sore   omg Comments By: bazimpana on 2011-05-04 I woke up this morning with the dam tingly feeling. I am 16 this month, and I have to go to school with this crap on my lip. I mean, I have a GF at school, and I don't want her to see this thing. it is quiet small, the whole day its been smalls. But you see, I don't want it to look like special fried rice. So, I hope it goes away, I have the teabag on my lip for about 25minutes right now. Hope it works. Thanks a mil! I pray it works :(   Really Works Comments By: I HaTe FeVeR bLiStErS on 2011-05-16 I felt it coming last night I applied ice and A&D Ointment and wen I woke up it was huge so I applied salt and tried the tea bag method and it worked my prom in a few days so I hope it goes away completely by then   time will tell Comments By: anon on 2011-06-05 I held a passionate fruit green tea bag to my cold sore for aprox 30 mins. I dipped it in a bowl of hot water every 30 secs-1 min. I changed the bowl of water every 10 mins. My cold sore turned brown but it seems like it got smaller. I hope it worked! :)   it works!!! Comments By: charlie on 2011-06-26 it just started blistering and i put the warm tea bag on it and it dried up.   R A W . Comments By: Mariah on 2011-08-02 i used the teabag dipping it in hot water every time it cooled off. The Teabag only made the cold sore raw. the skin fell off and it is completely wet. I've tried everything from rubbing alcohol to toothpaste and sea salt NOTHING has worked !   IT WORKS, but it works better if you do this with it also Comments By: Mason Joshual on 2011-08-06 It works and helps, with the ice cube it helps a bit but only in the begining stages, what you want to do is clean your blister before the hot tea bag treatment, ice it, then use a mint type of tea. That should help now before you go to bed you want to do the toothpaste/salt treatment (btw tooth paste is great for pimples to) you take toothpaste mostlikely a mint flavored one and put some on a spoon then put some salt on it mix it around a bit with a toothpick then apply it to your cold sore it will tingle and might burn a little bit, but leave it on for maybe a good 2-3hours or just allnight then wash it off in the morning. if it didnt go away all the way then apply the slat and toothpaste again leaving for 30minutes to a hour again. i usally do the in the first day i realive i have gotten a cold sore it goes away the next day :) PS hot mint teabags on your face will firm it, take away eye bags and dark undertone on your eyes, take off all oily skin, and open your pores. so you can do that while you heal your cold sore, also if you have pimples it will open the pores and dry it out HOPES THIS HELPS YOU ALL :)   lysine... Comments By: Pamela on 2011-08-09 I don't know about tea bags, but if you start taking L-Lysine, 1000 milligrams three times a day, it will make the sore not as painful and it will cut sore/healing time in half. You can buy it at any drug store where the vitamins are. It somehow works in your system. You won't be disappointed!   milk Comments By: lacy on 2011-08-31 I heard soaking a cotton ball in milk and applying it to the cold sore works. I did it and it helps so much. Mine is almost gone in a day. Â