How to Cure Cold Sores With Care
Keep your hands off the sore., Don't spread the virus to anyone else., Toss your toothbrush., Use petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to protect the sore., Avoid acidic or salty foods., Be patient.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Keep your hands off the sore.
Cold sores are extremely contagious, and touching it can spread the bacteria – or even contaminate the sore itself.
Exercise self-discipline, and resist touching the sore.
Even the slightest touch can lead to a bacterial infection, and that’s the last thing you need.
Touching your sore and then accidentally rubbing your eye (or somewhere else on your body) could cause the virus to spread.
Cold sores are not only confined to the mouth.Be especially careful not to touch your genitals—or anyone else's genitals—after you've touched the cold sore.
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which can easily become a nasty strain of genital herpes. -
Step 2: Don't spread the virus to anyone else.
Your sores are contagious! Don't kiss anyone or share food or drinks.
Avoid any mouth contact.
Wash your hands regularly, and keep physical contact to a relative minimum. , Throw out your toothbrush after the blister has formed, and toss it once the sore has cleared up.
A toothbrush is the perfect vessel to carry the virus, and you can end up triggering an outbreak in yourself if you re-use the same toothbrush again and again.
This is a preventative measure, not a cure.
However, it's well-worth doing if it helps you cut an outbreak short. , This prevents foreign bacteria from contaminating the area, and it helps keep your skin soft.
Dab a tiny dollop of jelly onto the sore with a Q-tip or a cotton swab.
Make sure to cover the entire infected area! Re-apply as often as possible when the cold sore dries out.
Keep adding Vaseline until your cold sore is gone.
Before you apply the petroleum jelly, wash your hands thoroughly with water and antibacterial soap.
If you can't get to a sink, at least use hand-sanitizing gel or wipes to disinfect your hands. , This may make your skin more oily and help the virus take root.
Instead, eat cool, soft foods., If you don't spread or further contaminate your sores, a cold sore outbreak should disappear within a week.If the outbreak is especially bad, you can expect it to last anywhere from 2-4 weeks.
Bear in mind that the duration is highly dependent upon when you start treatment.
If you start to medicate the cold sore as soon as you feel it tingling, you might be able to head the outbreak off completely.
If you let it fester for a few days and don't take care of yourself, you might be in for the long haul. -
Step 3: Toss your toothbrush.
-
Step 4: Use petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to protect the sore.
-
Step 5: Avoid acidic or salty foods.
-
Step 6: Be patient.
Detailed Guide
Cold sores are extremely contagious, and touching it can spread the bacteria – or even contaminate the sore itself.
Exercise self-discipline, and resist touching the sore.
Even the slightest touch can lead to a bacterial infection, and that’s the last thing you need.
Touching your sore and then accidentally rubbing your eye (or somewhere else on your body) could cause the virus to spread.
Cold sores are not only confined to the mouth.Be especially careful not to touch your genitals—or anyone else's genitals—after you've touched the cold sore.
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which can easily become a nasty strain of genital herpes.
Your sores are contagious! Don't kiss anyone or share food or drinks.
Avoid any mouth contact.
Wash your hands regularly, and keep physical contact to a relative minimum. , Throw out your toothbrush after the blister has formed, and toss it once the sore has cleared up.
A toothbrush is the perfect vessel to carry the virus, and you can end up triggering an outbreak in yourself if you re-use the same toothbrush again and again.
This is a preventative measure, not a cure.
However, it's well-worth doing if it helps you cut an outbreak short. , This prevents foreign bacteria from contaminating the area, and it helps keep your skin soft.
Dab a tiny dollop of jelly onto the sore with a Q-tip or a cotton swab.
Make sure to cover the entire infected area! Re-apply as often as possible when the cold sore dries out.
Keep adding Vaseline until your cold sore is gone.
Before you apply the petroleum jelly, wash your hands thoroughly with water and antibacterial soap.
If you can't get to a sink, at least use hand-sanitizing gel or wipes to disinfect your hands. , This may make your skin more oily and help the virus take root.
Instead, eat cool, soft foods., If you don't spread or further contaminate your sores, a cold sore outbreak should disappear within a week.If the outbreak is especially bad, you can expect it to last anywhere from 2-4 weeks.
Bear in mind that the duration is highly dependent upon when you start treatment.
If you start to medicate the cold sore as soon as you feel it tingling, you might be able to head the outbreak off completely.
If you let it fester for a few days and don't take care of yourself, you might be in for the long haul.
About the Author
Matthew Bell
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: