Cold sores are an incredibly common and an undoubtedly annoying and painful problem which are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus, estimated to now be carried by a whopping 75% of the population.
The virus is typically picked up in childhood usually through a kiss from a family member or in teenage years when young people begin to have intimate relations.
There is sadly no cold sore cure, because once the herpes simplex virus enters the body, it never leaves and lays dormant in the nerve cells near the spine. A percentage of people who carry the virus are asymptomatic, while others can experience regular cold sore outbreaks, sometimes as often as once a month when the virus is reactivated.
While you can never rid the body of the cold sore virus, there are several ways in which sufferers can lessen the intensity and frequency of cold sore outbreaks.
Dermatologist Dr Eva Melegh highlights five ways to help tame a cold sore as well as ways to reduce the frequency of outbreaks.
Take Immediate Action
Time is of the essence when it comes to preventing a cold sore getting worse. Preventative treatment is most effective right at the start, during the tingling itchy phase before any blisters have appeared.
LipQ Liquorice & Melissa Lip Gel contains a highly concentrated extract of liquorice extract and can help reduce the intensity and duration of a cold sore if applied at the first sign of tingling of an impending cold sore. The lip gel was trialed by the herpes Virus Association on cold sore sufferers and found to reduce the intensity and frequency of cold sore outbreaks in the majority of test subjects.
The two key cold sore fighting ingredients in the rescue lip gel are Glycyrrhizic Acid (GA) from liquorice root and Melissa oil.
GA specifically targets the genes that are required to maintain the virus in its latent state by interfering with the production of special proteins that feed the infected cells. Published research has shown that GA has the ability to weaken the cold sore virus which lies dormant in the skin between outbreaks.
Melissa oil is renowned for its strong anti-viral action. Published research has found that topical application of concentrated melissa oil extract has a significant anti-viral effect on the herpes simplex virus.
“I got my first cold sore when I was twelve years old an dthey continued to plague me throughout my adulthood, says mum of two Louisa, 36, a customer services advisor in the health care industry from East Sussex. " I would sometimes get three cold sores at the same time, which was agony and also very upsetting as they were so visible. I would always get a cold sore appear when I was having a night out or when a special event is coming up. They have ruined quite a few dates and special nights in the past. "
"With each of my children I got a terrible outbreak afterwards, which is an extra worry as you can’t get your lips close to your baby when you have a live cold sore so you have to be really careful."
"My saviour came when my stepdad saw an article about Lip Q Liquorice Lip Gel. When I first started using the lip gel the cold sores would emerge but wouldn't last as long as they did before and wouldn’t be as big or painful. After years of using the lip gel, as long as I apply it several times at the very first sign of a tingle in my lip, the cold sore often goes away completely without even developing into an open sore. Or ifa sore does appear, it’s much smaller and less painful. "
"I only get a few cold sores a year now, whereas before they were every two months and much more severe. Its honestyl change my life.”
Keep A Cold Sore Diary
Most people who suffer from regular cold sores have specific triggers that lead to an outbreak. Common triggers are colds and flu, fatigue, stress and sudden sun.
By keeping a diary or journal of exactly what happened in the run up to a cold sore outbreak, suffers can start to get a clearer picture of what triggers their outbreaks and therefore predict that they may happen and take preventative action in advance to try and reduce the intensity of an outbreak or even prevent one taking old at all.
Practice Pre-Holiday Prevention
Sun is almost always a trigger for most people who suffer with regular cold sore outbreaks which is why so may people get cold sores when they go on holiday. Predicting this likely risk in advance can help people take steps to reduce their risk of a cold sore outbreak.
Start using a preventative topical treatment in the weeks running up to a holiday. Avoid any lip trauma such as waxing or threading of the top lip just before a holiday. Drink plenty of water on the flight to a holiday destination and keep lips constantly hydrated during the flight by using a lip balm. On arrival wear a large, brimmed hat, apply an SPF lip product and try and avoid direct sun exposure to lips for at least the first few days of a holiday.
Avoid Lip Trauma Triggers
During periods of vulnerability hopefully identified in your cold sore diary, try and avoid anything that can cause trauma to the lips. This can range from sipping hot drinks, to avoiding matt lipsticks as they can zap moisture from the lips and cause dryness and chapping.
Keep lips from chapping in dry or cold winds by using a scarf and frequently applying a lip balm and wear a protective lip SPF on any sunny days, even in winter. Also avoid eating sharp and salty foods such as crisps or crusty bread.
Remember Regular Immune Boosting Routines
Cold sores tend to take hold when the body’s immunity is lower. This can happen for a multitude of reasons, but illness, hang overs, stomach issues, lack of sleep, stress and even menstruation can cause temporary dips in the body’s immunity.
Embarking on regular immune boosting routines, especially during any periods of illness or stress, can have a significant preventative effect. Refraining from alcohol, taking vitamin C and zinc supplements, having a period of earlier nights, taking regular top ups of probiotics for gut health and making sure you embark on regular immune boosting diets can all have a significant impact on cold sore prevention. There is also a daily supplement called lysine, which research has shown may have a preventative effect on cold sores.
