Fighting Cold Sores

Your lip starts to tingle and burn a little, you can't see anything yet but if you're one of the over 60% of Americans that get cold sores you know exactly what it means. You will be spending the next week or so in total discomfort and embarrassment because a cold sore is coming on.

Cold sores are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus type 1. Most people contract the virus when they are little from eating after someone that has it. The majority of Americans have the virus in their system even if they have never had an outbreak. Most of the time the virus doesn't create a problem but there are some things that can trigger it and cause a break out. Sun exposure, stress, dehydration, and hormones are among the top reasons the virus will flare up.

During the summer months, people that are prone to cold sore should use a lip balm that has a high SPF. Make sure that it states the SPF on the tube, don't just assume it has a sunscreen in it. Apply liberally and reapply often if you are spending the day outdoors. Also, stay hydrated because drying can place stress on the lips and cause breakouts.

Unfortunately hormonal changes and often stress levels can't be helped, so a good medication may be your only defense. Talk to your doctor about prescription antiviral medication that can be used to lessen the amount of breakouts that occur. If you already feel the tell-tale tingle, rush to the store and buy some Abreva. This over-the-counter medicine can cut healing time in half. In the meantime, applying a cold compress and a topical cream made for minimizing pain will do the trick.

Dispose of any lip glosses or lipsticks you used during the break out to keep from reinfecting yourself or anyone else. Avoid wearing these items during an outbreak anyway because they can make a healing cold sore look worse than it already is.