Best Fast, Natural Home Remedies for Cold Sores on the Lips
From the Outset
This article is intended only to be informational; it is not meant as medical advice. If you are experiencing symptoms, I recommend that you visit a medical doctor.
My interest in cold sores stems from a young relative of mine who was very upset about never knowing when a cold sore episode would begin. She is a professional who is in the public eye, and her look of discouragement couldn't be missed. At that time, I was naïve enough to think there might be a cure—I say this because modern medicine clearly states that there is no cure for a fever blister. However, there are things you can do to diminish the pain and duration of an episode.
She Found Relief With Hydrogen Peroxide
So began my investigation into causes, treatment, and course of this type of infection. At that point, she had visited a doctor once.
One of the blogs I referred her to (sorry, I can't remember the particular one; there were so many) suggested using hydrogen peroxide. She tried it—and as luck would have it, it seemed to work for her. There may have been many other things that would also have worked, so I make no judgments about whether this was the best remedy. But her experience is what prompted me to write this article.
This is what she told me about using hydrogen peroxide. When she first gets that tingling sensation on her lip, she takes a Q-Tip and wets it with hydrogen peroxide. She dabs it on the cold sore, letting it dry, and does this at least three times a day. For her, when she treats the tingling quickly with hydrogen peroxide, and is diligent about reapplying, the fever blister does not break out. The only sign of the cold sore is a slightly darker coloration to her lip, which goes away quickly. She claims that there is no pain, no blister, and no scabbing.
A Useful Idea
It occurred to me that with the plethora of home remedies for cold sores online, perhaps I could give a person a reason to begin experimenting with different home cures.
I recall asking my relative, "Have you tried ice?" Her response was, "Ice, what's that going to do for a cold sore?" And, by the way, until I sent the link to the blog, she had not gotten active educating herself about the sores. So, I wrote this article for people who are determined to use a home remedy as a way of deciding what remedy to choose. Mind you, I have no interest in recommending any of the following remedies: I am only providing a reason to get started when one will not go to a doctor or cannot afford a doctor. After all, if there are 16 million home remedies for cold sores (including pickle slice application), but where do you begin?
My idea was this. If I could evaluate popularity of a group of natural home remedies for cold sores, that would give a reader a reason, if even a weak one, for starting off a search in a systematic way, and therefore, that would be useful. I decided to choose commonly recommended remedies for cold sores and see how often they were cited on Google search.
Google Search Results for "Cold Sore Home Remedy"
Popularity of home remedies for cold sores chosen from tabulation. In all cases, apply at the first sign (for most, tingling) of a cold sore.
- 3,790,000 - coconut oil extract
- 2,400,000 - soybean extract
- 1,930,000 - flaxseed extract oil - This entry gives too many results for taking flaxseed for other problems including "colds." There are references to how to extract when it is "cold." Also, it can be used for people with "cold hands." It is also sometimes misspelled as "flackseed."
- 1,860,000 - tea - This term was not of much help. There were teas listed from tons of substances including: tree bark, green tea, Lepton tea bag, herbal tea bags, marshmallow root, licorice root, elm bark- you get the picture
- 1,630,000 - milk - weakness, different types of milk, some sites recommending avoiding milk (claims causes cold sores) others recommending for cold sores.
- 1,600,000 - black currant seed extract
- 934,000 - salt - Most frequently cited is applying damp finger to table salt and applying to the sore but remember to wash hands well before touching again - cold sores are contagious. I read of moistened gauze or cotton ball application; that sounds better.
- 913,000 - ice - Includes relief of pain.
- 800,000 - echinacea extract
- 1692,000 - orange oil seed extract
- 644,000 - garlic - Frequently cited: 1/2 clove and apply to sore.
- 455,000 - salt toothpaste - Entries call for a paste and apply several times a day.
- 404,000 - peroxide - This remedy was most frequently offered for canker sores and cold sores. They are not the same, though sometimes used to mean the same. Most often advised to apply with Q-Tip several times a day. Others recommended soaking the lip in small cup or bowl (don't swallow, it is poisonous).
- 389,000 - black elderberry extract oil
- 377,000 - licorice (also known as glycyrrhizic acid)
- 344,000 - mouthwash - This term is too general. I read about home remedy mouth washes containing household elements, mouth washes that can be prepared by buying prescription elements, and commercial mouthwash.
- 316,000 - lemon oil extract, balm, cream - Lemon balm 4oz extract, lemon juice, lemon oil, lemon balm cream, crushing up a clove, mixing it with olive oil and lemon juice, add lemon extract to a mixture of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.
- 302,000 - tangerine seed oil extract
- 290,000 - lime seed extract
- 231,000 - zinc lozenges - Sucking on them
- 99,400 - grapefruit seed extract
- 69,300 - fish oil - Omega-based oils are mostly recommended as a dietary supplement. There are also a number of entries reporting breakouts after ingesting these oils.
- 52,800 - olive leaf extract
And now, to give an idea of the number of general remedies - treatment remedies cold sores: 11,600,000. A more negative personality than mine might claim anything will "cure" cold sores. But then again, maybe there is something to it all? I don't know.
If one person finds a cold sore remedy that helps here, it was worth the effort.
And, finally, to add a bit of confusion on the subject, I add this tidbit of information.
Did you notice how many home remedies were made of citrus extract, oil, etc.? Well, those are foods that are acidic. Substances are either acidic or alkaline (basic) or water, which is classified neutral at pH 7.0. Acid substances are below seven, while alkaline substances are above seven. Studies have shown that a healthy person has a pH of 7.4, slightly alkaline. This is what the body strives to regulate itself to, and this is why doctors feel citrus contributes to cold sore development- citrus is acid! This is claimed to be the ultimate trigger.
I prefer to use the term "cold sore remedy" instead of "cold sore cure" because cure seems to connote an understanding of what is going on. I honestly don't. So dear reader, if you are stymied by where to start trying out home cold sore remedies, my list will at least give you some kind of reason, though perhaps not a strong one. Since this is an ailment that folks who are victims research a lot, let me recommend for even more information Top-ranked Hospital in the Nation - Mayo Clinic.
Good luck with a trying problem.
Sources
- Joshua Rogers, Coconut Oil for Cold Sores, NaturalAlternativeRemedy.com, http://www.naturalalternativeremedy.com/coconut-oil-for-cold-sores/
- Helen Stokes-Lampard, Susan Curtis, Melanie Brown, Olive Leaf Extract, The Telegraph,13 May 2013, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/10044053/Health-advice-cold-sores.html
- Philip D.Shenefelt, Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd Edition, Chapter 18 Herbal Treatment of Dermatologic Disorders, CRC Press/Taylor&Francis, 2011, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92761/
- Rachael Ajmera. healthline, 6 Benefits of Flaxseed Oil and How to Use It, 25 March 2024 Flaxseed Oil: 6 Benefits and How to Use It (healthline.com)
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