Cold sores are depressing, the moment you feel that dreaded tingling sensation you know you will have to endure a week, possibly two, of discomfort and embarrassment. How long it takes for a cold sore to heal depends on a number of factors, but there are definitely a few things you can do to shorten the healing time.
Ok, so the dreaded tingling sensation has started, and probably at the worst possible time, right? Believe it not, there is a reason for this, stress, or fretting about a forthcoming event are the main triggers for the herpes simplex virus. A work presentation, exams, money worries, even a first date, can all cause the virus to rear its ugly head. Stress and worry will extend the duration and healing time, so try not to fret too much.
The first thing I would recommend, is to go to your local health food store and buy some lysine tablet supplements, preferably 1000 mg tablets, take three tablets daily at regular intervals as soon as you can. Lysine is an amino acid that kills the cellular envelope that the virus travels in, and will greatly reduce the duration of your outbreak. Once it has healed I would recommend taking one 1000 mg tablet a day to help prevent further outbreaks.
In a previous article I have written about the merits of a compound called sodium lauryl sulfate, which is found in most soaps and toothpastes. This ingredient has been proven to inactivate the herpes virus almost immediately. I would go to the store and buy an ordinary bar of soap and a plain white toothpaste that contains this compound. It will be clearly labelled in the ingredients.
If the cold sore is located on your lip, put an ice cube in a paper towel and place it gently on the affected area, and repeat this until the swelling starts to subside. Next, apply some toothpaste with a cotton bud to completely cover the affected area and leave it to dry. If the virus has appeared above or below the lips, lather the soap and massage gently into the area with your fingertip, and leave it to dry. This may sound ridiculous, but the sodium lauryl sulphate in the toothpaste and the soap will dry out your skin and inactivate the virus almost straight away. You can repeat these steps as often as you like or as is convenient.
Remember that the virus is very infectious, so keep contact with the area to a minimum, and always wash your hands thoroughly, so the virus doesn't spread to another area of your face. If the cold sore starts to scab, it will always heal quicker if left alone to let nature take its course.
If you catch a cold sore in the early stages, these steps will cut down the healing time of your cold sore dramatically. There are many more natural and chemical ways to combat the herpes virus.
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