How to treat a cold sore and get rid of it in no time
By Carla Snuggs

Cold sores are so common this time of year and can be a very unattractive and also annoying addition to your face. While there is currently no herpes cure, there are several treatments options available.So, how do you get rid of them ASAP – take a look below.

1. Catch The Condition Early

If you want to keep cold sores from breaking out, you should catch the condition early on. This helps place the breaks on its spreading.

Catching the condition early is the best way to keep it from breaking out so badly. In fact, doctors advise their patients to be on the lookout for the prodromal stage where the patient will feel an itching, tingling, inflammation or soreness on the areas where cold sores are supposed to break out later on. If you feel anything different, it is best that you immediately see your doctor.

2. Take An Antiviral

Doctors caution against using a topical over the counter medication since it is not that effective as a prescribed antiviral. Although the former may provide a bit of relief from the burning sensation and tingling associated with the early stages of the condition, they are not the best remedy if you want to get rid of the sores quickly.

Starting treatments in the prodromal stage is important to get rid of the condition quickly. A prescription oral antiviral such as Valacyclovir, commonly known as Valtrex, is one of the most effective treatments in this regard. The dosage includes 2, one-gram pills in the morning and 2 more in the evening. It stops the virus from replicating itself. Hence, the condition heals faster as a result. When you take the medication in the early stages of the condition, you prevent the replication of the virus which will help prevent the symptoms from worsening.

3. Add A Steroid Cream

A patient can benefit from adding a steroid cream to the oral antiviral treatment regimen. It helps reduce the inflammation associated with the sores. You will not feel that much of pain, irritation, and redness in the skin. You should also note that steroid creams are only an option if you are on an oral antiviral medication. If not, the steroid will decrease your body's ability to fight infections. Hence, you should not use a steroid cream without an antiviral drug since it will help the condition spread faster. If you’re interested in one of the alternative remedies for cold sores then Cold Sores Cured has a variety of great solutions on their site. They rate and review a variety of cures that can prevent and cure a full outbreak.

4. Taking OTC To The Next Level -

For cold store treatments to become effective, it should destroy the virus before the blisters emerge on your skin. On the other hand, if you have waited for too long to take an antiviral medication, there are many other things that you can do to make the condition better.

A Domeboro solution is a good treatment method under such circumstances. You can buy the tablets or packet of powder at your local drugstore. Dissolve this powder is about twelve or sixteen ounces of water. Some powder at the bottom of the glass will remain, and it's okay. Soak a thin cloth in the glass, wring the cloth out and lay it on the blisters for about 15-30 minutes per session. Repeat the treatment method 3-4 times a day with a new batch of solution each time until the sores are gone.

The solution will suck the moisture out of the blisters. This can help reduce the condition within 3 days which would have taken 10-12 days under normal conditions. Once the sores are dry, make sure you stop soaking the area with the solution. Keep the area moist with a topical antibiotic cream such as Neosporin. This will prevent any secondary bacterial infection while the condition is healing.

5. Hands-Off The Affected Skin

These blisters are usually packed with fluid and red in color. Most patients find these blisters irresistible for picking. But you should keep your hands off the affected areas at all times. Anytime you pick on these blisters they tend to spread faster and cause secondary infections too. This is why it is important that you stay away from picking these blisters at all times.

Secondary infections in the area can lead to scarring over time. It will make the sores stick longer than usual. Hence, if you find that the cold sores are healing very slowly, it might be due to the presence of bacteria and not because of the cold sore virus is still present in the area. If the sores continue to persist for more than one or two weeks, it may due to a bacterial infection. The sores will become inflamed, redder, and be filled with pus under such circumstances. This is when you have to see your doctor, and he or she will prescribe an oral or topical antibiotic for the condition. It will help you get rid of the condition for good.

Feature image courtesy Netdoctor.co.uk