“I'm stronger knowing the cold sore facts.”

You know you’ve heard them — those cold sore myths that spread almost as fast as the virus itself.

When it comes to fighting a cold sore , you'll hear advice on everything from home remedies to lip balm cures. Learn the cold sore facts so you can face every cold sore with confidence — from the first tingle until it’s bye, bye blister.

Cold sores are only contagious when you can see a blister

Fight with this Fact: Cold sores are contagious from the first tingle until it’s completely healed. Remember to take extra precautions to protect others from encountering the virus.

The cold sore virus (Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1, HSV-1) cannot spread beyond the lip area.

Fight with this Fact: HSV-1 is a form of the Herpes Simplex Virus that usually affects the lips or mouth, but can spread to the eyes or genitals.

Everyone who contracts the cold sore virus will experience an outbreak.

Fight with this Fact: While it’s likely that 90% of adults have been infected by the cold sore virus, not everyone gets cold sore outbreaks. Actually, only 20%-40% of people will experience cold sores.

There is no way to shorten the healing time of a cold sore.

Fight with this Fact: Some prescription medicines — as well as the over-the-counter medicine Abreva^® — have been clinically proven and FDA-approved to shorten the healing time of a cold sore.

There is no over-the-counter treatment that can shorten the healing time of a cold sore.

Fight with this Fact: Abreva, with 10% Docosanol, is the only FDA-approved, over-the-counter treatment that is proven to shorten the duration of symptoms and healing time of a cold sore.

Ingredients like camphor, menthol and phenol can heal a cold sore.

Fight with this Fact: Though these common lip balm and ointment ingredients can soothe or moisturize your cold sore, they’re not clinically proven to heal it.

All over-the-counter products are FDA-approved to shorten healing of a cold sore.

Fight with this Fact: Currently, the only over-the-counter healing product approved by the FDA to shorten both healing time and the duration of symptoms is Abreva.

Ice helps cold sores heal faster.

Fight with this Fact: Ice may temporarily provide relief from your symptoms and help reduce redness and swelling. But don’t expect it to speed the healing of your cold sore.

Distilled vinegar prevents cold sore outbreaks.

Fight with this Fact: Vinegar helps with many things but preventing cold sore outbreaks is not one of them.

Alcohol or witch hazel kills the viruses in cold sores.

Fight with this Fact: Alcohol and witch hazel are astringents that will dry out your cold sore. Not to mention they are not FDA approved or clinically proven to speed the healing of a cold sore.

Tea bags heal cold sores.

Fight with this Fact: Put away the tea bags —unless you’re making tea. They will not make your cold sore go away faster.