MANAGING LIP HEALTH
MANAGING LIP HEALTH
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AT-HOME REMEDIES FOR COLD SORES
When you have a cold sore, you want to act on it quickly. You may end up trying cold sore home remedies that friends, family or health websites recommend but you may find that these aren’t clinically proven. Some remedies may offer only temporary symptom relief, while others may have the potential to make the cold sore worse. With lots of anecdotal evidence out there, let’s unpack what some natural remedies for cold sores can do to help with symptoms, and whether or not they may be effective.
9 Natural Remedies for Cold Sores
Although these remedies may help with temporary symptom relief, or to minimize bacterial infections, home remedies for cold sores are not necessarily a cure-all. Over-the-counter Abreva Cream, however, can help. In clinical testing, Abreva has been proven to reduce healing time of cold sores when used at the first sign of a cold sore. The median healing time is 4.1 days, but 25% of users see healing results in 2.5 days. As with any home remedy or medication, be sure to speak to a healthcare professional or your provider beforehand. Cold sores can definitely be challenging to live with, but there are plenty of resources available to help mitigate your symptoms. For more information on cold sore topics such as these, be sure to visit the Abreva site.
SOURCES:
1. Cold sore – Diagnosis & treatment. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cold-sore/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20371023. Accessed 4/15/21. Referenced text is indicated in source PDF.
2. Local therapy of herpes simplex with dried extract from Melissa officinalis. National Library of Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23195812/. Accessed 4/15/21. Referenced text is indicated in source PDF.
3. Cold and Canker Sores. University of Michigan Health Service. https://uhs.umich.edu/coldcankersores. Accessed 4/15/21. Referenced text is indicated in source PDF.
4. Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil gel (6%) for the treatment of recurrent herpes labialis. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. https://academic.oup.com/jac/article/48/3/450/736091. Accessed 4/15/21. Referenced text is indicated in source PDF.
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