Home treatment for cold sores

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Home treatment for cold sores

Cold sores, also called fever blisters, are the most common type of painful sores on the outside of the lip. Home treatment can help reduce pain and speed healing.

Apply ice to the area when you first feel a sore coming on (tingling or prickly feeling at the site). This may help reduce the pain and dry out the sore. Apply the ice directly to the sore—5 minutes on, 10 minutes off—repeating as desired.
Apply a water-based product to ease the cracking and dryness of a lip sore.
Use a lip protector, such as Blistex or Campho-Phenique, to ease the pain. Don't share your lip protector with others because cold sores are contagious.
Puncture a vitamin E capsule and squeeze the oil onto the sore. This soothes inflammation and protects the sore.
Avoid squeezing, pinching, or picking at your sore.
If you have frequent cold sores, ask your health professional whether there is a medical treatment that might help.

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Author	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Steven K. Patterson, BSc, DDS, MPH - Dentist
Last Updated	September 26, 2008

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Last updated:	September 26, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Steven K. Patterson, BSc, DDS, MPH - Dentist
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer

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