Natural Skin Care

Cold sores aren’t just cosmetically unattractive. As anyone who’s ever had one can attest, they’re also very painful. To help you conquer cold sores, we’ve gathered some cold sore tips to assist you in relieving the pain of a current cold sore outbreak, and to help you prevent new outbreaks down the road.

Before we begin, let’s briefly explain what causes cold sores.

Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, are the result of the Herpes Simplex Virus I (HSV I). Note that this is different from the genital herpes virus.

HSV I is highly contagious and very common. Up to 80% of the population has the virus, which lies dormant in our bodies while no outbreak is present. The vast majority of those infected with HSV I contract the virus by the time they are seven years old. Once you’ve got it, there’s no way to get rid of the virus.

Cold sores are painful, ugly blisters that form on or near the lips and mouth. Outbreaks occur when the normally latent herpes virus becomes reactivated due to some type of trigger.

Cold Sore Tips ? Preventing Outbreaks

So, what is it that causes the typically latent HSV I to become active? There are several common triggers, which include:

? Stress ? Weak immune system ? Illness ? Pregnancy or menstruation ? Injured or irritated lips and mouth

Essentially, when the body’s natural defenses are weakened, or a person’s stress level is too high, cold sores can occur. To prevent cold sores, it’s important to control the triggers that cause them.

In the case of pregnancy or menstrual-related outbreaks, hormonal triggers can’t be controlled. Fortunately, there are ways to strengthen the body’s defenses.

There are a range of supplements and over-the-counter products available for use in preventing cold sores. Also, a whole-foods diet designed to support the immune system is important, along with measures to prevent injury and severe drying of the lips. A good natural lip moisturizer can help soothe sore, chapped lips and reduce the incidence of cold sores.

Cold Sore Tips for Effective Treatment

As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but what happens if you need to soothe the symptoms of a current outbreak?

The cold sore tips below can help you calm the pain of your cold sores:

? Apply a medication directly to the sores to numb the pain. You may want to try one of the many “caine” medications, like lidocaine or benzocaine. Benzoyl alcohol or a phenol-containing preparation can also be effective.

? Prevent infection of the open sores with an antibiotic cream or ointment.

? Keep the sores from cracking and bleeding with a good lip moisturizer.

? There is evidence showing that zinc and lysine supplements may help end cold sore outbreaks faster. Zinc is also known as an immune booster.

The surest way to prevent cold sores is by taking care of yourself with a whole-foods diet, exercise, and good supplement program that keeps your immune system strong and healthy. Sleep well, and make sure you learn to deal effectively with stress.

While the best course of action is a good prevention plan, if you do end up with a cold sore breakout, use these simple cold sore tips to help soothe your discomfort and end your breakout faster.

Click Here to learn about a technique to cure your cold sores within 3 days! It’s quick and proven way to stop cold sores before they make an appearance!

Technorati Tags: beauty, cold sores, health, home, lifestyle, medicine, Skin Care

Tags: beauty, cold sores, health, home, lifestyle, medicine, Skin Care

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