6 Effective Remedies for Treating Cold Sores
Cold sore is the infection around the lips caused by herpes simplex virus. It creates tiny fluid-filled lesions on or around the lips. Usually, cold sores affect people in the age of 14 to 60 years. The most common symptoms of a cold sore are a burning sensation in or on the skin, accompanied by sore lips, tingling lips, or ulcer, blisters, rashes, ulcers, or redness. This virus can quickly spread through physical contact. Generally, self-diagnosable, this virus which causes cold sores are found in 90% of the population, but in most of the cases, it is harmless. When this virus becomes active, it causes oral herpes or cold sores. Even in its inactive state, this virus remains in the body. The infection caused by the herpes simplex virus can recur at any point in the future depending upon the levels of stress, hormonal imbalance, and various other factors. The treatment for cold sores aims to reduce or suppress the pain and discomfort, however, there is no cure for it. Read on to find out some at-home cold sore treatments to alleviate the symptoms. Ice packs Ice packs help you to reduce the swelling and inflammation caused by the cold sores by numbing the nerves in and around the affected area. This reduces the pain caused due to the blisters. Just apply an ice cube over the troubled area thrice a day to get instant relief. Do not extend the application for more than 20 minutes as it can cause damage to the skin. Aloe vera gel Aloe vera is the most commonly used cosmetic product which is anti-inflammatory and has soothing properties for the skin. The redness and itchiness caused due to the blisters can be calmed down by applying aloe vera gel topically. For best results, freeze a scoop of aloe vera in the refrigerator and apply this aloe vera ice cube to the affected part at least twice a day.