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Sat May 06, 2006 9:48 am  |
| i'm very upset with myself..and at my boyfriend( of 3 1/2 years) as well. Last Monday we were at dinner and I had noticed he had two bumps on his lips...which he said were coldsores...my stupid self forgot the situation and we kissed later that night. 3 days later I have 2 massive coldsores on my lower lip..which is making me very paranoid that i'll get them in the future, since the virus never really ever goes away. I also noticed a small infection on my tongue...and i dont think my boyfriend feels all too shitty..he's had them all his life and kind of cracked up like I was overreacting. They are painful and annoying and can be spread to other parts of the body (genital herpes)..so yeah..not a subject to joke about. My question is: What is the most efficient way to get rid of them? I've been using abbreva for almost 24 hours and haven't noticed any improvement...14 dollars a tiny tube and a rip off:( |
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Extremely fair/sensitive skin(mild rosacea)that burns very easy.acne is rare/skin is dry.27 years old. |
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Sat May 06, 2006 10:10 am |
| Blistex Medicated Lip Balm? They claim to help with cold sores and chap lips. It's only about $3 for the pot or the stick. |
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Sat May 06, 2006 12:24 pm |
| Basic white toothpaste applied to the cold sore will dry them up and thus, speed their demise. |
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36, skin in a "new" phase? Oil/break-out free but now having bouts of sensitivity and surface dehydration. |
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Sat May 06, 2006 1:28 pm |
| I get cold sores once in a great while, mostly in the winter, not sure why though, and I use viractin as soon as I feel the bump under my lip. I never wait for it to come all the way out, usually I can feel it but noone can see it. I like that stuff because it really prevents them from appearing totally and getting really nasty. I would recommend this stuff. My sister used abreva before and her lips broke out into about twenty more tiny white cold sores, she couldn't hardly take a drink, so I am not sure about that stuff as I have never tried it myself and different stuff may work for different people. |
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Sat May 06, 2006 11:32 pm |
oh, god, i got one of these the same week as a friend, and we both had never had them before and both had tried on lipstick at a beauty counter.... Ugh!
I can only say that you should be able to prevent new ones from forming by taking L-lysine once in a while. Soy and any other foods righ in L-argenine provoke them... and genital is not the same as oral herpes, btw.
Once they've crusted over, your best bet is to stay put and let it dry out, since there is really no hope! The crust falls off, and then a newer, smaller crust forms. and so on and so on. If you rip it off, a new crust will promptly form. So the best thing is to keep it at every advanced stage as DRY as possible, in order to hasten this process. That means toothpaste on it at night, nail polish remover (yes, acetone works, and doesn't impede healing or lead to scarring in any way, and I know b/c I overdid it the last time with acetone), and a product called "Cold-eeze," zinc lozenges, actually worked to reduce the scab in size and nastiness during the day. Resist the urge to overtreat. Also, abreva does nothing but there is a fabulous lipbalm with the unfortunate name of "Herpecin" that prevents new ones from forming and soothes the area. I highly recommend it. I am so sorry you are suffering from these. In the future, at the first hint of a cold sore, apply ice to the area relentlessly until the itching/burnign goes away. And alternate with nail polish remover. Once they break, there is no turning back--you have a scab for seven days or more. |
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http://newnaturalbeauty.tumblr.com/ 37, light-toned olive skin, broken caps, normal skin. My staples: Osea cleansing milk, Algae Oil, Advanced Protection Cream, Eyes & Lips, Tata Harper, Julie Hewett makeup, Amazing Cosmetics Powder, & By Terry Light Expert, Burnout, and daily inversion therapy and green smoothies! |
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Sat May 06, 2006 11:53 pm |
Ask your doc for a prescription called Valtrex tablets. It's also prescribed for genital herpes, but I wasn't a bit embarrassed to get the prescription filled because I wanted the cold sore gone! Even though mine was full blown when I got the medicine it was completely gone in 2 days. Absolutely NO sign of it!
Here's some info on Valtrex and cold sores copied from the Valtrex website:
VALTREX is the only one-day oral treatment approved to speed the healing and shorten the pain and discomfort of cold sores.
Not only can cold sores cause pain and discomfort for several days, they’re so noticeable, they can be embarrassing too. Although living with cold sores can be a hassle, treating them doesn’t have to be. Remember, they are caused by a virus and are considered a medical condition—your healthcare provider can help.
VALTREX is a prescription antiviral medicine that targets the herpes virus. It is the only one-day oral treatment approved to speed the healing and shorten the pain and discomfort of cold sores. VALTREX Caplets attack the cold sore from within. When the herpes virus tries to reproduce and spread to other cells in the body, VALTREX stops or slows the reproduction of the active virus.
If your healthcare provider prescribes VALTREX, you’ll want to have it on hand. That way, you can fight the herpes virus at the first sign of a cold sore. So don’t wait until your next cold sore to talk to your healthcare provider – have a discussion today. Then, when your next cold sore hits, you’ll be prepared to attack it.
Dosing for VALTREX for Cold Sores
The recommended dose for VALTREX is 2 grams taken at the first sign of a cold sore, and then again about 12 hours later. It’s important to start treatment with VALTREX at the first sign of a cold sore (such as tingling, itching, or burning). There are no studies that show if VALTREX works when used after the appearance of a cold sore. But be sure to follow your healthcare provider’s specific instructions. When treating cold sores with VALTREX, you should not take it for more than one day. |
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Sun May 07, 2006 12:12 am |
| ive been reading up and a lot of forums recommend nail polish remover...the abreva seems to make them worse looking. I had to hide my mouth while talking at a restaurant today, and the salt in the food made me cringe in pain. These things are so ugly and obnoxious and I'll do absolutely anything to make them go away.. |
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Extremely fair/sensitive skin(mild rosacea)that burns very easy.acne is rare/skin is dry.27 years old. |
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Sun May 07, 2006 8:26 am |
| avalange wrote: |
| o and genital is not the same as oral herpes, btw. |
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It's not exactly the same. There's type one and type two. You can the oral type on your genitals, and the genitals type on your face. You can also spread both types to your eyes and nose.
Read the overview on this page for more info
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/stdherp.htm |
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Combination - dehyrdated, acne, sensitive, late 20's. |
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Sun May 07, 2006 9:42 am |
| moosette had some too and found something she posted about here, did you find her solution? It seemed to work and I'm too lazy to look it up. Good luck finding something that works. Maybe see the doctor? |
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Sun May 07, 2006 11:05 am |
| lianne wrote: |
| avalange wrote: |
| o and genital is not the same as oral herpes, btw. |
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It's not exactly the same. There's type one and type two. You can the oral type on your genitals, and the genitals type on your face. You can also spread both types to your eyes and nose.
Read the overview on this page for more info
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/stdherp.htm |
That was what I meant when I posted...though they are not the same thing, mouth herpes can be spread to the genital area. I don't mean to be too personal in here, but I am sexually active with my boyfriend, and oral is included. I was very paranoid when i got these because I rewinded back to that evening and thought of what things occurred...needless to say we have not been intimate in any way since, and I won't kiss him until everything on each of our lips are completely healed. |
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Extremely fair/sensitive skin(mild rosacea)that burns very easy.acne is rare/skin is dry.27 years old. |
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Sun May 07, 2006 11:07 am |
| I have been using nail polish remover on my lips since last night (talk about pain), and my lips have been going down and drying up. The abreva was a waste of money; i suppose I could call their hotline and get my money back. I'd rather have scabs on my lips and look like my lips are extremely chapped than to have two big camel humps (as i call them) instead.. |
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Extremely fair/sensitive skin(mild rosacea)that burns very easy.acne is rare/skin is dry.27 years old. |
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Sun May 07, 2006 11:12 am |
| avalange wrote: |
and genital is not the same as oral herpes, btw.
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There are two types of herpes, HSV1 and HSV2. HSV1 usually occurs in the mouth area, and is called oral herpes or cold sores. HSV2 usually occurs below the belt, and is called genital herpes.
HOWEVER the names are kind of misnomers, because either virus can occur in either area, and it's INCREASINGLY common for people to get genital herpes caused by HSV1 (from oral sex).
Asymptomatic shedding--when the virus is active on the skin and can infect others, but you have no discernible symptoms--is another risk.
So--if you get cold sores, you can pass it on to a partner genitally even if you aren't currently having an outbreak. That's how I got it and it SUCKS.
It's incredibly frustrating b/c there's a huge stigma about genital, but most people think cold sores are no big deal, and that's really not the case. I could go on and one, but this is a beauty board  |
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29--oily somewhat acneic skin, hazel eyes, long dark brown hair |
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Sun May 07, 2006 3:01 pm |
| Thank you SO much for backing this up...it seems people don't think oral can turn spread to the genitals...such as my boyfriend. he thinks cold sores are not a serious thing, and doesn't understand why i'm pissed off as hell about this. He even asked to be intimate last night..and to be honest...I can't really think of that right now when i have these gross sores on my mouth. Is there a way to be checked for genital herpes? |
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Extremely fair/sensitive skin(mild rosacea)that burns very easy.acne is rare/skin is dry.27 years old. |
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Sun May 07, 2006 3:14 pm |
Herpes can be diagnosed in two ways--via culture when you have an open sore, and via bloodtest. There are a variety of bloodtests--one, I think it's called the IGB specific, looks for antibodies to type-1 and type-2.
The usefulness of the tests is somewhat limited. If you test positive for one of the types, but have never had an outbreak anywhere--it doesn't tell you which site is infected. For example, if you test positive for HSV1, you don't know if you have HSV1 genitally or orally.
The statistics are scary--something like 1 in 4 or 5 American adults has HSV2, and 80-90% of those people don't know they have it! Either they've never had outbreaks, or they've confused the outbreaks w/ jock itch or a yeast infection or ingrown hairs, etc.
As for HSV1, the stats are even higher b/c so many people get cold sores or have had them at one point or another. A lot of people contract HSV1 as a child when a parent or older relative kisses them, and passes it on.
http://www.westoverheights.com/freebooktext.html is a really good website for information and other links.
One more thing--Herpes is NOT part of a routine STD testing. The rationale, as I understand it, is that b/c so many people have HSV1 anyway--testing doesn't tell you that much. If you want to be tested, you have to specifically request it.
Feel free to PM me if you want more information or have other questions. When I'm not poring over EDS for beauty/skin tips, this is my other area of obsessive research. |
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29--oily somewhat acneic skin, hazel eyes, long dark brown hair |
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Sun May 07, 2006 3:33 pm |
oh, god, tularyn, now i'm frightened to DEATH... so, there's basically no way to prevent getting herpes, let us say, on the genitals.
I once had a genital wart scare, although clearly I had just tried waxing myself and there were ingrown hairs that were NOWHERE near my genital area, but the doc really freaked me out and gave me those same statistics--that if you have had more than 3 sexual partners in your lifetime, you most likely have the virus and it just normally lies dormant. the chances are 80% or soemthing like that. I got the sense that SHE had them, which was why, although she said I didn't, she was so keen to tell me that EVERYONE has them...
well, something else to get stressed about, I suppose... |
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http://newnaturalbeauty.tumblr.com/ 37, light-toned olive skin, broken caps, normal skin. My staples: Osea cleansing milk, Algae Oil, Advanced Protection Cream, Eyes & Lips, Tata Harper, Julie Hewett makeup, Amazing Cosmetics Powder, & By Terry Light Expert, Burnout, and daily inversion therapy and green smoothies! |
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Sun May 07, 2006 3:43 pm |
 I feel bad for alarming you! It is serious, but I don't think there's "no way to prevent" it.
Be careful--don't be intimate when there's an outbreak. There is some research that someone infected who takes Valtrex can reduce both outbreaks and the risk of asympotmatic shedding. By how much, I don't know--it doesn't eliminate the risk, but it reduces it.
Also, not everyone that is exposed gets it. Before I got it, I didn't know this kind of transmission was possible, so I was definitely exposed and didn't get it. Fast forward a few months later, and I did. My immune system was kind of run down at the time, so I think I was more vulnerable.
There are good practices that will help--wash areas thoroughly with soap and water before and after might help prevent infection. Use condoms/dental dams. Etc.
It's certainly not a good thing, but it's important to keep perspective. There is loads of info on the internet... some of it scary and depressing, and some of it very helpful. |
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29--oily somewhat acneic skin, hazel eyes, long dark brown hair |
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Sun May 07, 2006 7:28 pm |
| thank you, tularyn! |
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http://newnaturalbeauty.tumblr.com/ 37, light-toned olive skin, broken caps, normal skin. My staples: Osea cleansing milk, Algae Oil, Advanced Protection Cream, Eyes & Lips, Tata Harper, Julie Hewett makeup, Amazing Cosmetics Powder, & By Terry Light Expert, Burnout, and daily inversion therapy and green smoothies! |
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Sun May 07, 2006 8:51 pm |
Hi Purpleturtle.
I hate to break this to you, but this is just the beginning...you will always get vicious outbreaks! I get them too. However, I found a miracle in a bottle. It's called H-Balm(by forces of nature) kinda pricey but totally worth it. If you apply it at the tingle, an outbreak can be avoided. If not, healing time is greatly reduced. I swear by it. Abreva doesn't do much, maybe shorten by a day? This stuff I use is great! and it really does work. I'm sorry you have this virus. It is quite nasty. I've had them since childhood and I accidentally gave them to my boyfriend when I was 18. I told him I had a cold sore but he didn't care. I broke up with him a few weeks later and he showed up at my door with MASSIVE cold sores on his lips and chin! I acted like a b!tch by basically laughing at him. I still regret the way I behaved toward him about it. I would wish cold sores on anyone. In fact, he probably still hates me.
HTH
E |
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Mon May 08, 2006 8:30 pm |
i disagree that i will Always get outbreaks. This was the first time i ever saw my bf with one...and i read much information saying they can range from highly active to never active. Guess it depends on the person.. I could get them more often, but i'd like to think i won't.
You wish coldsores on people?:/ they are very painful... |
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Extremely fair/sensitive skin(mild rosacea)that burns very easy.acne is rare/skin is dry.27 years old. |
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Mon May 08, 2006 8:41 pm |
I'm absolutely sure ErinChristine meant to say she wouldn't wish them on anyone. Oh... for the edit button.
And I agree. I think that you definitely have some control over how often and how severe your outbreaks are. There is a wealth of information on the internet and at the library about what you can do. Everyone's body handles it differently, so what triggers one person, or what prevents another from having an outbreak may be completely individual, but there are a lot of things you can try.
Best of luck to you. |
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29--oily somewhat acneic skin, hazel eyes, long dark brown hair |
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Tue May 09, 2006 6:58 am |
| Two things I know definitely triggers my cold sores are lip plumping products (the ones with a tingle or burn) and some chemical peels. |
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Tue May 09, 2006 2:11 pm |
| I meant I WOULDN'T wish cold sores on anyone! They are so ugly and painful! |
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Tue May 09, 2006 3:05 pm |
I've had cold sores since I was little -- it's a family thing in my case.
Mine are typically activated by the sun and can easily be avoided by using lip protection. I get them at most once a year. Won't lie and say they're fun though.
I've never taken Valtrex but I've taken Zovirax (brand name for the antiviral medication acyclovir) and have found it really helps.
When I have one, I use a combination of Zovirax and Abreva to treat it and that minimizes the length of the cold sore's stay by about half.
It's true that once you have one you have the virus for life. But honestly it's not something that's going to really impact you that much, your life won't change. It's just a minor pain in the ass you have to deal with occasionally. |
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Tue May 09, 2006 4:14 pm |
| Janis wrote: |
| It's true that once you have one you have the virus for life. But honestly it's not something that's going to really impact you that much, your life won't change. It's just a minor pain in the ass you have to deal with occasionally. |
But PLEASE be careful. It may not be a bid deal or change your life... but it can certainly change the life of anyone you might unwittingly pass it on to, especially if it's "down below." |
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29--oily somewhat acneic skin, hazel eyes, long dark brown hair |
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jkitty
New Member
 
Joined: 09 May 2006
Posts: 1
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Tue May 09, 2006 5:01 pm |
| My husband gets cold sores. He read about a remedy in our local newspaper's health column. Take a matchstick, wet it with water and apply to the cold sore. It stings, but the sulphur dried out the sore and caused it to scab. It got rid of the sore within two days. Try to find matches with white heads. The red ones will leave a stain. |
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