[lickacube (OP)]

I'm 19 and have been getting cold sores since pre school. I was on some kind of medicine that you take for 5 days, but now am on Valtrex. I can't say that it's any better than my off-brand medication though, I'm not really noticing any sort of difference, the healing time is shortened to the maximum of 4 days though. I also use abreva which only seems to really work for me if I take it ASAP.

However, I was pretty pissed off when I found this out: by pressing a hot tea bag onto my sore when it's in the painful full blown big fat stage (and the bag has to be steaming hot to work, I stood in the bathroom running it under hot water and pressing up to my sore for about 5 seconds then getting it hot again) and doing this for about 20 minutes, the sore is dramatically reduced. My tingling stopped immediately following that. The swelling was literally 50% less so I could cover it up with makeup.

So I'm thrilled that it ACTUALLY works. I really didn't think it would. I'm not sure whether it was the extremly hot water or the tea or both, but it was a really bad painful sore and now it's practically unnoticable after 3 hours. But still...I'm mad that I've been spending 13 dollars for little tiny tubes of abreva and money on perscriptions. And I'm mad I just now figured it out after suffering for 19 years of my life... but wahoo, try it. It's comppletely worth the 30 minutes and the hotness of the bag.

[neilep]

Hey Lickacube,

Welcome to the site

That's FANTASTIC about the tea bag.

Enjoy the future without having to worry about all the stuff that pissed you off ! At least you won't be spending any more 13 dollars for tubes and prescriptions ......(erhmm....unless you spend more than that on tea bags that is ![])

It'll be great if someone here can provide an explanation on why tea is good for the teratment of cold sores and also how this method of application works.

Cheers


Neil




Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[lickacube (OP)]

this is from another website:

Apply a tea bag to the area where the cold sore is forming.
Tea contains tannic acid and it has been suggested that tannic acid possesses antiviral properties (some over-the-counter medications for cold sores contain tannic acid). Placing a tea bag on cold sores when they begin to form (especially during the Tingle stage) can possibly minimize the extent to which they will develop. One should position the moistened tea bag on the area where the cold sore is forming for a few minutes every hour.

[Andrew K Fletcher]

Great news about the humble teabag, also shows how effective kombucha is as this contains a few other acids along with tanic acid. I have observed some amazing improvements with a variety of nasty skin conditions in dogs and its fantastic for acne

Welcome and a Happy new year

"The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct."
K.I.S. "Keep it simple!"

[DoctorBeaver]

Is Earl Grey better than Lapsang Suchong?

[Solvay_1927]

quote:Is Earl Grey better than Lapsang Suchong?

Lapsang Suchong? I prefer Bichon Frise myself. []

Today I have 6 (yes, 6) coldsores (4 top lip, 2 bottom).  They came up overnight.  I've been trying the tea bag treatment today (alternating applications with zovirax) but so far they don't seem to be getting any better.

I feel sure they were caused by (very painfully) cutting myself on the lips when I was shaving yesterday.  But can anyone explain to me why something as simple as cutting my lips can have caused coldsores?

Paul.


P.S. In case any readers haven't seen it, coldsores have also been covered in another (very recent) thread - see the following for more info and links:
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=770

[Solvay_1927]

Update: the tea bags didn't do it for me. But the zovirax works. (The cold sores I mainly applied tea bags to didn't get better until I also applied zovirax. But those I mainly applied zovirax to from the start got better quicker.)

[neilep]

Glad you're better Paul.

...All is not lost though...you may still be able to squeeze a couple of cups of tea from those bags !!

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[Solvay_1927]

I did.  It tasted of zovirax.  []

[ukmicky]

DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG  WAY BUT

As cold sores are infectious should people who get them tell there partners on their first date

Michael                 HAPPY NEW YEAR                    

[Solvay_1927]

Sure, but it could be a bit of a turn-off.  Maybe you could make it sound more scientific by saying "Hi, my name's Michael, and I carry a form of the Herpes virus ..."

[ukmicky]

It must be a terrible dilemma.

You see a nice girl so you chat it up and ask it on a date... You've now got two choices do you tell her or do you wait to see if the relationship goes anywhere before coming clean ...... But in the back of your head you know at sometime in the future if the relationship develops she's gonna get them and she wont be happy with you if you didn't inform her in the beginning . but as you said at the beginning do you say       "Hi, my name's PAUL, and I carry a form of the Herpes virus" ..." knowing that she probably gonna walk away.

What is it they say "Life's a bitch" []


Michael                 HAPPY NEW YEAR                    

[neilep]

Cold sores are prevalant anyway...you might not get another for years (if you're lucky )but I think we all have them at some point.

I would just hope that A: the girly has had them anyway and B: She's a nursey and therefore understands and C: that she's a nursey and wants to give you cold sore relief D: that she's a nursey  and !E:  she's a nursey ! []


Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[ukmicky]

quote:Cold sores are prevalant anyway...you might not get another for years (if you're lucky )but I think we all have them at some point.

No sorry neil no one in my direct family has ever had one, i know ,i know everything , as my wife would tell you.[]

i still wonder what all the fuss is about though, its only a  spot

Michael                 HAPPY NEW YEAR                    

[neilep]

quote:Originally posted by ukmicky



i still wonder what all the fuss is about though, its only a  spot

Michael                 HAPPY NEW YEAR                    

Yes..but where is the spot Michael ? []

I didn't realise that they are not as common as I thought.... thanks for  clearing that up.

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[ROBERT]

quote:Originally posted by neilep

Cold sores are prevalant anyway...you might not get another for years (if you're lucky )but I think we all have them at some point.

"Prevalance of Cold sores: estimated 50 to 80% of Americans have HSV-1
Prevalance Rate: approx 1 in 2 or 50.00% or 136 million people in USA ".
http://wrongdiagnosis.com/c/cold_sores/prevalence.htm

[lickacube (OP)]

I've got cold sores since I was little, and I dated the same guy for 4 years all through high school, and he never got one. Ever. So I don't think it's necessary to say anything about getting them.

[scarletrose44]

Hey guys,

For anyone reading this topic - see another topic on here about icecubes for treating cold sores - there's lots of useful ideas for getting rid of cold sores. They are things you will usually have around the house - and they work! Check it out

[Andie152204]

Hiya, this is my 1st posting on the site.
I have suffered terribly from cold sores my entire life (as I have with tonsillitis as well.) My G.P and pharmacy always tell me whenever I go for my quarterly collection of Zovirax to get in there as soon as I feel 'the tingle'. It infuriates me that after reading so many posts so far on the topic on this site from others that start with creams, lotions, potions and other forms of help whenever they feel the tingle that I must be THE ONLY person who never gets a tingle. I just wake up in the mornings and WHAM there it is! I got a cold sore 3 days ago and woke up this morning with another one on the same side of my nose a bit further down, so now I look eve more beautiful!!
I have remembered a time when I was younger and was going through a sufferable time with cold sores I begged and pleaded with my then G.P and he actually cured a site that was guaranteed I would get a cold sore every time. It was right on the end of my nose, he heated up a sterile needle with and stuck it right in the centre of the site, I have never had a cold sore there since- that was 13 years ago. Why can't they do that all over your face?!
Anyway, enough of the ramblings and good luck finding more possible cures and fast fixes for these horrific ailments.

[heliski55]

I have tried just about every product/ice/natural cure/etc.  Best thing I have found by far is viradux-coldsore.  You just use it like a chapstick 4x per day and no more gross cold sores.  I think it's fairly new.  Hope this helps!