How to get rid of a cold sore? For most people it is a frustrating problem. They find out there is an effective way to treat them, and they try to use it immediately. Unfortunately, most people do not have a clue about how to take care of them and usually end up having to suffer through another outbreak in just a few days.
Understanding how to treat a cold sore is important if you want to keep them from coming back. Treating and preventing cold sores is a very important skill to master. After you have learned how to treat one, you will be able to keep any sore from coming back.
You should be able to distinguish a real sore from a fever blister when you are looking at them on the mirror. If you can spot a real one from the start, you will have less of a chance of wasting your time with fake sores that will probably vanish within days.
Once you have identified a real sore you can go ahead and get it treated. However, it will take a lot longer than if you just let it go untreated. In fact, if left untreated for more than four days, you can develop another outbreak.
Don't let the thought of all that work that you have to put into treating it stop you from trying. A good treatment is the best preventive measure for cold sores, so it is better to treat them before they come back. You should also treat them as soon as you recognize the symptoms.
While many people believe that they only become contagious if you have had contact with a person who has them, the virus spreads through contact as well as contact by air and other means. Therefore, if you ever handle a sore and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth, this is an excellent opportunity to take care of your cold sore immediately.
The first thing that you should do in order to prevent further cold sore outbreaks is to wash your hands frequently after touching the infected area. If you use makeup, make sure you thoroughly dry it off before touching another area where you might use it. Use gloves whenever possible when handling the sore. This is an extremely important aspect to learn if you want to know how to get rid of a cold sore fast.
The next step to taking care of a sore is to apply a hot or cold compress of water to the affected area twice or thrice daily for two or three days
If you are in an outbreak, you should apply an ice pack for the same amount of time, until it subsides.
A couple of things that you might want to try are either applying lemon juice or vinegar to the cold sore. Both will help to soothe the pain and inflammation of the virus. Both will also help to keep it from spreading and killing the surrounding cells.
Other than trying to get rid of it at home, you may want to consider some home remedies that have worked for others. One home remedy that has been around for decades is to put some salt in a glass of water and drink it regularly. After the initial outbreak you should repeat this process every few days for a week or two. This treatment should work to keep the sore from coming back.
One of the best home remedies that you can try is to apply vinegar to the area of the cold sore. You will want to soak a piece of gauze in vinegar and wrap it in a cloth and put it around the sore. Leave the gauze in place for a few days to allow it to absorb the vinegar. This will help the sore to heal faster and is a great way to get rid of cold sores for good.
Keep in mind that if you think that you may have cold sore outbreaks again soon, it is time to seek medical attention. In addition to using home remedies, you should also get a proper diagnosis to rule out any other conditions that could be causing the infection.