Unsightly cold sores have been the bane of my existence for years, so I spoke to Dr. Kerryn Greive, Scientific Affairs Manager of Ego Pharmaceuticals, about everything to do with the subject.
1. Approximately 76% of Australians carry the contagious herpes simplex virus type 1, which has no known cure. Anyone that has the virus has the potential to develop cold sores, however not everyone gets them.
2. Tiredness, stress, hormones, dry lips and too much sun exposure can trigger cold sores to pop up.
3. UVB light is more likely than UVA light to bring out cold sores. Remember to use broad-spectrum lip balm and avoid the sun further if you have cold sores as it can aggravate it and make it worse.
4. Once a cold sore appears, there are few things that can be done to make the outbreak more comfortable. However, some people like to apply ice or tea tree oil to the cold sore to reduce the inflammation. In Essence Tea Tree Oil, $15.95
5. If you don’t do anything to the cold sore, it will still heal and go away in 5-15 days.
6. An ingredient such as lysine is known to be beneficial for those who suffer from cold sores. Prevent them from popping up with a lip balm such as ViraproX Lip Balm, $7.95
7. Those with atopic dermatitis are more likely to get recurrent cold sores than no people who don’t have dermatitis.
Do you get cold sores, and how do you treat them? Let us know in the comments below.
[shop id=197]
