Cold sores will usually start to heal on their own within a few days. But if they cause pain or make you feel embarrassed, they can be treated. Treatment may include skin creams, ointments, or sometimes pills. Treatment may get rid of the cold sores only 1 to 2 days faster, but it can also help ease painful blisters or other uncomfortable symptoms.
The herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores cannot be cured. After you get infected, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. If you get cold sores often, treatment can reduce the number of cold sores you get and how severe they are.
You can reduce the frequency of cold sore outbreaks by taking the following steps :
- Avoid prolonged exposure of your lips to sunlight. (Wear a hat to help shade your mouth.)
- Avoid intimate contact (such as kissing) with people who have cold sores or genital herpes.
- Use sunscreen at all times on your lips (in a lip balm form) and face, especially in the areas where you tend to have cold sores.
- Avoid foods that seem to cause your cold sores to recur.
- Avoid sharing towels, razors, silverware, toothbrushes, or other objects that a person with a cold sore may have used.
