The drugstore counters are crammed with ointments and creams that all claim to be surefire remedies for cold sores. Don’t fall for it! The fact is that many of these over the counter creams not only are ineffective in treating cold sores, some can even cause your cold sore to spread!
So what’s a person to do when they’ve been attacked by this nasty festering beast? Try some of Grandma’s “tried and true” homemade remedies for cold sores and you can get rid of cold sores the old fashioned way. Grandma always does have the best recipes, wouldn’t you say?
Put your cold sore on ice
Once you feel that cold sore tingle then you need to reach for the ice pack. Although it may sound too simple to be true, ice packs are effective remedies for cold sores because they lower the temperature of the area of your body where the cold sore is trying to form. You can suck the life out of that cold sore by reducing its metabolic rate before it has a chance to properly form.
Apply ice for up to ten minutes, and repeat this several times throughout the day.
Try a tea bag soak
Another one of Grandma’s tried and true remedies for cold sores is to soak your lip with a wet tea bag. Although this may sound hokey, Grandma’s onto something here. A wet tea bag is filled with tannic acid which is believed to be potent with antiviral properties.
The key is to get that tea bag on your lip as soon as you feel that tingle. Hold it there for up to ten minutes (and then throw that nasty virus infected bag away (before someone uses it in their tea!) Repeat this procedure every hour (with a fresh bag) till that cold sore gives up and slinks away.
Sources http://getridofcoldsores.wordpress.com