Cold sores are horrible to deal with, from beginning to end. The further into the life cycle they get, the more painful they become. You not only want to get rid of the pain but also the nasty-looking sore. Some people prefer to use natural remedies to avoid any chemicals. Honey for cold sores can help. In fact, it can sometimes stop the sore from developing at all.
While there are many products for getting rid of cold sores, only some of them hasten the healing process. There are different stages of a cold sore, but the first is often a tingling sensation on the lip. From there, it grows into a blister, and then it scabs up.
The average lifespan is 10 – 14 days. That’s a long time to suffer. The good news is that there are over-the-counter treatments that work well, and some of them are natural.
Thankfully, there are things that you can use to feel better and sometimes avoid the blister completely. One of these is honey. Not all honey will work, though. Some are only meant for eating – it is put through many different processes. This reduces its healing qualities, making it cheaper for people who only want to use it for cooking purposes.
In this article, we will talk more about honey and how it heals cold sores. We will tell you a few different ways that people use it, and how long it will take. Whether it is just beginning, or is at the end of the cycle as a scab, using honey can sometimes be a good option.
Using Honey for Cold Sores
When you think of honey, you probably think of the kind that is sold as a condiment, like a peanut butter or jelly. This kind of honey may help with healing, but it is not the kind that we are talking about here.
There have been numerous studies done about if and how honey works to get rid of fever blisters. The best type that you can use is Manuka Honey. When bees make honey from the Manuka bush, there is a substance in it called methylglyoxal.
Besides methylglyoxal, honey also contains glucose and fructose. When in high concentrations such as found in honey, these sugars kill fungus and bacteria. It also contains flavonoids, which are known to fight viruses.
While you can’t just rub some on the sore and expect it to go away, you can expect the pain to subside virtually instantly. Using honey, especially Manuka Doctor Bio Active Honey, can speed up the healing process, lessening the pain and embarrassment dramatically.
How to Use It the Right Way
There are a few different ways that people use honey to treat their sores. The most common way is to just apply it to the sore a few times a day. It doesn’t matter which stage it is in; the honey will work to fight the virus.
Although not common, there are people who applied it to the spot when it first appeared, as the small red dot with the tingling or burning sensation. The honey stopped any form of sore from forming.
Of course, everyone is different, as is everyone’s immune system. In numerous clinical studies, using Manuka Doctor Bio Active Honey has sped up the healing process better than a prescribed medicine.
Useful Tips, Help & Advice
- You can apply it to the sore 3 or 4 times a day, just using your finger to rub it on. Make sure that you wash your hands before and after usage.
- Some people mix the honey with a pinch of the spice turmeric. This combination is known to work even better, as turmeric is also a known natural healing spice. All that you have to do is to mix the two well and apply it to the sore a few times a day.
- Never heat up the honey before you use it. Heating it will remove most of the healing properties.
- Don’t use it on babies or very young children. Honey can affect their digestive system, and cause more harm than good. Pediatricians advise parents only to use ice to ease the pain, and some petroleum jelly to protect the scab.
Putting Honey on a Cold Sore Scab
Honey can help to heal a fever blister at any stage, including the scabbing stage. When you have a scab, you probably already know that by opening your mouth or stretching your lip is going to bring pain and burning, if the scab were to crack.
By keeping honey on it, the scab will be deeply moisturized and will be much less likely to crack or tear. The honey will also protect anything from getting into it and will be able to keep it soft until it fully heals.
You can either buy raw honey or Manuka honey, to get fast relief from a cold sore. If you have had one before, you will already know how to identify the early warning signs.
If you have never had one, the first thing you will notice is a hard spot on or near your lip. This is the first symptom of a cold sore. This spot will usually tingle or burn. If you apply honey to it now, you will not have to suffer from the pain and the full length of the sore.
Prevents Cold Sores from Splitting
Another good thing about using honey is that it will keep it moisturized and prevent it from splitting. The honey will draw out the bacteria and will help to kill the virus.
While nothing, even prescription medications, can kill the virus, using things like Manuka Doctor Bio Active Honey can ease the pain and prevent the sore from getting worse. It can cut the healing process in half for some people.