While cold sores will eventually go away on their own, they have to go through several different stages first. Unfortunately, the later stages, like blistering and scabbing, can be the most painful and embarrassing. When you know how to stop a cold sore in the early stages, it will heal faster and be less painful.

Knowing the early symptoms of a cold sore is important when you want to treat it quickly. If you’re prone to outbreaks, you know the signs better than anyone. However, one of the early signs of a blister includes tingling around the mouth. This can happen before a blister even appears.

Fever blisters are a recurring condition. Once you have the herpes simplex virus within you, you can experience outbreaks the rest of your life. However, knowing what to do to stop a cold sore before it starts can greatly reduce the inconvenience they might typically add to your life.

Because early symptoms of a blister show up a few days before the formation of the cold sore, you should have enough time to start treatment, so that you can avoid much of the pain and ugliness that goes along with a cold sore.

How to Stop a Cold Sore Fast

In this article, we’ll cover 7 different ways to heal a cold sore before it happens. Most people are quick to complain about the pain and irritation that a blister can cause, especially when it starts to burst open or crust over. If you can avoid those stages, perhaps the process wouldn’t feel so bad.

Some of these solutions may also help to reduce the frequency or severity of future outbreaks when used regularly. If you experience flare-ups frequently, using them on a consistent basis can work as a great preventative measure. Some people seem to be more prone to cold sore outbreaks than others. If that sounds like you, any of the following solutions can be useful to keep in mind.

  1. Virulite Electronic Cold Sore Treatment

Instead of applying messy gels, the Virulite Electronic Cold Sore Treatment focuses on using light pulses to get rid of a cold sore in 72 hours. By using the device at the first sign of a cold sore, you can help to alleviate painful symptoms, and speed up the healing time significantly.

The Virulite system is an FDA-approved device. The technology it uses gets rid of cold sores with nothing more than specialized light bursts. Not only is it easy to use, but there are no negative side effects associated with it. In just a few minutes a day, you can treat your cold sore.

It is also designed to help reduce the intensity of future outbreaks. While it may be considered an investment compared to topical creams, if you get cold sores frequently, it’s a quick and painless way to get rid of them at the start.

  1. Lysine

This is an amino acid that is commonly used to treat cold sores in any stage. As an early treatment option, it uses its antiviral properties to stop the herpes simplex virus in its track, and lessen the severity of a cold sore.

Many people who have existing blisters will use a lysine cream or ointment. However, you can take a daily supplement by mouth each day (500mg-1000mg) to reduce the severity of your outbreaks.

Our body doesn’t naturally produce lysine. It is typically found in many of the foods we eat, including:

  • Beef
  • Cheese
  • Turkey
  • Chicken
  • Pork
  • Eggs
  • Beans

If you want to add an extra preventative barrier against cold sores, be sure to include these foods in your regular diet, and you can increase your daily intake of lysine naturally.

  1. Lemon Balm

This is one of the most effective treatments for a cold sore when used in the early stages. Certain studies have even found that lemon balm can decrease the chances of a blister returning. As a member of the mint family, lemon balm provides instant cooling relief to even the earliest signs of a cold sore, like tingling or itching.

It also has antiviral properties to fight against the herpes simplex virus. Finally, lemon balm contains a component called eugenol, which helps to control and kill bacteria. When cold sores split open, they can become susceptible to infection. Lemon balm helps to prevent this due to its antibacterial properties. Not only does it soothe the pain associated with the blister, but these virus-fighting properties can reduce the time it takes for the sore to heal.

  1. HERP-B-GONE Cream

When it comes to over the counter treatments for fever blisters, it doesn’t get much more potent than HERP-B-GONE. As the name suggests, this topical lip balm contains ingredients that fight back against the herpes simplex virus.

Using all-natural ingredients like coconut oil and l-lysine, HERP-B-GONE can reduce the symptoms of a cold sore, while speeding up the healing time. It is an FDA-approved cream that can be used every day until a cold sore has completely healed.

If you start to use it regularly when you feel a blister coming on, it can drastically speed up the healing time. Additionally, it’s one of the first available products that can block the herpes virus and prevent more outbreaks.

  1. Tea Tree Oil

Some of the best over-the-counter cold sore treatments contain tea tree oil as an active ingredient. However, to get the most potency from it, use tea tree oil in its most natural form. Tea tree oil is a natural antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-fungal agent. It is used to treat multiple skin conditions.

It also contains anti-inflammatory properties. If you have experience with fever blisters, you know that that the inflamed redness and irritation that goes along with them can be the worst part. When you apply tea tree oil to a cold sore, it will help to provide instant relief. Plus, it’s easy to use with no negative side effects. Make sure you use a carrier oil, like olive oil, to apply it directly to your skin.

Because it’s all-natural, you can use it as often as you’d like until the sore has completely healed up. The sooner you use it at the first sign of symptoms, the better. It will help to weaken the virus right away.

How to boost recovery from cold sores

  1. Abreva Cream

This is one of the most popular over-the-counter cold sore treatments on the market. While it can be used at any stage of a cold sore, it is recommended that you use it as soon as you feel a blister coming on. It is an FDA-approved solution to reducing the healing time of blisters. Plus, it’s inexpensive and easy to find, making it one of the most practical solutions for this common problem.

One of the main ingredients in Abreva, Docosanol, prevents a cold sore from getting worse and heals it at the earliest stage possible. When you feel the initial symptoms, or see the first sign of a cold sore, using Abreva can help to stop the symptoms almost immediately. If you get cold sores frequently, having this medication on hand often can make life easier.

  1. Antiviral Medications

If you’re someone who frequently experiences cold sore flare-ups, you may want to talk to your doctor about prescription antiviral medications. In some cases, you can keep them on hand to use whenever you start to feel the initial symptoms of a cold sore. Some of the most popular include:

Because some prescription medications can cause negative side effects, they should be reserved for people who get cold sores often, not just once in awhile. However, they are very potent, and when used correctly, they can help to stop a cold sore from getting worse.

If you’re not keen on taking prescription medication regularly, try increasing your intake of natural supplements that contain multiple vitamins. Often, cold sores can flare up due to a weakened immune system.

Making sure you’re getting the right vitamins and minerals throughout your body can make it stronger when it comes to fighting back against HSV-1. Not only can that assist in shortening the healing time of a sore, but combined with other solutions on this list, it can reduce the frequency of outbreaks.

How to stop a cold sore fast

Is it Possible to Prevent a Cold Sore?

There is no way to prevent a cold sore flare up completely if you have the herpes simplex virus. They are highly contagious. There are also many factors that can potentially cause an outbreak. However, you can take precautionary measures to reduce your risk of a severe outbreak.

Use some of the following steps to protect yourself:

Again, cold sores are not 100% preventable, but there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of an outbreak. Of course, we recommend that you use the Virulite Electronic Cold Sore Treatment to lessen the symptoms and heal faster.