DEAR DR. GOTT: I have noticed that a lot of people write to you about cold sores. Valtrex works to totally inhibit them. I have suffered from cold sores since the age of 4. When I was in my early 30s, the virus got out of hand and I was getting cold sores on a monthly basis. My dermatologist suggested I try 500 milligrams of Valtrex daily, and my cold sores completely stopped. I’ve had two cold sores in the 15 years since, both times after stopping the medication for about two to three weeks to see if I still needed it. My mother and brother also use Valtrex but on an “as needed” basis. They take it when they feel the tingling that comes before the sore. They take two 500-milligram tablets when they feel that tingle and then one 500-milligram tablet once a day for a week after that. Please tell your readers about this remedy.
DEAR DR. GOTT: Cold-sore outbreaks can be triggered by foods high in arginine, such as peanuts or peanut butter. Eliminating those foods or increasing L-lysine intake can help.
DEAR DR. GOTT: I would like to share a simple home remedy for cold sores. Simply take a red match, dampen it with water and then put it on the cold sore and hold it there for a few seconds. It may sting, but that is simply the sulfur doing its work. If you can catch it as soon as the sore starts, it’ll never fully develop. Both my grandkids, ages 6 and 7, have used it successfully.
DEAR DR. GOTT: For years, I was plagued with cold sores. I suffered with them in and around my mouth. I discovered that eating raw onions (which I didn’t like growing up so never ate them) both cured them when I had one and prevented them from occurring. For the past 30 years, whenever one starts, I add onions to my salad or hamburger and away they go. I still don’t like them, but I tolerate them. I hope this helps other sufferers.
DEAR READERS: Cold sores (also known as fever blisters or herpes simplex 1) are painful, fluid-filled lesions. Most commonly they occur on the lips. Less commonly, they can appear in the nostrils or on the chin or fingers. Rarely, they may occur inside the mouth. Cold sores are not the same as canker sores (painful, shallow, white or yellow ulcers), which occur only in the mouth but are not the result of the herpes virus.
Valtrex is a prescription antiviral medication. In most instances, when I answer letters about cold sores, I do not recommend prescription medications, primarily because many people avoid them. Instead, I am most often asked to provide home remedies or alternative remedies for this common malady. However, for severe cases, such as yours, Valtrex may be the most beneficial and effective treatment.
L-lysine is one of the most common home remedies used for the treatment, and sometimes for prevention of cold sores. L-arginine is known to trigger the herpes virus in some individuals.
As for the match and onions, I’m not sure why they work but I cannot see any harm in trying, either.
