If you begin to see tiny blisters on or around your lips, they could be fever blisters. Highly discomforting, fever blisters are often filled with fluid. Fever blisters heal naturally, and there are no known cures for them. However, fever blister medicines are readily available, which catalyze the healing process, ease the discomfort, and manage outbreaks until the blisters are completely healed.

Fast Fact: Cold sores are a type of herpes, the herpes simplex virus HSV-1. However, they are different from the virus that causes genital herpes, or HSV-2. The confusion can be attributed to the fact that both viruses affect the same areas.

What causes fever blisters?

HSV-1 causes fever blisters and can infect other parts of the body, too, including the genitals. Once infected, the virus lies dormant in the body and presents or recurs at any given time. Typically, stress is one of the most common triggers that result in the outbreak. Other triggers include

• depression

• physical or emotional stress

• injury or trauma

• dental procedures

• hormone fluctuations

• extensive sun exposure

Additionally, a weak immune system, autoimmune diseases, cancer, HIV, burns, or eczema are attributed to a higher risk of causing a fever blister outbreak.

While antiviral fever blister medicines prescribed by your treating physician will effectively and quickly relieve your pain, you can also supplement them with some home remedies. Here are our top five home remedies that promise to hasten the healing process and give you quick relief.

1. Ice

Ice is known to treat myriad inflammations by reducing blood flow to the area. Ice also numbs the area for a short time, so you experience lesser pain. While using ice will give you temporary relief from the discomfort and pain, it will not affect the virus in any way.

Wrap an ice pack with a towel or a cloth, and place it on the cold sore/fever blister for a minimum of 5 minutes and a maximum of 15 minutes. Do not apply ice directly onto the skin to avoid future injuries.

2. L-lysine

People have repeatedly reported the preventative benefit of taking L-lysine supplements. L-lysine is an amino acid that may reduce the duration of a fever blister by inhibiting its growth.

Medical practitioners typically recommend a range of 500 to 3,000 milligrams (mg); however, you can also follow the recommendation on the package.

3. Zinc therapy

A 2001 study found that a cream containing zinc oxide and glycine shortened the duration of cold sores. A more recent study showed that zinc oxide may play a role in preventing the herpes simplex virus from entering cells. This study is based on zinc’s ability to heal wounds.

After consulting with your physician, you can take zinc sulfate supplements or use zinc oxide cream as a topical treatment for fever blisters.

4. Tea tree oil

Researchers have actively studied the antiviral properties of tea tree oil for years. It helps in speeding up the healing process and in limiting plaque formation.

You can use tea tree oil topically by adding the diluted oil to a cotton ball and dabbing it on the sore spot several times per day.

5. Apple cider vinegar

There are a multitude of benefits of using apple cider vinegar (ACV), one of them being for the treatment of fever blisters. While there have not been dedicated studies that can provide ACV’s effectiveness against herpes, many studies have pointed out to ACV’s anti-infective and antifungal properties.

Since ACV has acidic properties and the potential to damage skin tissue, one must use ACV cautiously on wounds.

You can dab diluted ACV on the affected area with the help of a cotton ball.

How to prevent fever blisters?

Currently, there are no drugs or vaccines against HSV-1 or HSV-2; however, small, everyday steps towards a healthy lifestyle can help keep your outbreaks to a minimum and reduce their frequency and duration. Take steps to reduce stress and boost your immunity, and rush to get treated at the sight of the very first symptom and take the fever blister medicines prescribed by the physician.