If you’re a sufferer of cold sores you’ll know that, not only can they be painful and unsightly, they can be quite tricky to treat and are usually something that you’re never really rid of. Cold sores come from the Herpes Simplex virus and can be totally symptomless until you have a breakout, which means you’re never usually prepared for when this might happen. According to the NHS website “Cold sores often start with a tingling, itching or burning sensation around your mouth. Small fluid-filled sores will then appear, most commonly on the edges of your lower lip.”.
There are a few things that you can do to help avoid having an outbreak so we thought we’d give you a few simple tips for keeping cold sores at bay.
Don’t let your lips get dry
Cold sores can often develop on areas of cracked or chapped skin, so ensuring that you protect your lips in the winter with a good lip balm is essential. We recommend Decleor Nourishing Lip Balm which will smooth and soften chapped lips and prevent any further chapping in cold weather.
Avoid L-Arginine
Believe it or not, there are certain foods which will exacerbate cold sores because they contain high levels of an amino acid called L-Arginine. Foods such as gelatin, chocolate, carob, coconut, oats, wholewheat and white flour, peanuts, soybeans and wheatgerm all contain high levels of L-Arginine so excessive consumption should be avoided in order to prevent an outbreak.
Take an L-Lysine Supplement
The good news is, not all amino acids are bad; taking the recommended dose of L-Lysine can inhibit the activity of the herpes simplex virus and help you to reduce the chances of having an outbreak. L-Lysine can be taken as a tablet but can also be found in fish, chicken, beef, lamb, milk, cheese, beans, brewer’s yeast, mung bean sprouts and most fruits and vegetables.
DON’T TOUCH!
When you have a painful area on your body, it’s human nature to touch it, but this is the easiest way to spread the virus around your mouth and cause more blisters to appear. Cold sores are at their most contagious during the blister phase and the virus is actually contained within the fluid inside the blister, so avoid picking if you don’t want more – and remember, herpes can affect other parts of your body too, even your fingers.
Take Care of Yourself
The most important thing you can do to prevent an outbreak is taking care of yourself. Cold sores are the ultimate “adding insult to injury” condition in that they often appear when you’re at your lowest ebb with stress or illness. Bolster your immune system with a good multivitamin, a healthy balanced diet and try to keep life as stress free as possible to keep these annoying little blighters at bay.