There are several cold sore treatments that a person can use. Some of them have to be applied topically, while others have to be taken in the form of pills. It is always advisable to start the treatment early in the initial stages when a person experiences burning or tingling sensation before the formation of the blisters. (See Reference 1) This will help to reduce the duration of the outbreak.

It has also been seen that the first outbreak of cold sores is invariably worse compared to subsequent outbreaks. Hence, oral medications are always recommended for the first outbreak and thereafter topical creams and medications can be used to treat later outbreaks. (See Reference 1)

There are many antiviral medications that have been approved by the US FDA as treatment for cold sores. However, there are also some antivirals that are not approved for treating cold sores, but have proven to be effective. Some of the cold sore treatments are as follows:

Denavir is accepted by the FDA for treatment of recurrent outbreaks of cold sores. It is a topical medication. If it is applied within 1 hour of getting the outbreak, it helps to reduce the healing time by 2 days. It also helps to reduce the symptoms, like the length of viral shedding. (See Reference 1)

Acyclovir in the form of cream is also approved by the FDA for treating cold sores. If the cream is applied several times a day, it can help to reduce the healing time by around half a day. The medication is also available in the form of pills and is usually prescribed for 5 days. The pills are highly effective in reducing symptoms of fever and viral shedding; and they also help in easing drinking and eating problems. Pain associated with cold sores requires high dosage of acyclovir. (See Reference 1)

Another medication that can be used to treat cold sores is famciclovir. The moment a person notices the initial symptoms of cold sores coming on, taking one dose, but high dose, of the medication can help in reducing the duration of the infection by 2 days. (See Reference 1)

Valacyclovir is permitted by the FDA for treating cold sores and the moment a person notices the start of the infection, taking this medication twice a day can help in reducing the duration of cold sores by 1 day. (See Reference 1)

Suppression therapy is quite effective in preventing outbreaks of cold sore blisters. However, this therapy has not been approved by the US FDA as yet. Research has proven that people who get over 6 outbreaks a year can actually benefit from taking anti-viral medication everyday to prevent outbreaks and to reduce viral shedding. (See Reference 1)

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