Rumor has it that when Michelle Pfeiffer got one during the filming of The Witches of Eastwick, the directors didn’t stop filming or have it covered up, because it added depth to her character. Unfortunately, for those of us not playing a distressed beauty on the silver screen, the only thing cold sores add to our character is dismay. They may also make us cranky, of course, because cold sores aren’t only unsightly, they’re also downright painful. A cold sore announces its arrival with a burning and tingling sensation. Then come the blisters, little pus-filled bumps that often run together to form one big blister that oozes, itches, burns and crusts over before disappearing seven to ten days later. It’s hardly glamorous.
To make matters worse, a cold sore (also called a fever blister) is rarely a once-and-done occurrence. Cold sores are usually caused by the herpes simplex virus. Once you’ve been exposed to the virus, you have a “friend” for life. Luckily, it keeps a low profile most of the time, but various activating factors, such as stress, fever, trauma and exposure to sunlight, can make it rear its ugly head. It also doesn’t limit itself to your lips. Herpes type 1 blisters (type 2 blisters are the ones that affect the genitals) can strike inside the mouth as well as the nostrils, the fingers and even the eyelids.
Fortunately, as bad as the cold sore virus can be, you don’t have to be completely at the mercy of this blistering beast. By controlling stress and using sunscreen, you can help prevent cold sores, says Craig Zunka, D.D.S., past president of the Holistic Dental Association and a dentist in Front Royal, Virginia. And, say doctors, over-the-counter ointments containing zinc oxide can speed the healing of the cold sores that do occur.
Some doctors have also found nutritional strategies that, though they aren’t clinically proven, may ward off herpes outbreaks as well as speed up their departure. Here’s what these doctors recommend.
| Food Factors Since the herpes simplex virus often waits until you're stressed out or falling ill to strike, doctors say that keeping your cool and eating a nutritious diet to stay healthy are always good deterrents. Also, some experts have found that certain foods may actually prevent or trigger outbreaks. Here's what they recommend. Love lysine. Lysine is an amino acid that suppresses the growth of the herpes simplex virus and therefore limits the number of outbreaks, says Craig Zunka, D.D.S., past president of the Holistic Dental Association and a dentist in Front Royal, Virginia. You can boost your lysine intake by eating potatoes, milk, brewer's yeast, fish, chicken and beans. Since the optimum dose to prevent herpes outbreaks may be higher than the amount you can get from foods, however, some doctors also recommend supplements. "I recommend taking one or two 500-milligram supplements a day, depending on the severity of the case," says Dr. Zunka. Lysine supplements are available in health food stores. Go easy on arginine. The flip side of lysine is arginine, an amino acid found in foods such as |
| Prescriptions for Healing If recurrent cold sores have your lips in their grip, some oral health experts suggest that you might find relief from these nutrients.
Nutrient Daily Amount/Application
Oral
Vitamin C 1,000 milligrams, taken at the first sign of an outbreak; then 1,500 milligrams, taken as 3 divided doses for 1 or 2 days
Topical
Vitamin E Oil from 1 capsule, applied directly to
the sore Zinc oxide As an ingredient in an over-the-counter
ointment
MEDICAL ALERT: Some people may experience diarrhea when taking more than 1,200 milligrams of vitamin C a day. |
Nip ’Em with Vitamin C
You may be able to stop a cold sore before it appears by zapping it with a high dose of vitamin C at the first tingle, say the experts.
“As soon as you start to feel the burning and tingling of a cold sore coming on, take vitamin C with bioflavonoids. The two together inhibit the progression of the virus,” says Dr. Zunka. He recommends taking 1,000 milligrams of both vitamin C and bioflavonoids as soon as you feel the tingling, then 500 milligrams of each three times a day for the next day or two. (Bioflavonoids are chemical compounds related to vitamin C. Some vitamin C supplements contain them, but bioflavonoids are also available as a supplement alone.)
“I’ve also seen people have dramatic reductions in the number of cold sores they get each year just by substituting vitamin C with bioflavonoids for the vitamin C supplements they usually take,” adds Dr. Zunka. “Then if you still start to get a cold sore, just take the high-dose regimen in addition to your regular supplement.” Some people may experience diarrhea when taking more than 1,200 milligrams of vitamin C a day.
You can also introduce more vitamin C and bioflavonoids into your daily diet by eating fruits (especially citrus), vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Zap It with Zinc
Once a cold sore has made its not-so-grand appearance, you can dry it up and heal it more quickly by applying a dollop of an ointment containing zinc oxide directly to the sore, suggest some experts.
If a cold sore is really getting under your skin, you might consider asking your doctor or dentist about getting a shot of protamine zinc, a protein-zinc compound, says Dr. Zunka.
“I use it all the time for healing lesions in the mouth,” he says. “You just inject a small amount at the site of the herpes sore, and it clears up the sore very quickly. Zinc is known for reducing healing time up to 30 or 40 percent.”
Add a Dash of Vitamin E
Finally, some doctors have found that the topical application of vitamin E can also take the bite out of a painful cold sore. To try this treatment, just crack open a vitamin E capsule and apply the oil directly to the blister, says Dr. Zunka.
Note: If the cold sore is on or around your eyes, see a doctor before applying any topical treatment.
