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For years I suffered from cold sores (also known as fever blisters). I dreaded what I knew was coming when I felt hat first tingle on my lip. About 2 years ago I discovered Abreva. What a relief! It is a white cream that comes in a small tube and can be purchased without a prescription. Instead of a week or more, my blister was gone in days.

To my delight I found if I immediately apply Abreva, my Cold Sores quickly heal and were less severe and hardly ever developed into a full blister. I also take L-lysine. Be sure you check with your doctor on the dose. I take 2/500mg tablets 3 times per day starting as soon as I think I have a Fever Blister coming. L-lysine is an amino acid and is available without a prescription almost everywhere vitamins are sold.

Cold Sores are caused by the Herpes Simplex virus. Unfortunately after your first infection, the virus stays with you forever. The virus will cause a blister outbreak from different triggers for different people. I used to get Fever Blisters when the weather turned very cold or even very hot and I had forgotten to apply lip moisturizer. I have had a Fever Blister pop out after bumping my lip on a cup or after drinking orange or pineapple juice while my lips were dry. I assume the acidity irritated my skin and the blister came out. I even have had them after being in crowds.

I learned to always keep my lips moisturized. I keep Vaseline next to my bed and never allow my lips to get too dry for long. I have read instructions from others to throw away toothbrushes and lipstick after a blister outbreak, but frankly I don't always do that. If it is almost time for a new toothbrush or lipstick, I will throw the old ones out, but if they are new, I wash the toothbrush and just wipe off the lipstick in the tube.

I used to have episodes in which after one blister was almost healed, immediately another would develop. At times it would be weeks before I was rid of them. With Abreva my Cold Sores quickly heal within days and I do not have one after another anymore.

These are the rules I follow religiously to prevent and heal cold sores.

1. Keep lips moist at all times. Carry lipstick or moisturizer and a tube of Abreva everywhere you go.

2. Keep moisturizer (such as Vaseline) next to your bed and you will be more likely to use it if you wake up at night with dry lips. Apply the Vaseline right before you fall asleep.

3. If you should feel that first tingle indicating a Cold Sore, immediately apply Abreva and take some L-lysine.

I have gone from having numerous outbreaks to maybe one or even none per year.

Learn more about this author, Joan Kuper.
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