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Fever blister cure. Immediate

Submitted by Marilyn

Typically these occur on the lip. As soon as you notice one coming up, sometimes a peculiar taste and tenderness will appear before any swelling does, apply heat to the area. You may cut a hole the size of the fever blister in a heavy sheet of paper and heat it with a hair dryer. Or carefully heat a spoon on a curling iron.

Apply it as hot as you can tolerate it for a minute. The heat kills the virus and arrests the development of the sore. You can completely eradicate your fever blisters especially if you catch it quick enough.

Visitors comments

Did not work for me! Comments By: lt1pnyklr I tried this and it did nothing. I even got a nice flat butter knife and put it onto a clothes iron to heat it up really good and nothing!   Impossible Comments By: Appalled You can not kill an internal virus with topical heat. That's like saying cure a cold by inhaling steam. It's impossible   You can't kill a virus Comments By: Andi You can't kill a virus; you can only treat it. Heat really does make it worse. In some of my anatomy classes, I've been told that fever blisters are more common during the summer because of the heat and humidity in the air and/or because our diets usually change in the summer compared to what we eat during other seasons. So do not apply heat. The only thing you can really do for a fever blister is to rub salt on the blister while it's opened. It's going to sting somewhat, but it really does work. It helps to dry up the wound and it closes it faster; thus speeding up the healing time. Also, you can apply vinegar, ice, or rubbing alcohol on the sore. Alcohol sounds like torture, but that, too, dries up the sore. I hope these work.   what??? Comments By: lulu ok this cant be true....i tried it and it didnt make the situation any better, if not worse plus, it hurt! salt really does work when trying to get rid of a cold sore   Don't think so Comments By: Corie Ice works better. numbs it and relieves swelling. try not to pop the blister, it spreads the virus. if you have more than one in close area they can merge.   ETHER WORKS GREAT Comments By: JON OR BUY CURASORE AT YOUR LOCAL DRUGSTORE IT HAS ETHER & ALCOHOL IN IT KEEP IN YOUR FREEZER AND APPLY ABOUT 3 TIMES A DAY WHEN FIRST NOTICED IT WILL PROBABLY BE GONE BY THE 2ND DAY GOOD LUCK. ==I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DON'T USE IT ON SHINGLES UNLESS IT WOULD CURE THEM TOO FAST AND MAYBE DR'S WOULD LOSE MONEY   Blister Blocker Comments By: anon I have found the cure for fever blisters and wouldn't you know it, it was by accident. Its all natural. When you feel a blister coming on and we all can tell when that is, just put some of this liquid on it every hour for 8 hours and it will never get any larger and the next day it will almost be gone, just a small sensation left, no ugly blister that makes you look like you never take care of yourself. If you do not get to put this liquid on it during the first 8 hours it is harder to make it go away but its the best thing I have ever used.   Ashes Comments By: Yaya My grandmother God bless her, she told me to put the ashes of a ciagerettes, put them on your open blister it well heal with in the next 2 days, it works!!!!   Lysine Comments By: Anon I used to get a fever blister every summer. I started taking lysine twice a day all year long and I haven't had a fever blister in 2 summers. But I did just get one today and I was recently sick. So it worked for my summer blisters.   Curasore Comments By: Pharm. D. As a PharmD. I say use Curasore it works great with ether in it. May be taken off shelves soon so its been said in Va. But it works great most patients see results within 2-3 days. God Bless and Good Luck.   this works Comments By: michelle first you heat up the infected area as hot as you can tolerate. either with hot water or a hot spoon. this will kill the virus in the infected area usually on the mouth or lips. then pop part of the blister with a steralized needle or the tips of your fingers [wash your hands after and before] then apply a solution of stable alt that was ground up with the back of a spoon untill it turns into a powder. mis this with hydrogen peroxcide and apply it to your lip. leave it on there for about 20 minutes, packing salt on to the area. this might cause a burning sensation. after 20 minutes DO NOT wrinse or wipe off the solution. apply ice ontop if it to reduce swelling. apply the misture after about 10 minutes of ice then apply a dab of toothpaste over the are to help dry out the cold sore. repeate this a few times a day and it will be gone in noo time =]   Blisters are a pain Comments By: arta What is "this liquid" that was made as a comment above?   GREAT methods for terrible fever blisters Comments By: Specky I've had horrible fever blisters my entire life, so bad once it took over the entire left side of my face and into my eye. Even though I still get fever blisters often, I've found these simple things help prevent and reduce the duration of an outbreak: Must!: Get a Rx for either famvir or valtrex, and take every single day!! And if yours are horrible like mine, combine both medicines when an outbreak occurs (its okay, it will not hurt you!) 1. Do not eat peanuts in large quantities, such as peanut sauce or alot of peanut butter often - due to an amino acid called l-argnine (the opposite of lysine)..some also have allergies to chocolate or caffine 2. Rub Vicks vapor rub on as chapstick, and during an outbreak..the cure all 3. Buy Bergomot oil and lemon oil at your natural vitamin store and rub on the soles of your feet daily, along with dabbing a little bit of lemon oil on the blister over the counter creams are worthless!   THIS IS CRAZY! Comments By: aiYLEEN I HAD JUST CAME BACK TO SCHOOL AND the monster popped out!!!! i need help!!!,you do not wanna pop it or heat it because when you heat it,it will go dry and crusty!!(ewwwww)   NIK+AID Comments By: Anon I am 70 years young and my "first" fever blister is healing nicely. I used roll on styptic NIK+AID two to three times daily and ice pack for the swelling.   valtrex or acyclovir Comments By: uniformed15 I have had fever blisters my whole life and i have tryed numerous things. About the only thing that has ever worked for me, before i got a prescription was rubbing alchohol. Other than that, the thing that felt was the quickest to relive the pain and get rid of them was, valtrex or acyclovir. I also took lysine. to stop the them from showing up that worked very well too. You can get the lysine at any drug store in the viatmin section. But if you have problems with fever blisters i strongly suggest valtrex or acyclovir.   Horrible little things.. Comments By: Wildkitten I've had fever blisters since i was in grade school...I've recently found out that taking L-Lysine works great if you take it everyday...It for the most part does work..I've also learned that by putting hand sanitizer on it, it heals a little quicker cause it drys it out. I wish there was somthing to make them go away permanatly..   HEAT!! Comments By: Mackenzie Heat does not work on fever blisters cause thats when i get em.   ADVICE GIVEN BY DOLTS Comments By: SUEY KWANG I WOULDN'T TAKE ADVICE FROM ANYONE THAT HAS NEVER LEARNED PROPER SPELLING. DOES ANYONE REMEMBER GOING TO SCHOOL? OR DO THEIR COMPUTERS HAVE SPELL CHECK? LAZY!   Talk is Cheap Comments By: 'Anon' Well, you people didn't really help me any. Everytime I read a comment that I thought might work, there was someone who said that it would only make it worse. Read for yourself, for every one persons answer there is a backfire experienced by someone else.   this might work Comments By: jordon O.K so if you have a cold sore or a fever blister inside your mouth either rinse with salt water,put salt on it,or rinse with lemon juice this will help disinfect it. Don't worry if it burns this is normal ,but thats just showing that its working.   Viroxyn Comments By: Vince I read something about this product. It's quite expensive. 38 dollars for 3 treatment. Reviews on amazon gave it very good review. I am going to try it.   Viroxyn is a scam Comments By: Chico Viroxyn is a scam. The active ingredient is the same as Walgreen's CureChrom. A bottle of CureChrom cost two or three dollars and you can get hundreds of application from one bottle. The active ingredient is Benzalkonium Chloride 0.13% If you want to try Viroxyn just buy CureChrom and use a q-tip to rub it on the affected area making sure not to instert the used q-tip back int the bottle after use. I doubt that it works.   Devasted!! Comments By: Freak out Hi I'm 31years old and just got my first fever blister after a month of fever and cold :( I bought abbrev after day number 2. Don't think it is working so I have been using Camphor Phenol. I need something that will dry it out quickly any sugguestions? I HATE THIS!!!!! So from reading online they say the only cause for fever blister is Herpes simplex 1..could there not be any other cause?   Vicks Works Comments By: Kitty Well I read this board, and I've try like 5 things already to get ruid of a fever blister on the lips that has pain in it..The heat works it relieves the pain and the shallowing in the lip, and the vicks is working I can feel it tingle inside the infection,,to kill it I use Hydrogen peroxide with a q-tip..I'm willing to try anything,,I got a birthday coming up and I don't a fever blister on my lip- I got it from my step son..grr I come back n let u know if the vicks really work, for I have it on right now,,if it does, what a miracle..for I can't handle it anymore   A little of each Comments By: Hopefully helpful I am going to say that it is a little of this and a little of that,EXCEPT for the heat. THe blister feels hot and swollen, isn't that what heat produces--heat and swelling? That doesn't even sound reasonable to me! I know this sounds gross, but earwax (a little secret my gma has passed down). It seems to work if caught at the first "sensation". IF not caught eary enough,then immediately I start the Lysine twice a day;I pop the blisters, carefully with a tissue handy;apply alcohol as many times a day as able; meanwhile also using Abreva as recommended. I have never tried the Lysine until my last outbreak and it really seems to lessen the effects all of the way around...but different strokes for different folks, this is what works for me.   Dry them out quicker Comments By: Kim I have been getting fever blisters since high school. My dermatologist told me to use Domboro. It is sold over the counter, it is a powder astringent. Mix one packet with warm water and use a sterile pad. Do the compress for about 20 minutes 3 times a day for at least 2 days. I dries them up much faster which speeds up the healing time.   calamine lotion Comments By: Mark i know calamine lotion is for poison ivy and poison oak and helps to dry up skin to relieve itching, but i have medicated calamine lotion that i use for everything. Ive used it for anything from pimples to fever blisters. i think its a very good way to dry up pimples without scarring or irritation. same as fever blisters. the medicated calamine lotion takes away some of the irritation and pain and relieves the pressure. i washed my hands thoroughly with hot water and left it running. i washed off the infected area of my face where i have the herpes virus and well, proceded to popping the tiny blisters. after doing so, i washed off my face and hands, careful about not getting it inside of my mouth or anywhere else, and put peroxide on it multiple times. after doing so it turned white. it looked nasty at first but realized the pain was gone. it started to harden up. i then put alcohol on it multiple times. i made sure the peroxide and alcohol got into the sore to make sure it was relieved. the alcohol burned like i never felt before from it. i know that herpes travels through the nervous system and that might be why my lip was so sensitive to the alcohol. after wiping it off with a steralized cloth, i then put calamine lotion on it and let it dry up. after i finished doing everything i could, i noticed my lip was swollen, so i got ice and am holding it to my lip right now. i put on the calamine lotion before i go to bed so that it has all night to dry out the fluid-filled sores. in the morning i just clean it up and go to school, then do it all again for the next couple days. it usually works for me with 2 to 3 days. the ice will definately help the swelling, and the calamine lotion will have a slight burning tingle. but i promise you, it works.   Tawas crystals(alum) Comments By: caryl Alum: an astringent, crystalline, double sulfate of aluminum and potassium, widely used in medicine, manufacturing, and the arts. this is a really cheap, fast and effective way to cure blisters. i use this and poof next day blister gone. may sting abit tho.   what works? Comments By: sam how long do these normally last? && how can they go away?   2day fix for the ugly mouth Comments By: F.A.T.A.L if you feel the tingling in advance apply ice, it will go away, if you do not cat it and it blisters, wait for it to blister and pop and apply alcohol with q-tip directly on cold sore until completely drained. apply ice(small piece) directly on cold sore do not rub ice across lips(you will spred cold sore). and once ice melts apply toothpaste, my cold sore was gone withing 48hrs, nothing but a small scab and it fell off at the end of the day...it work. This worked for me, I also took a mult-vitamin and drunk plenty of water-stay away from orange juice it triggers it   orange juice Comments By: anon I just wanted to say that i do believe that orange juice does trigger them. i went almost 2 yrs without a blister and i drank oj a couple of mornings and i got one yesterday. i wasnt sure what triggered it till i read these. Abreva isnt worth the money so i guess im going to try salt. I need to get rid of it because it totally changes my mood. its very depressing.   No cure quick heal Comments By: Anon When you first get the tingling put abreva, it is worth it, it provides a protective coat on skin tissues which the viruses cant penatrate, which reduces the effected area. Then once the blister does appear apply a rubbing alcohol with a q-tip and sit in the sun. The alcohol will speed the first stage and the sunlight will help kill viruses because sun light because light is known to kill viruses. Once you get to the scabbing stage to speed healing apply crushed lysine/tooth paste(paste not gel) mixture to effected area. This will reduce healing by at least 3 days. Also through out effection I recomend taking lysine, its an aminio acid the body uses to make protiens that form skin. Some people make it naturally and are usually those who do not get cold/fever blister. So by taking daily doses of about 500mg you can prevent future outbreaks.   READ! Comments By: Hannah YES i know how people feel about these fever blisters! i get about 3 a year. And i cannot stand them! dont waste money on products.. i have tryed prescribed and abreva. neither work for me. try home-remedies! hold ice on it. dab nail polish remover on it. dab rubbing alcohol on it. put mud-mask on it. also dab toothpaste on it. DONT POP IT! no matter how many people say to.. dont! it really doesnt help, just irritates it! I WOULD KNOW B/C I HAVE LOTS UNFORTUNATLY! i am typing this with a fever blister DAY 1. HOPE I COULD HELP SOMEONE! I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!! =(   YES IT DOES WORK AND I KNOW FROM MY OWN EXPERIANCE Comments By: Paul ive done this looong before i heard it hear....it does work...no it doesnt just miraculousy make the blister disappear...but it does usually stop it from continuing its course....u have to do it multiple times not all at once but spread apart....EXtreme heat...not just for second....enough to make ur eyes tear....and yes u can kill a virus from heat...just like cancer dies when frozen....NOTHING can live in extreme burning heat....not a virus...not a human...not bateria...not anything.....take a big huge pool of boiling water....u can throw anything u want in there...u tell me wat survived...NOTHING.....why do they tell u to use hot water when washing ur hands....BECAUSE IT KILLs....u people are clueless   THIS FOUR DAY REMEDY WORKED FOR ME Comments By: Nicole Materials: 1 ice pack 1 needle 1 lighter Rubbing Alcohol Hydrogen Peroxide Napkins Put ice in a ziplock bag and cover the sore. Move it around a little bit until it is your idea of numb. burn a needle to disinfect it and wipe it also after burning. Dip it in rubbing alcohol and puncture just a little hole to your blister. Enough for whatever liquid can come out. As soon as the liquids have been drained, apply hydrogen peroxide to the area and let it bubble so you know it is working. Wash your hands. Apply peroxide to the blister when you think you need it. The blister will scab but soon it will be long gone. Put ice on it again to reduce swelling and pain. It worked like a charm for me. It just took four days.   !! Comments By: Sara I'm 19 and have had fever blisters since elementary school. I've tried everything. Recently ive taken lysine without much luck and now have 3 blisters just one day before i leave for vacation. Currently i use a mix of abreva and lysol(believe it or not). Spray lysol on a piece of paper towel or toilet paper and dab it on the sore... it really helps   Fever Blisters Comments By: Anon I have been getting fever blisters since I was a child. My mother has HSV1 and I got it from her. I have found that most things don't make it better. Abreva is a joke, and most things that claim to be like it, are the same. Just plain useless. L-Lysine works great when you first start using it. But, I have found that it does not work for me anymore. I read online that the virus can actually develop an immunity to it. I have read several interesting suggestions on here. I think that I'm going to try the salt idea. It seems to be logical. Also, I have read that Calcium, B12, and other vitamin deficiencies in the diet can cause an outbreak or cause your immune system to be weaker, which could cause an outbreak. Also, foods like chocolate and anything that contains any type of nuts, is said to be high in an amino acid that aids in the growth of fever blisters and cold sores. I hope that one day they find a cure for these things. Because I truly hate them. I hope something works for all of you. Good Luck!   What cauases them Comments By: Denise I get fever blisters from Multi Vitamins and lime juice or Orange juice. Usually within one day of any of these I will get one. abriva works but you have to use it at the first tingle or forget it. Im still looking for the quick cure have had them for many years but If I stay away from lime and orange juice I usually remain blister free.   What causes them Comments By: Denise I get fever blisters from Multi Vitamins and lime juice or Orange juice. Usually within one day of any of these I will get one. abriva works but you have to use it at the first tingle or forget it. Im still looking for the quick cure have had them for many years but If I stay away from lime and orange juice I usually remain blister free.   no more FEVER BLISTERS...EVER,AGAIN! Comments By: stu Everytime iget them i put ear wax on it and i promise....it will be completely gone in 2 days! friends and family have been doing this ever since i told them to try it. so you ask where did i learn this ? unfortunately; Prison. gone on try it next time you get one !   Wary of heat? Try this. Comments By: anon Many people get fever blisters from injury, so it would be my logic that the last thing you need is burned skin that is trying to heal. Even if you don't notice the burns, your skin cells do. That being said, my first plan of attack is ALWAYS ABREVA. If you catch it during the "tingle" stage you can keep it from erupting. Note: I have had these things all of my life and I'm almost completely desensitized to the pain; I'm just VAIN and will do whatever I can to keep the blisters from forming. If I fail at that, I do what I can to keep them flat, skin-toned, and well-groomed until the little buggers slither away. If it does erupt, I keep Abreva on constantly for the first day or so. After that it's ibuprofen (orally although I've given thought to making a paste), ice, tea bags, Abreva mixed with honey, and salt water compresses. If I am out with none of these things it's good old Blistex; I don't ever leave it with nothing on it. Think of your cold sore like a thief trying to get away! Don't leave it unattended! That being said, WASH YOUR HANDS constantly! The trick is to draw out or dissipate the fluid (salt, tea), reduce surface swelling (tea, advil, ice), medicate the virus and keep it from swelling (Abreva), and keep the skin healthy (honey, Blistex). I do not know why, but the honey seems to work wonders. It's a new one for me that I started using after I read about a study proving it worked better than all topicals. I don't know about that yet, but it has an amazing calming effect on the pain and swelling. I have not tried alcohol, acetone, or mud-mask, but I have a fever blister right now and a date tonight, so I will be testing one of these theories out today! I hope this helps. Few things can ruin my day like a fever blister. I'd rather be caught picking my nose I think. ;)   Wary of heat? Try these: Comments By: anon Many people get fever blisters from injury, so it would be my logic that the last thing you need is burned skin that is trying to heal. Even if you don't notice the burns, your skin cells do. That being said, my first plan of attack is ALWAYS ABREVA. If you catch it during the "tingle" stage you can keep it from erupting. Note: I have had these things all of my life and I'm almost completely desensitized to the pain; I'm just VAIN and will do whatever I can to keep the blisters from forming. If I fail at that, I do what I can to keep them flat, skin-toned, and well-groomed until the little buggers slither away. If it does erupt, I keep Abreva on constantly for the first day or so. After that it's ibuprofen (orally although I've given thought to making a paste), ice, tea bags, Abreva mixed with honey, and salt water compresses. If I am out with none of these things it's good old Blistex; I don't ever leave it with nothing on it. Think of your cold sore like a thief trying to get away! Don't leave it unattended! That being said, WASH YOUR HANDS constantly! The trick is to draw out or dissipate the fluid (salt, tea), reduce surface swelling (tea, advil, ice), medicate the virus and keep it from spreading (Abreva), and keep the skin healthy (honey, Blistex). I do not know why, but the honey seems to work wonders. It's a new one for me that I started using after I read about a study proving it worked better than all topicals. I don't know about that yet, but it has an amazing calming effect on the pain and swelling. I have not tried alcohol, acetone, or mud-mask, but I have a fever blister right now and a date tonight, so I will be testing one of these theories out today! I hope this helps. Few things can ruin my day like a fever blister. I'd rather be caught picking my nose I think. ;)   my experience and sollution Comments By: Marek -don't ever rub, no alcohol (just irritates and spreads more), don't pop (that is just insane) First of all, relax, start eating and sleeping right.. it helps.. (eating - lots of meat AKA chicken) I tried many different treatments (abreva included) and they don't seem to work.. Once you get it, the healing process does last a while no matter what.. But what I do to speed it up is to keep my face dry and especially especially the area of the blister. Wash your face carefully around the blister, then the blister by just dabbing once with soapy hands (do not rub) -(wash your hands well after the dab so you don't spread it to different areas) and then by filling your hands with very very hot water (what ever you can tolerate) put the blister area under it and keep it for about 3 to 5 seconds (with out touching and rubbing the blister), apply the hot water this way to the area for at least 3 to 5 minutes over and over.. Repeat all this about every 30 minutes.. The idea is to remove the moisture from the blister and from the surrounding skin.. This will help and start the healing process very quickly.. I've dealt with this crap for many years and this seems to be the best solution -method of speeding up the healing process.. Enjoy!   HOW TO GET RID OF THEM FAST!!!! Comments By: TYRONE I HAVE BEEN GETTING FEVER BLISTER SINCE 2ND GRADE AND NOW ITS TIME TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEM UGLY BLISTER! TAKE LYSOL DISINFECTION AND SPRAY IT ON A NAPKIN OR Q-TIP AND RUB IT ON ABOUT EVERY HOUR AND IT WILL BE GON E IN 2 DAYS I KNO I HAVE DONE IT YEARS AND YEARS!!!   Tea Tree Oil Comments By: Johanna Tea Tree Oil. Get it by the vitamins. Apply it with a clean q-tip every hour for as long as the fever blister is present. If you catch it soon enough the fever blister will not progress at all.   doctor Comments By: melissa I went to my gynecolgist and actually told them that I had fever blisters and I get them very very bad, then he perscribed me VALTREX 500 mg and it works great... they say you take them for genital herpes but you can also take them for fever blisters!   Benzalkonium Chloride 0.13% (Bactine or Band-Aid Anteseptic) Comments By: Patrick You might of heard of Viroxyn - it really does work but the price is way too high. The active ingredient is: Benzalkonium Chloride 0.13% which is also found in Bactine, Band-Aid brand and other first aid anteseptic washes. On the first signs of getting a cold sore (also works if you already have one) do the following: 1. Mix about a teaspoon of anteseptic that contains the Benzolconium with a teaspoon of Rubbing Alcohol. 2. Dip a q-tip into the mixture and gently rub the effected area for about 1 minute. Make sure you rub it long enough for the solution to soak into the aread. 3. Repeat this a couple hours later. The Benzalkonium Chloride 0.13% will actually kill the released virus that is causing the cold sore. Once the virus is killed the pain will cease and the are will healy quickly, within a couple of days. This really works!   ICE WORKS Comments By: lawlaw When you first feel the fever blister take a cube of ice and put it directly on the blister and do it as often and as long as you can stand it and it won't become one of the hideious things on your lip. I used to get them all the time my aunt, who also gets them often, told me to put is on it and it should go away quicker but I thought maybe i can put it on when i feel it and it REALLY works. Even if it comes out you can use the ice and it will heal it faster. The ice takes out all the fever in the blister. Hope this helps!!   HOPELESS HIDING WITH MY FRIEND THE BLISTER Comments By: Megan So I've been getting fever blisters since grade school. But the one{s} that I have now take the cake, they go from my nose to my lip and then there's two on my bottom lip! I read all of these comments, ear wax- which you will never catch me putting on my face, ashes, lysol?!, ice, salt, heat, peroxide, alcohol, astrigent... I'm going to start with the salt today- that seems to sound the most logical. I've found in the past that heat only irritates and hurts. I've been using Oil of Oregano on them. I've also been taking Lysine-Plus pills, a multi-vitamin and DDS Plus, hasnt really seemed to help but I'm going to start trying these other remedies and I'll report back.. Jeez I could try one remedy per blister.. lol this sucks!   Sunburns cause fever blisters Comments By: Julia When I get too much sun, I get fever blisters within a couple of days. Be sure to use chapstick with sunscreen! When I do feel one coming on, I pop L-Lysine, it works great if you catch it soon enough. Yes, if you take one a day, it prevents them also but I get out of the daily routine until one comes along.   Feverblister gone Comments By: salome On the onset of a fever blister, take a clean cotton ball and dab it in Eau De Cologne. Use it as much as possible. It takes the swelling down, dries the blister out and speed up recovery. It works faster if the blister is opened up, but you do not have to do it.   Here's the truth Comments By: cadroncreek I've had fever blisters my whole life and i've tried every medication known to man and after 33 years here is my conclusion. For me it takes 7 days from when the fever blister is detected until when it quits hurting add a few more days for it to completely disappear. I do absolutely nothing to the blister except stay out of the sun!! Big no no...I usually sleep with the covers covering my lips. Apply ice to it for numbing, but other than that grin and bear it...their not going away. I have one right now that popped up today, so i'll endure the pain until next wednesday. I will say some medications make it worse, Carmex has never been good my sores and seems to make them last longer. I have also found that if you keep them moist you prolong the agony for up to another week. I no that sounds crazy but its the truth. When they scab over to me that means your half way there....Sorry for the grim news....Just the truth   tea tree oil works great Comments By: Heather Tea tree oil is all natural and if you apply it at the first sign of the blister (tingling sensation) it typically won't even appear. It drys up the area to speed up the healing process...you can normally get this stuff at any health food store/whole foods...stores similar to that. Hope this helps!   Lysol, abreva Comments By: John Abreva kept it in check for two days. I applied it almost every 2-3 hours. Day two, I got pissed and went to Lysol on my fingertip. It kicked its ass. It will be gone by tomorrow Im sure. Use the Abreva after the Lysol. Every 4-5 hours.   You can't kill something that isn't living! Comments By: t bird Since a few comments back, "Paul" , who called everyone on this site "clueless" for not believing that heat won't kill a virus....well, Paul, virus aren't alive in the first place, so you can't kill something that is dead. Cells are the smallest living organism, and viruses are not made up of the materials that constitute a living organism...but perhaps you missed that in Biology. Frankly, since the virus exists in our nervous system, I also must say that heat might be a self-destructive manner of taking care of the problem. However, could you have been more constructive, seeing your point, rather than your rudeness, may have been easier. There is no cure for herpes. One can only manage it. Different personal chemistries will require different management. All or none of these remedies may work. Yoga and meditation may work. Prayer may work. But to call folks clueless because their research pushes for other treatments? Did these folks not test treatments, too? In my experience, increased body temp and sun exposure trigger sores. So heat seems asinine, especially when I am trying to avoid a scar anyhow. Thanks for the meaningful, properly spelled parts of your input, however.   Baking Soda Comments By: worked for me put a little bit of baking soda in a small cup, wet your finger or a q-tip, rub it only on the cold sore/fever blister and keep it there for a few hours. It will go away within the next 2 days!   LEAVE IT ALONE!!!! Comments By: anon I have tried many many things and my fever blisters are always big and ugly, I have even had them on my face alone. I have learned that the fastest way for it to heal is to stop messing with it and let the virus take its course. If you put topical coats on the blister it will just stay moisterized and not give it a chance to dry up, and if you have ever had one of these nasty things you all know as well as I do, that when it dries up is when it is almost at it's nasty end.   Abreva Comments By: Bristol Abreva really helps my cold sores!It may be expensive but it works. Also dont stress over them as much. less stress the faster they go away!   Time is all that works Comments By: karen I think time is the only cure. I've had these things since I was a kid. The only thing that ever worked for me one time was when I first felt a tingle, I held an ice cube on my lip until my lip went completely numb. I did that a few times and I never got the actual fever blister. I've done that since that one time and it didn't work. I have tried almost everything that everyone has mentioned except for apply a hot butter knife. Now, when I get a blister, I put zinc on it, I wash my hands allot, I throw my toothbrush away after the sore is gone and I pour Listerine on my toothbrush every day while I have the blister, and I wait it out. I've found that by doing these things, I can at least cut the time down of having it to about 4 days.   Voo Doo worked for me Comments By: Jonny Cates I made a small doll from an old sock of mine and some clothing, cut a lock of my own hair and attached it on the dolls head. I drew a small face with a Sharpie™ Pen, drew a blister on the lip (at the exact spot) stuck a pin in the blister... and the thing was gone the next day!! The Sharpie™ Pen did cost $1.99. WARNING: Do not stick pin all the way through the doll, just prick the surface.   i hate blisters!!!!!!! Comments By: ambo i havent had a blister in a whole year and i just got 1 a couple of days ago I really need this 2 go away cuz I have skool 2morrow I can't take this I've tried carmex and camphopanike that's so not how u spell that but nyways that crap isnt working fast enough and that applying heat crap does NOT WORK!!!!! win u feel ur blister first starting applying heat makes it worse or at least with me it does.   atleast comforting Comments By: angie and her sidekick superblister...(*plays out to super man theme song*) Well, seeing as though I have tried pretty much all of the remedies posted here and know from first hand experience(I get them for all sorts of reasons,stress,being emotional,heat,cold, sick,sun,bruising, and sometimes no reason at all) that they all sorta work but arent cures ( topical creams soothe for a while but dont cure, heat causes the blister to swell to popping point which does lead to drying after the ooze is out,keeping moist just keeps the blister from scabbing but it stays longer, ice helps with the soreness,tea tree oil needs to rubbed on often before the blister starts to swell, and lysine / zinc only works to a point but does not erradicate...) all in all its coming, you know it is,you can try run, but you cant hide...but thanks for the posts,its comforting to know I am not the only one suffering.   Tea Tree Comments By: G Tea tree works best for me. Ive been having them for years and nothing works unless you catch it at the tingling stage, impossible as it always starts in my sleep and when Im run down and tired. Tea tree applied with a Q-tip as often as you want stops mine from progressing and dries out the sore within a day or so, hence speeds up healing. dont bother with any other harsh measures, when its there thats it, you just have to leave it take its course. Also I find vitamin C helps. Just do what you think is best, and if you want to endure added pain by burning it and sticking needles in it then thats your decision.   Lemon balm from the health store Comments By: Anon I have tried everything and what works fabulously is taking Lysine orally at the onstart as well as applying lemon balm topically. The lemon balm dries and heals it very quickly. It's very soothing and nothing has worked faster. You will love this!   Years Experience!! Comments By: SaraLee123 I have been getting fever blisters since I was a child. I used to do the popping and peroxide deal, and it does work, except then you have a big green crusty mess...Yuck! When I got older I started using Abreva, which does work if you start it at the beginning, when you feel the first tingle. The thing with Abreva is that one it is expensive, and two you have to put it on often. I usually do it as soon as I wake up so it can be on until I get to work. Then again on every break i get throughout the day. And then as soon as I get home at night. The stuff it white and easy to see, so i make sure to wipe it off before returning to work. It is a total pain, but my blister are usually gone pretty fast within 3-4 days. I also take Valtrex at the first sign. I do not take it daily, because it is too expensive, and I don't have Herpes downstairs, so I'm not as concerned about an outbreak. I have a blister right now, in conjunction with an ear infection. I usually get them when I am sick or ladies, that one time a month can help bring them on too. Summers and winters are the worst, but all you can do is manage. With any treatment expect that worse case scenario it takes up to 10 days for the virus to run its course and then it will go back into hiding for however long. Hope all of you heal quickly!! :)   Abreva, Heat and Hydrogen Perixode/HydroCortisene Comments By: angie Everyones comments sound good...I struggle w/ the outbreaks also, rare and far in between. I treat with Abreva...have used the heating method, hot towel as hot as you can tolerate....seems to draw the blisters to a head...have popped before, did not spread...immediated rubbed abreva on the area after popping and heating. Continued this method....tried the perixode tonight....and cortisene cream to elevate the itching.....all of our methods sound great, except for the poor soul who commented on using animal fecies....nasty. Good luck all. Oh and acid, citric acid intake....i've been drinking lemon juice to fight a swollen lynoid as physician recommended....this might have been the cause of latest outbreak....or nasty dental equipment as i just had dental procedure 2 days ago....just wanted to add   maybe this will help Comments By: jay i woke up yesterday morning with a fever blister that had already formed. i have battled these things my whole life. i used ice and abreva as much as possible and then when i got home last night i made a home remedy. i used everything i have heard that helps fight these things. i mixed salt, honey, lysol, and lysine (fluid not pill). i mixed them all into a bowl. then i punctured the blister and used a q tip to put my paste on my fever blister for 5 minutes every hour. i used ice for another 10 minutes every hour and abreva on it the other parts of the hour. while it is not completely gone, you can't see it anymore except for the redness. you can still feel it, but you can't see it and everyone who gets these knows how you feel when you have one. hope that helps someone. good luck...   My lip IS NOT tingling anymore Comments By: Kelly Okay, after steadily holding ice on my lip I woke up with a very small bump on lip that somewhat resembled a whitehead. I scraped at it (I know I shouldn't have), and nothing. It seems a a tiny bit swollen BUT, NO FEVER BLISTER! YEAH!!   My Lip is Tingling Comments By: Kelly My lip started tingling an hour ago. I am steadily holding ice on it. I don't think I'll try the heating thing because I prefer not to have a red burn mark on top of my fever blister in the shape of a butter knife. I also believe I'll stay away from the voo-doo doll unless it has something to do with my ex-boyfriend. Ear wax may work for some but seems just ummm...gross. As far as the expensive medicines, I don't have the money. So, again, ice. I will let you know the results.   OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN Comments By: Jessica Hare At the end of summer I was very sick and i formed this awful colsore on my bottom lip and 3 fever blisters in the corner of my mouth. It took around 1 month to heal with "Abreva", ice, L-Lysine, B12, Folic Acid, salt, Campho Phenique, etc. Let me tell you folks, I've tried EVERYTHING to get rid of these nasty little things. Since then, I've gotten around 5 more fever blisters!! I've recently ordered an oral medication called "HERAX" it works great. You take it orally every 30 mins and your fever blister packs it bags and leaves. lol. Right now, I've almost gotten rid of a fever blster when one formed under it, so i did the 'bad' thing and popped it. Oh well, now I'm using ice and it seems to work nicely. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you with fever blisters and cold sores!! Hope I helped.   Shea Butter works for me! Comments By: danielle Raw Shea Butter works wonders! Just simply melt it with a match and apply it to the infected area (especially at the blister stage). I find that it eliminates the blister in less than a day and the resulting scab is very small. The whole episode from outbreak to healing lasts about 4 days. I have suffered with cold sores/fever blisters intermittently since I was about 14. In some instances I have gone years without a reoccurrence and in other instances they are way more frequent. This is the first remedy (which I found by chance and out of frustration) that works and works quickly! It elimates the embarrassing stage. Hopefully it will work well for you.   FEVER BLISTERS Comments By: AVAUGHN I'M 38YRS OLD, BEEN GETTING THESE MY WHOLE LIFE. THEY ONLY THING THAT I FOUND THAT HELPED AND BELIEVE ME I TRIED EVERYTHING...CURASORE WHICH IS HARD TO FIND BUT IF U PUT THAT ON AS SOON AS U CATCH IT I PROMISE IT WILL GO AWAY FAST. ALSO, MIX A LITTLE CLOROX WITH WATER AND USE A Q-TIP IT PUTS A BUNCH OF TINY HOLES IN THE BLISTER AND DRIES IT UP FAST. MY MOM TOLD ME THAT AND IT WORKS ONLY IF U CAN CATCH IT AS SOON AS YOU FEEL IT COMING..WHICH I HAVE ONE NOW, THAT CAME YESTERDAY WHILE I WAS AT WORK ACTUALLY I HAD FIVE LITTLE ONES AT 1 TIME, AND HAD NOTHIN BUT ALCOHOL TO PUT ON IT...AND GUESS WHAT NOW I HAVE A BIG UGLY FEVER BLISTER ON MY LIP. AS SOON AS I GOT HOME I PUT CLOROX AND WATER, THAT HELPED WITH THE SWELLING AND BUSTED ALL BLISTERS...TRY IT LET ME KNOW.   There is something about applying heat Comments By: Stephanie I just don't get it. They are called Fever Blisters (hence the name BLISTERS) aren't blisters caused by heat?   COLD SORES FOR 35 YEARS Comments By: Ron I have tried many things. Lysine never worked for me. Ice helps a little. I take Acyclovir once a day 200 mg. It helps cut them down alot. Without it I get them every 6 weeks. When i use i get maybe 3 times a year and they arent nearly as bad. I think different treatments work for different people. They heal faster when they remain dry. Tea tree oil doesnt do a thing for me. I will try some of the things I learned here   Pepto Bismol Comments By: Yo Mama I read in one of the "Queen of Cleaning" books that Pepto Bismol works only if you apply when you have tingling. I tried it and it worked the first time, but maybe I didn't catch it soon enough this time. :(   This works 100% Comments By: Sarah 1. Mix 1 cup warm water with 1/4 tsp iodized salt. 2. Dip a cotton ball in the solution and apply to the cold sore for 5 - 10 minutes twice a day for 7 days. 1. Apply Acyclovir Zovirax on the blister 5 times a day with 4 hour intervals for 5-10 days. This method worked for so many people I know, it's the safest and most sure-fire way to get rid of cold sores.   Baking Soda with lemons Comments By: Palmira I tried this when I had my first fever blister and it worked (thank goodness): 1)Wash your hands!!! You do not want more bacteria in there! 2) Squish the lemon so there is juice in the very top 3) Apply a little baking soda to the top and spread it so it starts foaming 4) Finally apply it to your mouth for 10 seconds This is going to burn like hell, but at least it will get rid of it. It will crust the next day. It did for me....   Witch Hazel Comments By: Cherry Try witch hazel for some of the pain.It helps a little with the inflammation. Oh,and try applying garlic water to the fever blister. It helps too.   (::()::) Sicillian Cookie Recipe* Comments By: Asterisk Okay, so this REALLY isn't a recipe for a cookie. The stuff kinda smells like a cookie when you're done. First, boil water. Then, while the water is boiling,put in some garlic. Next, add olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, lemon juice,baking soda,and finally the thing that makes it smell like a cookie,sugar. It could be colored sugar if you like. Put in one of those cups with the bumpy outer side. It will keep your fingers from burning. When you are done, add some witch hazel too. Apply with Q-tip. Do not ingest. This stuff will just numb the sensation. * this stuff will not make the fever blister vanish. It will only keep you from feeling the stuff for 5 seconds.   why.. Comments By: Brittany so i just had one simple cold sore it was almost gone when a fever blister popped up on my top lip then my bottom lip tingled and i got more when i woke up the next morning (this morning) my whole lips were covered in them and swollen huge. WHY!?:[   A Real Effective Solution...It Really Works! Comments By: Maria I've been getting fever blisters since I was a teen ager. I've tried everything and have to say that the following combination works the BEST: 1) first go get a RX of Valtrex (blue pills) from your doctor. Valtrex is not just a RX for genital herpes - it also is an aid for fever blister/cold sores on your mooth. These pills will fight the infection from the inside. Then also apply topically the product "Curasore" on the sore(s) themselves. This will treat the sore from the outside. The Curasore product has ether alcohol in it which effectively dries up the blister. I promise that the sore will be gone in 2-3 days...promise! Of course you can also simply stop the outbreak from even happening altogether if you take the Valtrex pill once you feel tingling sensation indicating an outbreak is about to occur. I always keep with me and travel with these two items just in case I get an outbreak. Good luck to you!   Don't use HEAT OR SALT!!! Comments By: jalloyd Heating the blister or putting salt on it are NEVER the solution to getting rid of a fever blister...think about it: fever blisters are caused by overexposure to the sun, too much salt, stress, etc. So applying heat or salt to the blister can only do more harm. Recently I tried using alcohol/nail polish remover (as suggested earlier)...IT WORKED! I put the nail polish remover on it about 30 minutes ago and it has already gotten significantly smaller! The alcohol in the nail polish remover dries it out, and it isn't a cluster of bubbles anymore, it's much flatter (easier to cover up and not as disgusting to look at!) I'm going to keep applying the alcohol and hopefully, at the rate it's going already, it will be gone soon! This is the best remedy I have found yet! Better than OTC medicines or other home remedies.....definitely try nail polish remover! It burns pretty badly, but just stick it out because it is worth it!   listen up!!!! Comments By: Mike Hunt KY worked for me, I use it everytime..... gone in less than a day.   YOU MUST USE THIS!!!!!!! Comments By: Anon The answer you will not believe... (drum roll please) is... CALMOSEPTINE! Yes, the same stuff you use to cure your poison ivy rashes and lots of other stuff, can be used to get rid of fever blisters. Works on chapped lips too. Just apply the stuff, and almost instantly the irritation goes away. You'll be amazed. It works really well. Leave comments if it worked for you!   Calmoseptine actually WORKS!!! Comments By: Angeline When i first saw that comment i thought "thats crazy! it will never work!" but i was desperate to get rid of these HUGE fever blisters on my upper lip.So i tried it. I was a bit skeptical at first, cause it sounded so crazy, but i put some calmoseptine on these huge fever blisters and the pain went away i couldnt believe this crazy thing actually worked! they will be gone in about a day or so. It really works.   Tea Tree Oil Comments By: DJ Thank you so much for writing about the Tea Tree Oil. I haven't had a fever blister in a year and I'd forgotten about the symptoms and missed my window to treat it prior to the blisters appearing. My blisters appeared yesterday and I have a job interview in 2 days. It figures! I purchased some abreva and it was worthless. Woke up this morning blistery and red. After reading about the Tea Tree Oil I picked some up at the pharmacy and have been applying it every 45 minutes with a q-tip. Within the first 3 hours I could see the blisters drying out. It's now been 8 hours and they continue to dry out and are have formed scabs! All this in EIGHT HOURS! I have no doubt that within in the next day of full Tea Tree Oil applications every 45 minutes. They will be completely dryed out before my interview! I will follow up with the abreva after that ONLY because I'd purchased it already and can't throw away $20.00! Hopefully it will speed up the healing process from there. Thanks again!   They Suck!!! Comments By: SJS I get them from the sun,fever,stress,carmex,blistex,ect...The only thing i can use on my lips is medicated chap stick. Everything else gives me fever blisters. Abreva is a joke!! I have taken the L Lysine pills and they work at first but then they quit after awhile. then i used the herpicin-l chap stick stuff and it didnt work. I had a cream that worked for me and it was called Novitra. I loved that stuff and it was a bigger tube and a lot cheaper then abreva. I bought it 2 or 3 times and now i cant find it anymore. I get fever blisters all the time. also milk of magnesia works well to dry it out. I will try the salt to see how it works. Salt seems to work on a lot of other things (nose spray and when you pull a tooth you rinse your mouth out with salt water) so i may try that and the vicks rub. i dont get the whole heat thing...the sun gives me them too...so that would most likely make it worse!   Simple And Less Painful Comments By: Ashley So I woke up and found out I was on my period and I had a cold. Also that following morning I drank a glass of Orange Juice. Boy was that a mistake. So hence I developed a blister on the left side corner of my bottom lip. I waited up it blistered up and did the following: -Cleaned the area with antibacterial soap and water -Popped the blister until nothing else came out. -Took a needle that had been soaking in peroxide and gently moved it around in the pocket the puss had been sitting -Let it bubble, and applied peroxide with a Q-Tip to the surface wound -Washed it with antibacterial soap and water I noticed the swelling went down tremdiously, and the sore ceased to hurt afterwards. Now every few hours, I recheck it, and repeat the process as stated above. Now it's only the first day of me having it, but it looks to be going away fairly quickly.   If u can't find Calmoseptine..... Comments By: Angeline use Toothpase.It works quite similar and it helps a little bit. Use it like u would Calmoseptine. Until u find Calmoseptine, use toothpaste. My fever blisters are crumbling and falling off. Send comments.   listen to the tip that says READ!!!!! Comments By: michaela the read comment works the best. :) i am not lying. and the best part is it doesn'y even hurt :) try it u won't b let down   Vitamin C stops my fever blister in its tracks Comments By: Monique Buy some Vitamin C crystals (triveta is where I order mine). The Vitamin C is instantly absorbed. 1 Teaspoon = 4000 (yes thousand) milligrams mixed in water or what ever you want it mixed in. I woke up to the fever blister and started massive amounts of Vitamin C. 50,000 miligrams the first day and the abreva.(or just take the pills) On day two it was starting to retract and go away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The worst thing that may happen if you take to much Vitamin C is get a runny tummy. But when you get a fever blister your immune system is down so I never have that problem.   Apple Cider Vinegar and Body Alkalinity Comments By: LAURIE Basically you all, your body to too acidic and lets this episodes in. Stress will trigger obviously. If you do get one it must dry out to heal. Apply Apple Cider Vinegar all day long. Also hydrogen peroxide and milk of magnesia mixed and applied with a q-tip in and around the nose and lips for more severe cases can kill this virus, Vitamin b-complex will help with sensitive chapped and cracked lips also,,,,   Just learn to live with it... Comments By: apryl Just so you know...You can't buy anything that will get rid of them they just have to run their course.. I have tried everything,and i have had them since i was a little girl.I have them right now all over my bottom lip.(really bad) and i will just have to wait on them to go away. That is just the way it is..Sorry bout the bad news   HELLOoooooooooooooo World Wake UP! Comments By: Stacy Lee my doctor like,perscribed calmoseptine. i put the sticky pink icing on my lips and it worked. use it nothing works better. Even though i had to wash my hands with a new manicure afterwards. it is gross to touch, but its worth it. Ew! Abreva does not work.   LEAVE IT ALONE! Comments By: VOICE OF EXPERIENCE Fever blisters occur mostly when your body tempeture is high majority of the time when your sick and don't know about it. Your body is working to bring down your fever the cells preventing your fever blisters from occuring is now attedning & helping your body deal with something more important like your fever or a virus in your body its fighting off. Like everyone says... The best remedy is if you feel it coming LEAVE IT ALONE, Keep your hands clean and IGNORE IT. It's hard but it'll be gone in no time. I've gotten them as Long as I can remember. And Scrating them help none! The most we can do Is Really Get on our Needs and PRAY LITERALLY to GOD that he gives us a permanant CURE. Until then if you feel it coming LEAVE IT ALONE!   Realistically speaking.. Comments By: Anon You'd think by now, with all those who suffer from cold sores, there would be a more effective and CHEAPER treatment options out there. Valtrex works GREAT! And Abreva usually works for me if I put it on soon enough. However, I'm writing this now because I can't afford Valtrex and Abreva nor Zovirax has worked and I'm stuck hiding for the next two weeks. I think people should create petitions to lower the cost of Valrex, which is unrealistically priced. This way, we can all be rid of panic and embarrassment we feel when we get them rather than waiting for EVERYONE on the planet to catch the virus and eventually developing an immunity.   SALT Comments By: SG I have tried everything on this site, and I agree very little of it works. My father is an MD so I have had all the perscriptions, Valtrex most recently. That helped some, but it wasn't a mircacle cure. I have tried heat, I have tried popping. All of those helped a bit, but honestly the single most helpful thing is salt. I took a cotton ball dabbed in in salt and put it on the open blisters. Probably one of the most painful experiences of my life, and I have seperated my shoulder cut my thumb in half and fallen of a cliff skiing. That said it worked. Less then ten minutes later the blisters were significantly smaller.   ughh/ Comments By: Anon i have had this cold sore for about four days now. It was going away but it was bothering me that it wasn't going away fast enough so i listening to this tip. I feel like an idiot now because everything is worse. :[ Dont ever pop it open. Drying it out with acne cream overnight worked for me at first because it made it smaller, but dont use anything that will break it open. Then it will scab and its harder to hide.   anyone tried this? Comments By: Sufferer has anyone tried this? http://www.herpes-device-that-works.com/lectroject-operation.html is it effective?   My quick remedy Comments By: Stuart I'll share my quick remedy with you. It's up to you if you do it but it does work. I've had them go completely after 2 days before. Yesterday I got about 3 blisters form on my lip and did my quick remedy and all the blisters are gone, just have one of them with a small scab starting to form. Pop your blisters with a pin or needle, sterilize it with hot water. After wards put salt on them. Go to sleep with salt granules on the blisters, or put salt on every 30 mins. No more tingling and no more blisters forming. Half of what I had on my lip yesterday evening have already gone and it's only 7am, and now the rest are healing.   leave it alone Comments By: m&m vitamins ,lysin,vitamin A&c good luck   Fever Blisters Like Crazy Comments By: Tina Causes for me: Acidic foods on an empty stomache, extreme stress, sickness w/fever &/or vomiting - and most recently the sun. Needless to say, I get these a lot. I get big swollen honkers too. I've tried everything (and I do mean everything) from L-Lysine to earwax - anything & everything over the counter and behind the counter and the ONLY ONLY ONLY thing that really works is to get a prescription to prevent/treat fever blisters. I hate to tell you that. Also, I take a pain relievers to minimize the discomfort. Sometimes I can feel these up to my eyebrows & over to my ear. Abreva really is a joke. The cost is astronomical when you can use just about anything else & get the same result. The rx may be expensive, but if you keep a pill with you at all times to catch it when you suspect you have one it is SOOOooooooo worth it. BTW, if you have insurance, get as many pills per bottle as you can as the co-pay is the same whether you get 1 pill or 500. FYI. Hope this helps someone.   nyquil Comments By: jo after i have one flair up i usually try to pop it then rub a fever reducer nyquil in it, and oranges orange juice orange anything always sets mine off   Ouch Comments By: Kelley Okay so this is my first time with fever blisters, and I'm not really sure what to do to speed up the healing or anything. I did try putting toothpaste on them, along with rubbing alcohol, and salt. These things dried them out, but I don't see them helping the blisters heal any quicker. One thing that you should never, EVER do- don't leave the toothpaste on over night. I did this last night and I woke up three or four times from the intensity of the pain. I actually had to take tweezers and peel off the hardened toothpaste, because it had mixed in with the nasty yellow oozing of the blisters. The pain is not worth it. I almost passed out multiple times because of it. I have a question- how common is it to get a very high fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a sore throat with fever blisters? Is this happening to me because these are my first ones, or is this something I can expect with each outbreak? Any information on that would help- thanks!   the only cure Comments By: anon take two valtrex a day for three days and you could apply alcohol but dont let it run down your face apply with a q-tip.the six pills will cost you around 78 dollars but its well worth it.just take three days off of work.when it starts to heal some pill the scab off and soak it with alcohol and it will dry up right in your face.keep doing it over and over with a clean paper towel every time atleast five times a day back to back. trust me it will work! i do it every time.   i GUESS Comments By: erica perkins I get fever blisters every so often, my first one was in 5th grade around the time I caught the flu. As a kid, my mom just took care of it, but now its all up to me.. So my remedy is .. if I catch it before it blisters up ( tingling sensation) then i dig in my ear & put as much wax as possible without making it look even worst , and then it gradually goes away in like a day or so . But if I'm too late , like now .. then idk what to do. Earlier me & my boyfriend tried popping it and soaking it in perxoide & cleaning it with alcohol & it kindaa wrked, but i woke up at 4 from being too hot , and looked at it & it was bigger ( a full blister ) so i used a sterilized needle, popped it & i switch off from soaking it in alcohol to dry, numb with ice to kill the swollen area, then clean the infection with peroxide. So far, its jst the fluids coming out, so i`m still soaking it in alcohol ( yes it burns but don't be a baby about it unless u want to keep the blister ) & hoping that afte3r repeating this a few times its worth my time . Try it , but I'm no doctor, so dnt write ridiculous comments about my remedy , either like it or u dont   Education is the best medicine Comments By: Not a Doctor What's new in the treatment of Herpes? Researchers are working on many drugs that may eventually provide faster diagnosis and better treatment of recurrent genital herpes. Vaccines Herpes vaccines are currently being investigated and it is felt that an effective vaccine may be available in 3-5 years. Vaccines will only function to prevent the infection in new patients. Those who already have the simplex virus disease will probably not gain any benefit. Some vaccines have been tried to prevent the HSV occurrence, but so far had no noticible effects. These include the smallpox, Polio and Lupidon C vaccine. GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals announced the launch of their phase III trial, called the “HERPEVAC Trial for Women”, which began in November 2002. Isoniplex (Isoprinosine) is already available in over 56 countries. Most countries have approved it for use in HSV infections due to its antiviral action, and more significantly, the ability to stimulate the body's immune response. Isoniplex is currently under investigational trials for HSV primary and recurrent cases in the United States. What About Treatment? Although there is no cure for herpes, some drugs have been effective in reducing the frequency and duration of outbreaks. It might be a good idea to discuss options with your doctor. During an outbreak, keep the infected area as clean and dry as possible. This will help your natural healing processes. Some doctors recommend warm showers in order to cleanse the infected area. Afterwards, towel dry gently, or dry the area with a hair dryer on a low or cool setting. To prevent chaffing, some people also find it helpful to avoid tight-fitting undergarments. Most creams and lotions do no good and may even irritate. Finally, a healthy immune system may be important in controlling the virus. Don't ignore the need for proper nutrition, exercise, and rest. Alternative Solutions: We have also provided links to many alternative treatments for those who wish to suppress herpes naturally: Red Marine Algae, Vir-L-Lysine, Choraphor, Aviralex, Aeura, and H-Balm Facts About Facts The program described, we can confidently say, has changed more lives and helped create more peace of mind than any other programs ever developed for the remission of herpes. It helps people get their lives back on track, and has also saved many friendships. Two control methods are being examined today. One is an antiviral therapy, and the other is immunotherapy. The object of antiviral therapy is to develop drugs that can distinguish cells which harbor the virus from those that do not. These drugs must be selective by destroying the virus inside infected cells without harming normal cells. The drug must destroy the entire virus without leaving fragments or producing mutants that may cause later problems. Essentially, antiviral agents must only be lethal to viruses, but also non-toxic to body cells. Immunotherapy is an exciting area of medicine. Immunological researchers are developing agents that help fight viruses naturally by stimulating the body's immune response system. Some currently available substances can activate the specialized white blood cells. Diet is a very important factor in keeping herpes in remission. It has been found that foods high in I-Arginine may cause herpes outbreaks. The Amino Acid Lysine Controls Herpes Is it true that the amino acid called lysine, is good for herpes outbreaks? Yes. Supplementation with free-form lysine has shown to be beneficial in controlling herpes along with a diet high in lysine and low in arginine. "This suggests that physicians in a position to study the effect of lysine in herpes simplex infections should do so. It appears to do no harm and may be a useful therapeutic measure." Tissue culture studies have demonstrated a beneficial effect on viral replication when the amino acid ratio of arginine to lysine favors arginine. The opposite, preponderance of lysine to arginine, suppresses viral replication and inhibits cytopathogenicity of herpes simplex virus." L-Lysine appears to be an effective agent for reduction of occurrence, severity and healing time for recurrent HSV infection. What foods are high in lysine and low in arginine? Fish, chicken, beef, lamb, milk, cheese, beans, brewer's yeast, mung bean sprouts and most fruits and vegetables have more lysine than arginine, except for peas. Gelatin, chocolate, carob, coconut, oats, wholewheat and, white flour, peanuts, soybeans, and wheatgerm have more arginine than lysine. (See Nutrition) What are Lysine's Method of Action? Nine proteins have been identified in the enveloped herpes simplex viron. In addition to the capsid proteins, the naked virions contain two additional proteins (VI and VII). Protein VII is an arginine-rich protein of the viral core. It is also known that the proteins synthesised by the herpes simplex virus infected cells contain more arginine but less lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryrosine, and isoleucine relative to leucine than the proteins synthesised by unaffected cells. L-lysine 390 mg. was given orally at the first indication of onset of herpetic oral lesions in eight patients and vulvar lesions in two patients, with uniform rapid resolution of the lesions. This suggests that physicians in a position to study the effect of lysine in herpes simplex infections should do so. It appears to do no harm and may be a useful therapeutic measure. Dosages: The amount of lysine required to control herpes varied from case to case but a typical dose to maintain remission was 500 mg daily and active herpes required 1 to 6 g between meals to induce healing." Genital herpes is an STD caused by HSV-1 or HSV-2, although, genital herpes is mostly caused by HSV-2. Genital herpes is a contagious viral infection affecting primarily the genitals of men and women. Genital herpes is characterized by recurrent clusters of vesicles and lesions at the genital areas or below the waist. A person usually gets HSV-2 infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. Transmission may occur even if there is no visible outbreak if the infected person is shedding. While generally not dangerous, it is a nuisance and can be emotionally traumatic, as there is no cure. Cold sores or HSV-1, the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1, can also cause genital herpes. HSV-1 infection of the genitals can be caused by oral-genital or genital-genital contact with a person who has HSV-1 infection. So having oral sex with a person who has a cold sore can cause genital herpes, having had contact with the cold sore. Keep in mind, even if a cold sore is not present, there might be asymptomatic shedding or transmission. Genital HSV-1 outbreaks recur less regularly than genital HSV-2 outbreaks. Genital HSV-2 infection is more common in women (approximately one out of four women) than in men (almost one out of eight). This may be due to male-to-female transmission being more likely than female-to-male transmission. Genital herpes has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S.; 500,000 are diagnosed each year. One in five American adults has herpes, but only one third of those inflicted are aware that they have the virus. Many people don't relate their symptoms to herpes, since they have either very mild or no symptoms at all. Over 50 million cases are currently estimated to exist in either the active or dormant stage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Theory of Cause: ...Dr. C.N. Look Herpes simplex viruses include two distinct but closely related viruses, namely, HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both viruses can cause genital herpes. Roughly speaking, HSV-2 causes 90% and HSV-1 causes 10% of all genital herpes. Herpes simplex virus is a linear double-stranded DNA virus. HSV-1 and HSV-2 share approximately 50% homology of their genetic materials and they even express type-common surface antigens. It accounts for the high degree of cross-reactivity and the technical difficulty in differentiating the 2 viruses. On the other hand, HSV-1 & HSV-2 antibodies offer some degree of cross protection. Cell-mediated immune responses is more important than humoral responses in determining the severity of HSV infections. Hence, AIDS patients often have chronic and severe anogenital herpes. Genital herpes is usually transmitted by sexual intercourse. Direct inoculation of virus occurs through contact with infected secretions or mucosal surfaces. Orogenital contact with a partner with type 1 herpes labialis can also result in genital herpes. Asymptomatic shedding of HSV is the most common mode of transmission of genital herpes infection. It is estimated that more than half of the HSV-2 genital infections are asymptomatic. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FACTS ABOUT GENITAL HERPES: Transmission is caused by close oral, anal, or genital contact, including intercourse, masturbation, kissing, or any direct skin-to-skin contact which allows for the transfer of bodily fluids. A person is considered contagious when prodromal symptoms, active sores, and healing lesions are present. Herpes is potentially contagious when no symptoms are present. That is, a person who has genital herpes is potentially always shedding active virus. Approximately 1 in 6 members of the general infected population is thought to shed active virus occasionally without symptoms. Some people do not get typical blister-like sores but harbor active virus in their saliva, vaginal, or penile secretions, and can shed the virus without knowing they have herpes. Lesions can occur deep inside the vagina where they cannot be seen or felt, but can readily transmit the virus. An uninfected individual has about a 75% chance of contracting herpes during intimate contact with someone actively shedding virus. Oral herpes can be transmitted to the genitals, and vice versa. Symptoms are similar. Auto-inoculation: An infected individual can spread the virus to other parts of his or her body by touching an area shedding virus and then touching, scratching, or rubbing another susceptible part of the body. Towels are especially conducive to this. It is possible for a person to contract genital herpes if the partner with oral herpes performs oral sex. Oral herpes can be transmitted to the genitals, and vice versa. Symptoms are similar. Environmental surfaces like toilet seats may be a source of contagion, but there is no evidence that this poses a real threat to the general population. Experts differ as to how long the virus can survive on its own. The primary cause of infection remains intimate contact.   BEST CURE !!!! Comments By: ROSEY if you could spare a little bit of crack it will work just fine. i mean the good stuff,not the street grade. i mean PURE (for immediate results.) Now if your lucky to wake up the next day dont look in the mirror. the sore will still be there but the pain will be gone. this cure is now being used for medicinal purposes in case you get caught, you could mention tat to the POLICE   I agree with Hannah! Comments By: Lovely Locs All of the OTC medicines are good, but what about the times you don't have the money to get it? Just have a blister? NO! I am an advocate of home remedies. The last time, before this time, I got a fever blister, I BAPTIZED it with rubbing alcohol. Ok baptized is a little bit on an exaggeration, but I began patting it down and rubbing it with alcohol and after that, placing carmex on it. I did that for two days and day three it was nearly gone to where I was ok going in public and I was teaching at a high school at the time. We know how teens can be. I feel this method can work for I have one again now 8 months later. I went one day without my own method and that little sucker came back with an attitude! What ever method you choose to use be consistent!   DO NOT POP Comments By: sexilipz I've suffered with fever blisters for years.. I can't say I know of any quick cure tip.. sorry. But after reading these posts I have learned soeme new things that I don't think I'll try. PLEASE.. if you get anything from this.. DO NOT POP the cold sore.. it hurts terribly.. swells.. takes longer to heal and YES.. they will spread! The liquid in the blisters is HIGHLY contagious.. Good Luck all... I woke up with one this morning.. sigh :(   facts Comments By: May I suffered from fever blisters, always in the same place on my lip, growing up, when I got too much sun. When I was about 24, a friend of mine got Hodgkin’s and would get terrible fever blisters that never seemed to break the surface. She told me her doctor put her on acyclovir. Ever since then, as SOON as I feel the twinge, I can take 800mg, three times a day, of acyclovir for about 4 days and no one ever knows the fever blister was ever there. I've been blister FREE for years! Recently I went to Mexico and got sunburned. Sure enough I felt the twinge and was without medication. Thursday it broke while still on vaca. I went back to the old school treatment of warm salt water, heavy salt, gently scrubbing to dry the blister. I had scab by Saturday. I then Qtip with hydrogen peroxide about every 2 hours and apply vitamin E oil from the capsules, to keep the area moist. I go from blister to healed in less than a week. HOWEVER, I will never again travel without my 800mg acyclovir!!!   Take Lysine! Comments By: Kari My brother and i both suffer from fever blisters. sun exposure and stress give me a fever blister! I take 1000mg a day of lysine. and when i feel a blister coming along i take two lysine in the morning and one at night. i follow up with abreva at night and dry it out with a dab of alcohol once a day. since taking lysine i have found a significant difference in both the duration and the severity of the blister. But I have one now from a day at the beach and Ive had a small red dot on my lip for almost two weeks now. Not sure whats up! very sad i cant smooch my boyfriend!   heat? NONSENSE!! Comments By: JO ICE IT BECAUSE THAT ACTUALLY WORKS, if i could rate this less than one i would.. for cold sore sufferers look on legitamate sites providing information on them that is written by doctors/researchers and wat not.. the virus thrives in a warm environment that is where it best develops even so, simple common sense.. wen you bump ur head and it starts to swell.. do you not ice it in order to reduce swelling.. think about it!   what i tried Comments By: michelle when i woke up this morning i had a huge fever blister so i looked on here and tried a few things because i work with the public and was worried about reactions so i washed it and burnt a needle poked it drained the stuff out and put calamine lotion on it while i had the calamine on it i took a clean butter knifeand heated one side with a lighter and applied it to waited awhile and then washed it with soap and water and it looks better already i guess i will see by the end of today   Lysine Comments By: Kateseroonie I take lysine as soon as i start to feel that irritating little tingle in my lip. I take 1 lysine as soon as it pops up and put abreva on it. usually this clears it up with a few hours, no lie. the sooner you catch it the faster it will go away. Also, if you are taking lysine everyday to help prevent it. DONT! Your body becomes immune to medication that you may take on a daily basis.   ugh...another blister! Comments By: anon the only thing that works for me is a combo of Carmex & Lysine. together, they work great   I use Denavir 1% Cream and it WORKS! Comments By: Jenny Denavir 1% Cream is only available through a prescription and it really does work. All you do is apply the white cream to the fever blister every 2 to 3 hours. There have been many times when I applied the cream at the first sign of the tingle and the fever blister disappeared completely. I always apply the cream at the first sign of the tingle and I'm very strict about applying it every 2 hours. The fever blister is usually dried up by the end of the first day and scabs over quickly. I wish everyone luck dealing with these nasty little sores. I've tried many products over the years and Denavir has been a blessing.   STUPID COLD SORES Comments By: Staci Urg... Im just starting my first day of college tomorow and I got a cold sore! Ever embarassing when your trying to make a good impression. Ive tried prescribed perscriptions, they suck. Ice just made it worse, and salt and water soothes the pain for a few minutes. I feel helpless and UGLY.   Fever Blister Cure Comments By: LP I have had fever blisters every since I was a child and especially after having Stomatitis at age 11.....They are brutal, gross and hurt, unbelieveably, not to mention its ugly factor. I have tried EVERYTHING since 11. Abreva has worked to some degree, in the past few years, however, very expensive for the amount given. I switched to Calamine and that did well, with cleaning w/ Alchohol before. I have one now but have found a burn creme called..BURN JEL PLUS.....Applied this evening...will keep U posted...but am TOTALLING feeling the effects....no pain, numb, but tingling.....Thus a burn/blister on lip right???????I think I might have found my cure....here's praying!!!!! :)   Easy prevention Comments By: LongTimeSufferrer I've been getting cold sores for about 20 years now and they suck. I've tried all the cures - sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. For me, I recognized a pattern of behaviors in my life that resulted in eruptions. They almost always involved bouts of no sleep, drinking binges, drug use, too many cigarettes at a party, etc. I used to get an outbreak at least twice a year. My recent outbreak a few days ago came three years after my last outbreak, and I can tell you why it took so long. 1) I quit smoking. Cigarettes deplete your vitamin C in a big way. Vitamin C is crucial for your immune system and you just smoke it all away. 2) I quit doing recreational drugs. I had my last hurrah on New Years Eve 1999/2000. No nothing. Only beer for me. 3) Sleep. Your body needs a regular sleep schedule. It doesn't have to be eight hours but it should be regular. I tested out my natural sleep time but going to bed at a reasonable time the night before a day that I didn't have to wake up at all. I noted how long I slept before my body wanted to naturally wake up. That was going to be my new required sleep time. For me it's about 7 1/2 hours. I know that when I grow accustomed to being in bed by midnight at the very latest, I have a higher chance of getting an outbreak if I stay up until 4am. 4) Diet. Fried foods seem to be a bad idea so I stay away from them whenever possible. We know that certain foods are higher in Lysine than others, so try to incorporate them into your regular grocery list. I always say, if you don't buy it, you won't eat it. So don't let yourself buy the stuff that's bad for you, and only buy what's good for you. When you get a craving for food, you'll only have the good stuff in your fridge. I'm not religious, but I took each outbreak as a sign from above that I wasn't taking care of myself. When I look back at my outbreaks, I realize I was to blame for nearly every single one of them. Medicines and vitamins are a cheap way out. Look in the mirror at how you live your life and you may find there are some changes you can make that will make you a healthier person overall.   FEVER BLISTER! Comments By: Meredith Why in the world would some one say put heat on a fever blister. Its in the name, "fever" means hot.. duh i mean thats prolli the reason you got one. Why add more heat to it ..   SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS ASSISTED ME... Comments By: Drea i was born with an every now & then fever blister issue... typically right after being sick, high stress time frames, or a wonderful stint of chapped lips! finally, in my many adventures, research, & quests to try & help my undying, ever returning cause, i found that simply carrying around my small ABREVA pump (as expensive as it can run) in my purse & at the first feeling of tingle, burn, tightness, etc i dabble a little finger tip full on my lip & within the next day, i'm golden! no worries, no issue, no blister! don't know about if this method of prevention is solely based off of level of severity, but doesn't hurt ot try... if it works, i'm so very happy i could help!   ABREEVA.SUCKS. Comments By: JayBay ok, i do not know what you all get fever blisters from, but i get them from onions and the sun. those are the only two things. and i get like 5 per year, which sucks soo badly. they are embarrassing for a teen girl in high school, i know because i am one. i have tried many things and NONE take them away quickly. (although rubbing alcohol for 15 minutes did seem to have the tiniest effect). i just wanted to comment and say, ABREEVA DOES NOT WORK. PERIOD. IT IS EXPENSIVE AND NNOOTT WORTH THE MONEY. especially if money is tight for your family, like mine. thanks:)   Fairly fast relief Comments By: Reta About the best thing I've ever tried for fever blisters is Curasore. It dries them up and makes it feel cold (because of the ethern it. Good stuff! Buttermilk is also good to use on them.Just dab a little on several times a day.   common sense and a common problem Comments By: MD blister. I am a physician and I also suffer from fever blisters. I see the problem from both the scientific side and the 'oh my god this sucks so bad' side as well. first a little background- Fever blisters are caused by a virus. Herpes Simplex 1. Not the type of herpes generally involved with genital herpes (type 2) although they can cross to the genital area. (So don't even think about it when you have an outbreak- not that anyone would let you). If you get fever blisters, you have Herpes Simplex Virus. period. HSV lives in your nervous system. More precisely, in your brain. It travels down your cranial nerves during an outbreak and causes the immune response of blisters around the oral area, typically where the lips and skin meet. This sucks. How can i get rid of these things? As of now there isn't a cure, and i don't see anything to wipe these guys out coming down the innovative pipeline. That means you have to deal with these little bastards living in your brain. Scary huh? Although we can't wipe this virus out you can do a lot to minimize it's impact in your life. It's a lifetime battle and one that is worse for some of us than others. The severity and frequency of HSV outbreaks varies dramatically between people. Here are some general tips though: Prevention- taking steps to minimize outbreaks is the best treatment. Increasing your immune system by living like your grandmother told you to pays dividends. Eat well, lotsa vit B and C, and good sleep helps keep your immune system up. Lysine at 500 to 1000 per day may also help decrease outbreaks. Avoid known triggers. This is a personal thing with people having different triggers- sunburn, stress and lack of sleep are common culprits. Treatment- any treatment is much more effective if started as early as possible. Virus reproduction is exponential, so if you start the battle early you have a lot better chance of keeping it controlled b/c they don't have the overwhelming numbers yet. Acyclovair, Valtrex and lysine by mouth and abreva topical is the best cocktail I can come up with. Each works a little although none work a lot in my experience. This represents a multilevel counterattack on the virus. The virus mutates with time and adapts so the success of this varies between individuals and maybe even for an individual with time. Also take double the recommended dose one time to start to get to a high level early which is critical for success. You will not be able to get these things on a moments notice typically so you have to get them and have them ready to go with the first tingle next time. I recommend keeping the starting dose of each in a bottle in your car or purse so you always have them close by. Also chill out, relax, go hide, meditate, pray, sleep, whatever. I think lowering stress levels makes a difference. Also remember, although it is awful, it will pass and you aren't the only one with this problem although i know it seems like it. Remember to do no harm. All the ice, honey, tree oil and so forth is ok to try because it can't hurt. I would stay away from heat and pointy objects if you can help it. I do pop them occasionally because i can't stand it, but it's probably not a good idea. Camphophenique at this stage in the liquid form is the best drying agent i have found and then neosporin after crusty to help healing. Ibuprophen is really good for mouth pain, 800 3x day with food. Try to stay positive. People have worse afflictions. Live healthy and treat early.   I have three fever blisters Comments By: Kasey. I have three fever blisters right now, they spread because I kept putting all different kinds of medication on it. I still don't know what exactly works but I recommend you don't touch it at all at first, just let it heal on its own. Always wash your hands. I've had things like this for about four years and its terrible, they really affect your self esteem. Some people say put rubbing alcohol on it which dries it and others say put petroleum jelly on it which moisturizes it, so should I dry it out or moisturize it? Oh, and does it have to scab in order to heal?   *ETHER* INSTANT..ALMOST! Comments By: Blister Baby I'm 41 years old and grew up with a hippie father who also happened to be a chemist. I got a fever blister when I was a teen, and I remember him telling me to go to the drugstore and buy a little bottle of Ether. I went to buy it and the pharmacist knew exactly what it was for and gave it to me. Back then you could ask for it without a prescription. I went home and dipped a Q-tip in it and put it directly on the blister and actually watched as it turned white and dried up! I did it over and over (every 5 minutes)for about an hour, and the next morning, it had dried up and was already itching because it was almost completely gone. I've never had anything work like that before, I've used Chap Stick, Vitamin E, salt, heating it, icing it, all of the above on various occasions, even HerpecinL and the virus killers that are on the shelf, but I think that they are mixed w/ something else that makes them not as effective as the "active" ingredient in it, which is ETHER. Read post from pharmacist above. Hope you can find it! Maybe a compounding pharmacy....???   Fever blister remedy -Denavir Comments By: Roxy Denavir is by prscription only. But it's the best . Dries it up super fast. Sometimes it takes just a day. If it's a really bad blister it takes 2 days. This cream is awesome!!!   What is not a good idea... Comments By: Blister Girl. UGH. If you can catch it when it is still tingling, apply abreva and i swear it will reduce the blister size by 40%-ish. I had this crazy idea today to apply a hot green-tea bag to the area. Now everything is red a splotchy and the puss pockets are bigger. NOT.A.GOOD.IDEA. I think I may go fecth some Curasore and alchohol. Those sound like good idea.   i hate them Comments By: ben I've lived with these things for ages they are embarrassing and they really bring my self-esteem down so much. Sometimes i would rather take genital herpes than oral cuz oral everyone sees them. ill try some of these remedies but i know that they will only work for just a little while thanks anyway   I hate them so bad :( Comments By: Jynna So im 17, and ive been getting them ever since i can remember. I have 3 right now as i type. I was suppose to be hangin out with a guy i really like today, but i had to cancel on him. I got mine yesterday, i tried ice, it will numb it..but didnt really help. I did alchohol, and it kinda helped. And i have abreva..but its just not workin for me. Salt hurts like hell..didnt seem to do much either. I woke up this morning and the bottom two are pretty much dried up, but my lip is swollen terribly and soo painful. The one on my top lip is not workin with me, it isnt popping or drying up. I have school tomorrow and i cant afford to miss anymore. Im soo depressed and feel so ugly. Help.   USE RELEVE - BEST EVER Comments By: anan As soon as you feel a fever blister coming on put releve on it no stop. Several times an hour all day at the first sign of tingling. This will cure it in a day and you WILL NOT have any painful blisters. All the other meds take days to work. I found this in the food store pharmacy section looking for abreva which takes days. It was more expensive but definitely worked now my husband and brother in law swear by it and I haven't had a fever blister since.   campho-phenique!! Comments By: anon I've been sick the last few weeks and woke up two days ago with a horrible fever blister on my lip. Without thinking, i popped it and then it spread into what looked like an achne-rash under my lower lip--EMBARRASSING!! i've been trying every remedy I could find, and nothing worked. finally i spread campho-phenique all over it and within an hour it started to calm the redness and ease the irritation.   Plain Old Asprin Comments By: Fred Take maximum amount as directed as soon as you feel that tingle. Continue dosage for at least 24 hrs. Stops outbreak in it's tracks. It's cheap, it works.