Cold sores usually appear when the immune system needs strengthening, or when a person is under a great deal of stress, but can occur at any time. There many over-the-counter (OTC) medications offering relief from itching and pain associated with the cold sore, and speed the healing process.
Types
There are several different types of OTC medications, with active ingredients (either natural or pharmaceutical) such as camphor, eucalyptus, lidocaine, benzyl alcohol, benzocaine, lysine, zinc and phenol.
Effects
All OTC cold sore medications are designed to do one of three things: to relieve symptoms; to prevent the progression of the blister or lesion while shortening the length of the healing process; or to prevent the virus from being able to produce a cold sore even before it starts.
Function
Most cold sore treatments will relieve symptoms, which often include redness, inflammation, burning and itching. These treatments usually contain ingredients such as benzocaine, lidocaine, or camphor.
Prevention/Solution
Treatments that work by preventing the progression of the cold sore also shorten the healing time, and help prevent them from spreading or worsening. They generally contain ingredients that have antibacterial or antiviral properties, and promote healing and preventing reinfection or spreading of bacteria.
Considerations
Certain medications on the market have properties that will help to prevent breakouts, as well as treat existing cold sores. There are balms and moisturizers that help keep cold sores from drying out, cracking, and bleeding. Some treatments for cold sores may even contain a sun screen such as zinc oxide, because bright light can often trigger a cold sore outbreak.
Tags: cold sore, cold sore, cold sores, contain ingredients, healing process