What helps against herpes? Quick and helpful tips

Did you know that 90 percent of Germans carry the herpes virus (type 1)? In itself, that’s not a big deal – unless the virus breaks out. Then you are unfortunately one of those affected who has to deal with herpes on a regular basis. Cold sores are usually announced by a burning, pulling or tingling sensation. Sometimes the lip just feels tight. This is the prodromal phase, a kind of precursor to cold sores. The entire process can be divided into five stages:

The bad news is that if you already have the virus, you won’t be able to get rid of it for the rest of your life because it cannot be removed from your body. But the good news is that there are numerous and ointments with which you can treat the first signs and relieve the typical symptoms. It is important for you to know that you have to act quickly if herpes becomes noticeable. Unfortunately, you cannot fundamentally prevent the impending outbreak.

Have you ever noticed that cold sores appear whenever you are stressed or have a cold? In fact, the virus tends to break out when your immune system is weakened. But strong sunlight can also cause you to get herpes. There are even people whose cold sores only appear when they are disgusted by something.

In the prodromal phase, the number of viruses is still low, so you should start treatment as early as possible. The sooner you treat cold sores with an antiviral agent, the fewer viruses will form – which can inevitably affect the duration of the outbreak and the length of the healing period. There are over-the-counter preparations available to treat herpes: There are ointments that contain docosanol, or lemon balm extract. However, they only inhibit the viruses, but cannot stop them from multiplying. A herpes cream that contains antiviral agents (e.g. acyclovir and penciclovir) is much more effective and recommended by dermatologists. Although they cannot stop herpes, they can prevent the viruses from multiplying. These include preparations such as , and . The latter cream has the advantage that it is tinted and therefore does not stand out as much when applied to the lip.

Important: Herpes is highly contagious. This applies not only to those around you, but also to you. The fluid contained in the cold sores contains the transmissible viruses, which can also multiply through your chin and nose. If possible, try not to touch the herpes with your hands and always use a clean cotton swab to apply the cream. This will keep the wound clean so that no bacteria or dirt particles can collect in it.

There are a variety of products on the over-the-counter market that can be used to prevent cold sores. This includes the electronic herpes pen According to the manufacturer, you can curb the first signs such as tingling, burning or itching – just by applying heat, without any chemicals. Contact with the herpes pen is said to have a positive effect on histamines and degradation enzymes. In plain language this means: The impending inflammation is stopped.

Another method of preventing herpes is to take Be: As soon as you notice the first signs, you can take the capsules regularly with a little water – this should prevent cold sores from forming in the first place. Since every body reacts differently, there is no guarantee. The same applies to so-called which are stuck to the affected area at the first tingling sensation and are intended to prevent or at least contain the outbreak.

Last but not least, there are also special products that have been developed to care for and protect lips that are sensitive to herpes – such as the lip cream from . On the one hand, it contains sun protection factor ten to protect your lips from sunlight, and on the other hand, it is intended to nourish and care for your lips before and after a herpes outbreak. The lip balm also promises the same thing which is enriched with manuka oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, bisabolol, calendula extract and shea butter.

If you feel that the number of cold sores is increasing drastically and the herpes is even spreading to your face (e.g. the chin or nose), it is better to consult a dermatologist. He can prescribe you prescription tablets that fight the virus from within. These also help with severe swelling caused by herpes viruses. If the cold sores break out more than six times a year or last longer than ten days, it is also advisable to go to the doctor.

There are many home remedies that are falsely touted as a cure-all for everything, such as toothpaste, alcohol or vinegar. However, you should definitely not use these ingredients to treat cold sores, as they dry out the skin and thus counteract the healing process. The following home remedies are more suitable for prevention: