Cold Sores For the Bride: Not A Good 'Something New'
By: RobinBarr | Posted: 13th June 2008
Cold sores are caused by a virus in the herpes family, and about 60% of all people carry it whether they know it or not. The virus lurks in your body until an attack is triggered, giving you one of those huge unsightly sores on or near your lip that are embarrassing and painful.
The bad news: one of its favorite opportunities to flare up is when you are stressed. Yep, like handling last minute details for your wedding.
It's near or on the big day. The unspeakable happens - a cold sore outbreak which will be memorialized forever in your pictures and video. You’re certain all eyes are directly at the cold sore on your lip as your husband kisses you as his wife for the first time. Oh, the joy of the reception line as everyone makes a split second decision to shake your hand rather than get closer for a hug or kiss. Watch later, as you mingle with all your friends and relatives, at how clever they are at finding ways to overt their eyes from your cold sore.
All right, enough of this nightmare. The best treatment for a cold sore outbreak is to prevent it altogether: keep your immune system strong by getting adequate sleep. Fatigue is a notorius trigger for cold sores.
Handle any stress with good nutrition, including a high quality super complex B Vitamin such as MegaFood DailyFoods Balanced B Complex or Rainbow Light Just Once B-Complete, both food based vitamins so they will not upset your stomach even if taken without food. Both are available in many health food stores or online such as www.vitacost.com (800) 381-0759, or www.clubnatural.com (800) 570-8840.
Try to stay away from sick people; cold sores crop up when you have a cold because your immune system is already under attack from the cold virus, not because the cold brings cold sores with it.
Pain in the mouth area can also cause a cold sore, so take special care not to cause any injury to your lips or face. In the month prior to the wedding, it would be a very bad time to have permanent cosmetic lip lining, botox injections, or even a dental procedure if it can be avoided until after the wedding. Finally, sunshine and ultraviolet rays are also a trigger for cold sores; don't get that last minute tan, but rather opt for the spray-on tanning treatment. If you have to be in the sun for a prolonged period of time, be sure to use a lip balm with the highest SPF available where you’re making your purchase.
If the all-to-familiar tingling or numb sensation starts near your lips, you can put a couple of drops of menthol or real eucalyptus oil on it; both these substances, available in health food stores, have shown good effect against cold sores. One common remedy is two drops of eucalyptus oil blended with 10 ml of sunflower oil, which keeps your skin soft and hydrated.
Take an anti-inflammatory like Tylenol for pain and swelling. Echinacea, the famous cold remedy, is also pretty darn good for cold sores for many people; scientists think that its natural antiviral properties help your immune system do its work. Golden seal is another herb commonly used to boost the immune system versus viruses. Though golden seal is not quite as powerful overall as echinacea, it specifically targets mucosa, the type of skin tissue your cold sore loves to infect.
Lysine - Many people have reported that taking the amino acid L-lysine has prevented or lessened the duration of their cold sores. You might consider taking 1,500 to 3,000 mg. daily as a preventative measure, and if you still feel a cold sore coming on, make sure you take the full 3,000 mg dose per day. No amino acid in large doses should be taken for long periods of time. Take the lysine between meals, preferably on an empty stomach. Lysine may also be applied topically to the sores. Lysine can be purchased at health food stores, and online retailers such as www.iherb.com.
If you want to eliminate the hit and miss nature of trying one herb or remedy after another, you could try an all-in-one topical herbal remedy, Cold Sores Begone®. Not widely known about, this non-toxic topical formulation acts as a preventative, often working when nothing else does. It can be found at selected health food stores, online at www.csbegone.com, or calling the company directly at (888) 877-6315.
Follow the precautions about stress, fatigue and nutrition, and be ready to act if you should feel a cold sore coming, so on your wedding day, your thoughts are about the happiest day of your life and not on a cold sore.
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Tags: bad news, outbreak, immune system, health food stores, flare, good nutrition, adequate sleep, herpes, b vitamin, cold sores, minute details, bad time, cold virus, b complex, mouth area