Fever blisters are sores that tend to appear on the lips, although it’s very much possible for them to form on the chin, nose, cheeks, fingers and even privates, too. Other than looking nasty, what makes fever blisters despicable is the fact that they are highly contagious!
The culprit behind fever blisters is the herpes simplex virus type 1 or HSV-1. Once HSV-1 infects you, it tends to stay with you for life. However, this does not mean that fever blisters will ceaselessly mar your image and leave you in great discomfort — yes, fever blisters can be painful and itchy! Sometimes they are present and other times they are not there. Stress, hormonal changes, too much sun exposure, skin trauma and a weakened immune system are some of the things that are known to activate HSV-1 and cause fever blisters to appear.
Because of the recurring nature of fever blisters, it’s a good idea for those who are bugged by them every now and then to know some effective all-natural remedies. Relying on these solutions can help provide relief and accelerate the healing process, too, which usually takes 2 to 3 weeks.
Here are some of the best home remedies for those pesky fever blisters:
Cold Compress
Dip a small cotton pad in cold water, and then squeeze to force out excess. Place it over fever blisters and leave it in place for a few minutes. This solution can be repeated several times a day to attain relief from pain and itchiness. Some people with fever blisters choose to apply an ice cube wrapped in a small piece of cloth directly on their sores.
Whole Milk
Cold whole milk is a tried-and-tested home remedy for fever blisters as it has soothing properties and a certain type of fat in it can actually zap HSV-1 — and that’s why it has to be whole milk. Using a cotton swab, cold whole milk can be daubed on those fever blisters many times a day until the desired result is obtained.
Yogurt
Since yogurt is made from whole milk, it can be used for dealing with fever blisters. As a bonus, the well-loved healthy treat has beneficial microbes in it. Yogurt may be applied on fever blisters several times daily for relief as well as accelerated healing. By the way, the best yogurt for the job is the plain kind.
Baking Soda
A special type of paste that can zap the pain and itchiness that fever blisters bring can be made from combining a little baking soda with a few drops of water. More importantly, this said paste can make the healing a much faster process. Leaving the paste for at least half an hour on problem areas before rinsing off with water is a great idea.
Garlic
Everyone knows that garlic has superb antiviral properties, and that’s why it can be used to speed up the healing of fever blisters. To employ garlic for dealing with fever blisters, a clove has to be peeled and sliced in half. Then it should be gently rubbed on the affected areas. Similarly, the oil inside a garlic capsule may be applied.
Tea Tree Oil
Another well-known anti-viral agent that comes from nature is tea tree oil, which is a staple in so many listings of home remedies for various skin conditions. Since it’s so powerful, a part of tea tree oil should be diluted in 3 parts of distilled water. The mixture should then be applied on fever blisters up to 3 times a day for the next 4 days or so.
Used Tea Bag
Those who love drinking tea have easy access to an effective home remedy for fever blisters — used tea bags. While still warm, a tea bag should be placed over affected areas and left there for up to about half an hour. It may be carried out many times per day whenever relief from the symptoms of fever blisters is sought.
If you know other home remedies for fever blisters, don’t feel embarrassed to share them below.
