There are many different home remedies for herpes that can help you get rid of those annoying cold sores. You can find the overview here.
Herpes: an annoying evil
Often a little stress is enough and cold sores sprout on the lip: Over 85 percent of all people are infected with the herpes simplex virus, but only in some of them does herpes actually break out. Once the vesicles appear, they keep coming back – and we'd like to hide away. Fortunately, there are some home remedies for herpes, with which we can get rid of the complaints in a gentle way.
First aid: when herpes breaks out
Herpes is often announced by symptoms such as a slight tingling sensation or tension on the lip. You can now take action and curb the replication of the viruses before the first vesicles break out. Ice helps: Simply wrap a cool pack in a dry tea towel and press lightly against your lip. If the blisters are already there, the ice can unfortunately no longer help – in the worst case, the cooling can even damage the skin.
The best home remedies for herpes
Do you suffer from cold sores? In acute cases, the following home remedies can help against herpes:
- Garlic: Garlic has an antiviral and disinfectant effect, which is why it is often used against herpes. Simply chop or squeeze a clove of garlic and rub it on the blisters.
- Tea tree oil: Tea tree oil is also generally used for skin diseases because it has an antibacterial effect. However, it has to be diluted: tea tree oil is mixed with water in a ratio of one to three, then it can be dabbed on the herpes several times a day with a cotton swab.
- Honey: Honey is a real all-rounder: it contains so-called antimicrobial substances, which means that it can kill viruses and bacteria and prevent them from multiplying. As soon as the herpes breaks out, you can dab some honey on the affected areas. Practical: Honey also makes the lips particularly soft.
- Lemon balm: Lemon balm is one of the few home remedies for herpes whose effects have even been proven in a study. The medicinal plant contains certain active ingredients that prevent the herpes viruses from penetrating the body's cells. After a few days (sometimes even after a few hours) the herpes symptoms should improve.
- Zinc ointment: Herpes becomes particularly uncomfortable when the blisters burst and weep. Zinc ointment helps here – because zinc dries out the affected area of the skin and prevents oozing.
- Tea: Black and green tea are said to have a healing effect. If you want to use the tea as a home remedy for herpes, you should simply pour hot water over an appropriate tea bag, let it cool and then press it lightly against the lip sac.
What about toothpaste?
Many sufferers swear by the use of toothpaste as a home remedy for herpes. However, critics advise against using toothpaste. This is because it contains certain irritating substances that can further damage the skin that has already been affected by the virus. In addition, most toothpastes have no effect, because this can only be traced back to zinc, if at all, which is only contained in some types of toothpaste.
What should I watch out for when using home remedies for herpes?
It is especially important not to accidentally distribute the viruses further, if you treat the herpes externally with home remedies. That's why it's best to use a cotton swab to apply the home remedy to the lip and throw it away after one use. Afterwards you should also wash your hands.
What if home remedies for treatment no longer help?
In most cases, cold sores can be treated with home remedies for herpes – but not in everyone. If the presented means do not help within two or three days, you should find out about alternatives in a pharmacy. Herpes patches or anti-virus creams can then help.
Can I also prevent herpes?
Once the lip vesicles have broken out, you can unfortunately not get rid of them: The herpes pathogens stay in the body for life and can cause an outbreak again and again, for example when stressed. There are a few things you can do to minimize the number of cold sore outbreaks:
- Strengthen your immune system, for example by making sure you are getting enough nutrients
- Drink at least two liters of water a day
- Get enough sleep – most people need between seven and eight hours of sleep each night
- Eat a balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables, fiber (for example from whole grain products), a little lean meat, lots of fish and lean dairy products
- Make sure you get enough exercise: you should do it at least three times a week for 30 minutes each time
- Protect not only your skin, but also your lips from the blazing sun with sunscreen
Reading tips: You can find out everything about nasal herpes here. We also explain what you should know about herpes on the eyes and herpes in the mouth.
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