How To Use Aloe Vera For Cold Sores

November 26, 2022

Cold sores are a bother in so many ways – they are ugly, painful, uncomfortable, and worst of all, they ruin your smile. So, when you feel one growing, you want to make it go away before it oozes and crusts over your lip.

Aloe Vera has been found to accelerate the healing of cold sores, so if you have a plant in your backyard, you probably won’t need a doctor to get rid of your sore. In this post, you will learn how to use aloe vera for cold sores to ease the pain and make your fever blisters look a little nicer as they patch up. Let’s dive in!

What Causes Cold Sores?

Cold sores a.k.a fever blisters are caused by herpes simplex, a virus most of us get exposed to when we are younger. There is currently no cure for the virus; once you are exposed, it remains in your body even though it does not often cause sores.

Herpes simplex spreads from one person to another by close contact. For instance, if you share a kiss with someone who has a cold sore, or touches their face and then touches yours, you can contract the virus. Sometimes, the virus will spread by sharing a cup, fork, razor, or lip balm with someone who already has it.

Herpes virus is most likely to be spread by someone who has an existing cold sore, but it is also possible to get it from a person who does not have an active sore or blister.

When you first come into contact with herpes simplex, you will most likely develop a cold sore, which will disappear on its own after a few days. Then the virus will become dormant and you may never experience a cold sore breakout again, though most people do.

Symptoms may include:

Tingling and itching on the lips
Blisters and lesions on the lips
Oozing and crusting
Lip or mouth pain
Lip swelling
Swollen glands
Nausea
Dehydration
High body temperature
Sore throat

Why Use Aloe Vera For Cold Sores?

The benefits of the aloe vera plant exceed treating sunburn and acne; the plant is an effective at-home remedy for cold sores too. For many years, people have used aloe vera on lips to obtain more juicy and luscious lips but this little succulent plant is also a big deal when it comes to healing fiver blisters.

Aloe vera has incredible anti-inflammatory properties that help in soothing burns and irritations and speeding up the healing of wounds. It has similar effects on sores and open wounds, which is why it is one of the most recommended treatments for cold sores and blisters.

The plant also has amazing antiviral properties that inhibit the growth and multiplication of the herpes simplex virus, lowering the number of future cold sore outbreaks. In some cases, aloe vera may render the virus completely inactive, preventing further breakouts.

Related: Can You Eat Aloe Vera

How To Use Aloe Vera For Cold Sores

You can use aloe for cold sores either as a gel or as juice depending on what you hope to achieve. If you are looking to hinder the breeding of the herpes virus, your best move would be ingesting aloe vera juice. This will boost your immune system, which will help suppress the virus and give your body the strength it needs to fight future cold sore outbreaks.

If you have an existing cold sore or blister, however, you may want to apply aloe vera gel directly to the sore. To do this,

Obtain aloe vera gel. You can make aloe vera gel at home or buy an already manufactured one from your local drugstore. The first option will be much easier if you have an aloe plant at home. Just cut a fresh leaf, break it open, and squeeze the gel out.
Using warm water and a clean piece of cloth, clean your sore gently to get rid of dirt. You may add a mild antiseptic to help kill microorganisms in and around the sore.
Wash your hands thoroughly and scoop the aloe vera gel with your index finger. Then apply it to the sore. Repeat the application after every 5 hours and the sore will have disappeared within 4 or 5 days.

Related: How To Make Aloe Vera Gel

When To Seek Medical Assistance

Experts recommend aloe for cold sores because as we mentioned, its anti-inflammatory properties help accelerate the healing of wounds. Aloe vera has been found to cut the healing period of cold sores almost in half.

A cold sore treated with aloe vera should go away within 7 days at most. If yours is still there after three weeks, you should consider visiting a doctor.

Also, if your sore is getting worse after applying aloe vera, you are probably allergic to the plant and you should stop using aloe for cold sores immediately. Additionally, if you are taking cold sore medication, consider talking to your doctor before using aloe vera for cold sores.

You might also be interested in:

Aloe Vera For Gums

Aloe Vera For Lips: This Is Better Than Your Chapstick

FAQs

Q: Is Aloe Vera Good For Sores?

Aloe vera has been found to contain impressive anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce pain and accelerate healing of wounds, so yes, it is good for sores.

Related: Aloe Vera For Inflammation

Q: Can You Put Aloe Vera Gel On Your Lips?

Yes, you can out aloe vera on lips. The plant’s gel has soothing and healing properties that help treat skin conditions including cold sores, canker sores, and chapped lips.

Related: Aloe Vera For Lips

Q: Can You Put Aloe Vera On An Open Wound?

Yes, you can put aloe vera on an open wound. The antimicrobial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory agents present in the plant help eliminate infections and hasten the wound’s healing process.

Globo Surf Overview

If you want to get rid of your cold sores fast, try aloe vera. With incredible anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and healing properties, aloe will help suppress the sores virus, speed up the healing process of sores, and alleviate their pain. If nothing changes after 3 weeks of applying aloe vera or if your sores get worse after using aloe, seek medical attention.

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