Cold Sores

[atkinsonr]

Going on holiday at the end of September and my boyfriend without fail always manages to get a cold sore within a few days of arrival, I'm guessing the sun has some adverse effect that brings them out. Has anyone got any ideas on remedies/prevention? Thanks

[4getmenot]

Its weird because the sun should actually help them. Get him to take lots of vit C before. But there are lots of remedies on google

[Wak]

As soon as my lip starts feeling itchy or the spot appears I dab it with the wife's perfume and the alcohol in it seem to penetrate the skin and kill the bugs in that area.
I believe that once you get cold sores you'll often get them as the bugs/virus (or whatever they are) are in your blood.

[atkinsonr]

I've just googled it and it says on there nail varnish remover people were swearing by it, the idea goes through me but suppose it's not my lips!

[Sqad]

Well, it's not YOUR lips, you said it was your boyfriends lips.

[DEN53]

When going in the sun I always use Banana Boat Aloe Vera with Vitamin E Sunscreen Lip Balm SPF 30 - its like one of those chapsticks you use in the winter. I always apply it above my top lip aswell, where the cold sores would form.

I bought mine from Wilkinsons but I would think any chemist or store would sell them. I even apply it if I sit in the garden. It definately works and protects against cold sores. I have been using one of these for around 2 years now.

Good luck x

[LouisCyfer]

Has anyone got any ideas on remedies/prevention?

Yes avoid people with herpes!

[Sqad]

DEN....atkinsonr, seem to be indicating that the lips are NOT the problem.....she hasn't said which part of her body is affected.

[kira000]

I would suggest that the reason he always gets them then, is that his body has become rundown through working, and when he finally stops, it all catches up. It happens alot, different people are affectd in different ways.
I get throat infections alot at the start of holidays, christmas etc.
My Best mate was the same, but got upset tummies instead.

Treatment for cold sores stays the same, but its an explanation!

[hc4361]

Sunshine is a known trigger. Make sure he takes some Zofirax and uses it at the first tingle.

[atkinsonr]

kira000 it does make more sense that it's just the fact that the body catches up. I'm similar to you that I always get a sore throat but I blame that on the germs going round the plane!

[Chillum]

"Body catch up" is nonsense. The sun triggers cold sores, it's been doing it to me for 40 years. As stated, immediate application of Zovirax can stop it in it's tracks, or at least lessen the severity and shorten the duration of the attack.

[LazyGun]

chillum and hc are absolutely right - intense sunlight is a known trigger for reactivating a dormant herpes infection and bringing on a cold sore. I would just reiterate the advice you have already been given here. I didnt notice if you mentioned the site of the cold sore, but liberal application of high SFP sunblock or sunblock lipbalm, together with zovirax if he starts to feel the cold sore coming on would be the best action you could take.

[Ice.Maiden]

Zovirax'll zap them.