Seven Horrible Mistakes People Make With Cold Sores
There is never a good time for a cold sore outbreak, but they always seem to appear at the worst possible moment. They pop up before job interviews, while preparing for a special event or the morning before a first date. People feel helpless and cancel plans or spend the day with their hand in front of their face. Neither of these actions do anything to prevent a cold sore or make it go away faster. In fact, most of the things people do when they have a cold sore makes the problem worse. If you are a cold sore sufferer here are some of the common mistakes you are probably making that are not helping you in any way.
Not managing stress properly.
The reason why cold sores always appear before a big event is because of stress. This is a common cold sore trigger and it can make an already trying time even more difficult. Recognizing when your stress levels are getting out of control and taking action towards alleviating the stress will help to reduce the frequency of outbreaks. Consider scheduling a massage, taking a walk or reading a book to help reduce stress during chaotic times.
Picking at the blisters.
Popping cold sore blisters will not make them heal faster. The clear fluid in the blister spreads the virus and can cause additional cold sores on the face when the blister is popped. Irritating the sore by picking or popping it could lead to infection and is more likely to make it larger and take longer to heal.
Eating the wrong foods.
Arginine is an amino acid that the body needs, but it also causes cold sores by blocking the benefits of another amino acid, L-Lysine. During an outbreak avoid eating chocolate, shellfish and turkey as well as peanuts and most seeds. Also restrict cola and beer intake. A cup of L-lysine rich whole milk may provide some additional help for healing and preventing outbreaks.
Covering it with makeup.
It is natural to want to hide the sore, but applying makeup may make it worse. Many cosmetics contain perfumes and other chemicals that can irritate damaged skin. In addition, the sore could be opened up and irritated while the makeup is applied or removed.
Believing there is no help.
Chronic cold sores seem invincible. Homeopathic remedies, over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs often have no success. It is frustrating, but do not give up. Learning more about the triggers, new healing methods like the Cold Sore Inhibitor and how to care for them when they appear are methods that have led to success for many sufferers.
Spending more time in the sun.
An old folk remedy says that blisters will dry up faster when they are exposed to the sun. With cold sores the reverse is true. The UV rays from the sun are known to cause cold sores. Not only will sun exposure rarely help, it may actually cause additional sores to appear.
Forgetting cold sores are contagious.
Sufferers can experience multiple sores and they are easy to pass on to others. Families that share towels, kiss each other and drink from the same container during an outbreak spread the problem around. Avoiding this behavior, not touching the face and washing the hands frequently prevents additional outbreaks.
