Cold Sores: Stages of Cold Sores Healing Process

Cold sores is an annoying condition that causes painful blisters to appear on different areas of the body. However, these fluid filled blisters are generally seen on the lips, but can also affect the chin, fingers, nostrils, and other areas near the mouth. In some cases, these blisters appear on the gums and hard palate. This skin disorder that occurs due to herpes simplex virus causes the skin to become red and swollen. Cold sores cannot be completely cured, and recurrence of this skin infection is noticed among many people.

Cold Sores Stages

How long cold sore stages will last depends completely upon the body's response to this condition. For a healthy person, the cold sores may end within 8 - 12 days, but in others it may take even 3 - 4 weeks to heal. Appropriate treatment can definitely help to speed up healing process and shorten the cold sore stages that are listed below:

The Initial Cold Sore Stage: The cold sore slowly begins to form. As a result, the person experiences soreness and itchiness around the affected part. Eventually the area gets swollen and causes irritation.

The Blister Cold Sore Stage: Over time, fluid filled blisters are clearly seen on the infected area. These blisters are very small and appear as clusters. In most cases, large sized clusters are not visible. They are basically tiny, hard pimples, that cause burning or painful sensation.

The Ulcer Cold Sore Stage: This stage is most contagious as the tiny pimples break and form a big ulcer causing extreme pain. A clear fluid is continuously released from the ulcer. The fluid contains newly formed viruses, therefore it is essential to avoid contact with the fluid to prevent spread of infection.

Cold Sore Stages of Healing: The cold sores healing process usually starts 2 weeks after the formation of the sores. However, it can even begin early depending upon the patient's health. As the scabs slowly begin to develop, after the ulcer vanishes, it is considered to be the first sign of cold sores healing.

The Crusting Cold Sore Stage: During this stage, the cold sores healing process begins. The ulcer tends to become dry and eventually develops a brownish crust or scab. The person may also experience an itching sensation. The constant cracking of scabs also causes a lot of irritation. One should not try to remove the crust by hand, as the crust acts as a protective cover to the new skin that is being formed under it.

The Healing Stage: With the passage of time, the wound that shows formation of a scab subsequently flakes off. Under the scab, new skin begins to form that causes more itching and pain. This indicates that cold sores will soon heal and the skin will regain its original texture. Most importantly, cold sores that resolve on their own do not leave any scars on the skin. Even though the skin is free from cold sores, the healing process is not yet complete, and still continues under the newly formed skin. The new skin appears reddish and the person is still contagious. The condition is said to be totally healed when the redness disappears.

How To Heal a Cold Sore?

Cold sores healing process is considerably slow, and it can take almost 3 weeks to get rid of this skin disorder if no medical treatment is taken. Cold sores is not a serious condition as such, hence, there is nothing to worry about. However, certain treatment options are extremely useful to heal cold sores faster.

Cold Sore Remedies: Pain relievers such as Ibuprofen, Aspirin and Acetaminophen provide considerable relief. Applying ointments that include Benzyl alcohol (Zilactin) or lidocaine on the affected part can relieve the discomfort associated with cold sores. Antiviral medicines like Acyclovir, Famciclovir and Penciclovir are also prescribed by doctors to lessen the severity of cold sores. However, Vaseline or other petroleum based products should not be applied, as they keep the infected area moist, which in turn slows down the healing process. An easy way to tackle cold sores is to strengthen the immune system. This will in fact prevent the recurrence of cold sores. Taking garlic supplements and Vitamin C tablets can boost the immune system. Lysine dietary supplements in the form of capsules (1000 mg) before meals, three times daily, can also help to reduce cold sore healing time.

Cold Sores Home Remedies (How to Speed up Healing Cold Sores Naturally): Application of ice cubes or warm compresses over the blisters can also help to fasten cold sore healing. A holistic approach to treat this condition would be to use tea tree oil or aloe vera juice, as they destroy the germs and heal cold sores faster. A natural way to heal cold sores involves making a solution of olive oil and salt, and then applying it over the affected area. To decrease healing time for cold sores, mix one drop each of neem oil, jojoba oil and tea tree oil, and then apply on the affected portion several times in a day. The antiviral properties of these plant oils are effective to limit spread of herpes virus and shorten the healing time.

Change in Diet: The food that we eat has also been linked to the formation of cold sores. Foods high in amino acid arginine are notorious for causing outbreaks of cold sores. People suffering from this condition should refrain from drinking coffee and eating nuts, chocolates, as they are high in arginine content. Acidic foods can also contribute to the growth of bacteria. Restricting intake of acidic foods such as tomatoes, carbonated beverages and citrus fruits can heal cold sores in a short duration. However, foods rich in lysine protein, such as milk, cheese and yogurt are known to improve the condition and limit the spread of herpes simplex virus. This protein and the simplex virus do not go well together. Lysine, commonly found in most dairy products can play an important role in healing of cold sores wound.

Cold Sores Healing Time With Abreva: Abreva can work wonders for the treatment of cold sores. This non-prescription medicine recommended for cold sores is highly effective to eliminate cold sores. Approved by FDA, Abreva not only decreases the severity of symptoms but also shortens the healing time. The medicine penetrates deep into the skin to heal the wound from inside. Abreva provides an easy way to heal cold sores quickly. Apply this ointment 3 - 4 times everyday to get rid of cold sores within a week.

To know more about cold sores read:

• Cold Sores on Lips
• Cold Sores on Tongue
• What Causes Cold Sores

Some people, in order to get rid of cold sores, try to squeeze the blisters. However, this will not help in any way to eliminate cold sores. On the contrary, the condition will worsen and increase the time span of cold sore stages.