Cold Sores
What Is A Cold Sore?
Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, are caused by a virus called herpes simplex. They usually appear around the mouth and on the lips. They are highly contagious but not dangerous.
About 90% of the population have been exposed to the virus by age 50. On average, people who get cold sores usually have 3 to 4 episodes a year, but this figure can vary significantly from person to person.
People who get cold sores may feel some unusual sensations around the lips in the 2 to 24 hours before the blisters appear, including tingling, burning, pain, or numbness. This is called a prodrome or warning sign that cold sores will appear at these spots. The skin then turns red and blisters form, generally varying in size from 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm. They ooze a clear liquid for a few days that dries to a yellow crust after a few days. There is usually some pain in the first few days after the cold sores break out, but this often disappears as the cold sore crusts over. Complete healing takes from 10 to 19 days for new infections, and 5 to 10 days for recurring infections.
Ask questions and learn more about your cold sore, talk to your Pharmasave pharmacist today!
How Can My Pharmacist Help?
Pharmasave offers common ailment services across the country, including cold sores. Your Pharmasave pharmacist can assess your symptoms and recommend “at-home”, self-care, or over-the-counter treatments. They may also be able to prescribe medication to help treat your cold sores.
While there is no known cure for cold sores and cold sores can go away on their own, some medications may be helpful for preventing the progression of cold sores or for treating cold sore pain.
Medications for treating cold sores:
- Some cold sore remedies to help relieve symptoms are available without a prescription. These products are usually liquids, ointments, gels, or balms that can help prevent cracking and reduce the pain of cold sores.
- Docosanol* is an antiviral blocking agent which, if applied when prodrome symptoms arise, may help prevent the cold sore virus from spreading into healthy tissue, limiting the growth of the cold sore. It can reduce the severity of cold sores and shorten the duration of the cold sore episode by about a day.
- Acyclovir*, a prescription antiviral medication, can be applied in an ointment form to the cold sore 4 to 5 times daily. This treatment must be started at the first prodromal signs of your cold sore.
- Acyclovir, famciclovir, or valacyclovir antiviral medications can be taken by mouth within 48 hours of your symptoms starting, or when you are exposed to known cold sore triggers (e.g., sunlight) to shorten the amount of time it takes for a cold sore to heal, and decrease the duration of painful symptoms.
Find your local Pharmasave and talk to your Pharmasave pharmacist about your cold sore and which treatment might be right for you.
What If I Need A Prescription?
After an assessment, your Pharmasave pharmacist can write a prescription for treatment instead of an over-the-counter medication or at-home treatment if deemed necessary.
The common ailments, like cold sores, a pharmacist can prescribe for varies by province*. For more details, view the Canadian Pharmacists Association’s chart: Common Ailments Prescribing in Canada.
To learn more about how your pharmacist can help, visit your local Pharmasave store and speak with your Pharmasave pharmacist.
*Note that common ailments prescribing is not always covered by provincial health care – a pharmacy fee may apply. Speak with your pharmacist about eligibility.
