Kill cold sores with Zovirax (Zovirax)

Member Name: markos9

Product:	Zovirax
Date:	03/03/09 (361 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very fast acting and effective

Disadvantages: Cream is visible when applied

I hate cold sores! It's not that they're unsightly (although they are); I hate them because they're really painful. Just thinking, for example about eating crisps and catching the cold sore with the edge, makes me wince! The pain is worst when the blisters first come out, any touch hurts. I'm actually getting rid of one now, which encouraged me to write this review (but you probably didn't want to know that!).

The cold sore virus 'hides' in the nerve endings around the mouth and is activated by a trigger. This can be after a common cold (hence the name, of course), stress, or the one that seems to affect me most, sunlight (this is a complete pain if we happen to get a summer!).

Because I hate cold sores so much, I love Zovirax! A tube of Zovirax costs about £5.00 for a 2g pump but it's worth every penny. One tube will last for several 'episodes', too. Zovirax is manufactured by the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline and is their trade name for a cream containing 5% aciclovir, a relatively new antiviral drug. If you're a cold sore suffer the sores can appear at any time, so it's worth having a tube handy (I have tubes at home and in both areas where I work: I think GlaxoSmithKline's profits are high partly because of me).

The pump dispenser is not the best way to deliver Zovirax, in my opinion. I preferred the old tube (like a tiny tube of toothpaste), this was simple to use. Using the pump needs a lot of pressure and I always find that too much sprays out when I activate it.

Once you've got the Zovirax out, I know of two ways of applying it. Firstly put some on your finger and rub it into the sore. I don't like to do this as it means touching the sore and probably causing a bit of pain in doing so. Putting the cream on in this way does mean that it's less visible, however.

I prefer to just put a blob over the entire sore area. In this way, I can leave it for a couple of hours, knowing it's still working. This method does encourage helpful comments like "do you know you've got toothpaste on your lip?", however!

Zovirax works extremely quickly. The cream should be applied as soon as a sore is suspected. If you get the outbreak early enough, it can prevent it coming through or 'kill' it almost immediately. If you don't get it soon enough, and the blister develops, I find that, with me, the Zovirax will reduce the sore to an almost painless scab within 24-48 hours. It's important to keep putting the cream on even when you go to bed.

I've found that, occasionally, Zovirax does not work as quickly as usual. This seems to be when I've been ill, and suspect my immune system is not up to scratch. These occasions are rare, and all I do then is put more cream on, more frequently.

I've heard that Zovirax is now available in tablet form on prescription. This apparently prevents sores occurring as the drug is always in your system. It does mean taking a drug every day, however. They may be worth considering if you're particularly prone to cold sores.

All in all, this is a brilliant product that I can't recommend highly enough to cold sore sufferers. I've tried other 'remedies' and nothing works as well as Zovirax.

Summary: A brilliant cold sore remedy