Just because winter is over, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of cold sore season. Once contracted, the virus never leaves the body, remaining dormant until something triggers it to appear again. Knowing what causes cold sores and how to fight them can go a long way toward offering relief. Plus a giveaway can help too.
Cold sores are common and contagious, affecting approximately one third of Canadians. Appearing as a cluster or single blister around the lip area, cold sores can cause pain, itchiness, and redness, and if left untreated can last from six to 10 days.
Cold weather can trigger an outbreak but some other common causes to trigger an outbreak can include fatigue, stress, sun exposure, hormones, menstruation, as well as a fever, cold or flu.
“The first sign of a cold sore outbreak is often a tingling or itching sensation, yet this initial symptom is often overlooked,” says Nancy Simonot, Abreva spokesperson and pharmacist, NKS Health Pharmacy. “As a pharmacist, I’ve seen first-hand how cold sore outbreaks can literally transform a sufferers’ appearance, life and schedule. Which is why understanding how to treat this condition is key.”
You can help fight cold sores by being aware of what causes an outbreak and by following these five simple tips:
- Boost your immunity by getting plenty of rest, exercising and eating a balanced diet as worn-down immune systems may find it harder to keep the virus inactive.
- Watch for common triggers that may cause a cold sore outbreak.
- Treat your cold sore early and continuously by keeping your cold sore treatment handy and applying at the first sign of an outbreak (usually a tingling feeling or a red bump) until itLook for products that contain the medicinal ingredient, docosanol, which will speed up healing when applied at the first sign of a cold sore.
- Use a cold sore treatment that contains real medicine. Abreva is the only over the counter remedy that contains docosanol, an active medicinal ingredient that helps block the virus from entering skin cells, limiting it from spreading to surrounding healthy skinAbreva is clinically proven to shorten the duration of a cold sore.
- Moisturize your lips at all times which includes staying hydrated and using sun block on your lips in both the summer and winter.
The folks at Abreva want to help keep cold sores away by offering one EverythingMom reader a Boost Your Immunity prize pack, including: Wooden massager and lavender bath salts to help you de-stress, sleeping mask and pillow to help you get better rest, wellness journal so you keep track of your diet and exercise, natural lip balm with SPF to help you protect your lips and skin this summer, immunity boosting tea and water canteen to keep you hydrated, as well as Abreva, the number one pharmacist recommended treatment for cold sores to help keep them at bay if you or a loved one is a sufferer of this pesky condition! Approx. value $150 Cdn.
To enter, simply fill out the form below. Contest is open to Canadian residents only, and ends at midnight (EST), June 26, 2012. One entry per person/household. Please see full contest details.
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