What To Do When A Red Cold Sore Mark Or Scar Won’t Go Away
Imagine having a red cold sore during an important occasion or family gathering!
And the real problem is red cold sores don’t have any treatment, so getting rid of them can be troublesome. However, you can take a few precautions to prevent the scars from worsening.
For instance, most professionals recommend using aloe vera gel to remove cold sores since it has anti-inflammatory and healing properties. You can also use a specialized scar healing gel to remove the scars and heal the skin.
Ultimately, the treatment can vary based on your skin type and how your body reacts to the treatment. So, we highly recommend taking advice from a skin specialist if the scars refuse to leave your body.
How To Remove Cold Sore Scars From Your Skin?
Usually, the cold sores can leave scars on your skin if there is a severe outbreak or the treatment doesn’t suit your skin. However, these cold sores take around two to three weeks to heal completely; hence, you should be careful during this phase.
Here are a few remedies you can try to remove cold sores and prevent them from appearing or leaving scars.
1. Australian Tea Tree Oil
The Australian Tea Tree Oil comes with a wide range of health benefits that can help heal your cold sores in no time. For starters, it has several benefits, such as antiviral, antiseptic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, which make it one of the best skin treatments.
In addition, it soothes the painful side effects of cold sores and prevents them from causing discomfort and itchiness. But you should always use the diluted form of the oil since it is extremely potent and effective.
Applying the oil at least two to three times a day should give you the desired results you seek. However, you must mix it with carrier oils before applying it to your skin.
One of the best carrier oils is jojoba oil since it works well with Australian Tea Tree Oil. In case you don’t have time to prepare them from scratch, you can purchase pre-mixed oils that contain tea tree oil.
The apothecary tea tree oil is also a good alternative since it exfoliates the skin and reduces pain while healing the sores.
2. Herp-B-Gone Cream
As the name suggests, this cream is formulated to get rid of cold sores as soon as possible. It is made from natural ingredients, which makes it ideal for treating different skin-related issues.
However, this remedy does come with a few side effects, as it can cause inflammation inside the mouth or trigger an allergic reaction. But there is nothing to worry about since these side effects are not harmful.
Some of the main ingredients of the formula are as follows:
- Propolis LE
- Lemon oil
- Hemp oil
- Coconut oil
- Peppermint oil
- L-lysine hydrochloride
In fact, ingredients such as hemp oil, peppermint oil, and coconut oil help in soothing the pain and preventing the blisters from oozing. They also help moisturize the affected area and prevent it from cracking or drying.
Beyond that, ingredients like propolis LE, hydrochloride, and l-lysine are extremely effective in speeding up healing, making them ideal for combating virus and bacterial infections.
3. Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is one of the oldest and most effective ways of treating herpes simplex virus since it speeds up the healing process and reduces the chances of the sores from happening again.
Additionally, lemon belongs to the mint family, which gives it soothing and cooling properties. This makes it ideal for relieving irritating and painful symptoms of cold sores. Moreover, you can use this balm to alleviate any burning sensation on your skin.
Lemon balm also contains eugenol, which is an important component for killing bacteria and reducing the risk of viral infections. And since it’s made from natural herbs and ingredients, you don’t have to worry about side effects or severe health problems.
4. Zinc Oxide
One of the major reasons for cold sores to appear is zinc deficiency in your body. Cold sores occur when the body has a weak immune system, which can be avoided if you take plenty of food rich in zinc.
Moreover, having a deficiency of essential nutrients and vitamins can cause other medical problems such as bleeding blisters, intense skin irritation, and many more. But zinc helps the sores dry quickly and supplements the body with the required nutrients to boost immunity.
Here is a list of ingredients you can take to increase the zinc level in your body:
- Beans
- Cheese
- Nuts
- Plant seeds
- Yogurt
- Oysters
5. Milk
Although milk might be one of the most common drinks on the market, it is still one of the most effective ways of treating cold sores. It is known for speeding up the healing process of fever blisters since it contains protein and various nutrients. In fact, immune gamma globulin is a special protein found in milk that can work as an antibody for your body.
Not only that, but drinking milk can also boost your immune system and provide you with a better chance to resist the HSV-1 virus. Besides this, milk contains l-lysine, which is beneficial for reducing painful symptoms and speeding up the healing process.
You can also apply milk to the cold sores by soaking the cotton ball with milk and applying it to the targeted area. Leave it to dry overnight, and your skin will heal as time passes by. You can repeat the process till the blister vanishes completely from your skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Cold Sores Last Forever?
Typically, cold sores have a tendency to last around two or three weeks, but this period may differ based on the virus you have contracted and the severity of the infection. In addition, the virus that causes these sores doesn’t have a treatment.
However, the blisters don’t take long to heal if you take the right medication to heal your skin. So, you don’t have to worry if you have cold sores since they don’t remain forever.
What Is HSV-1?
HSV-1 is commonly known as herpes simplex virus type on and it is known for causing cold sores, which are a visual indicator of the virus. It is mostly transmitted through the oral secretion of saliva, which enters the body through tiny abrasions.
Moreover, if you contract this virus infection, it will remain in your body lifelong, and the chances of getting rid of the cold sores will reduce drastically. But HSV-1 is rarely found in young people and adults.
Can Cold Sores Start To Bleed?
Normally, cold sores don’t bleed when they appear on your skin; however, there are certain instances that can cause them to bleed. For instance, your cold sores can bleed during the scab stage if they have been manipulated.
Since scabs are extremely delicate, the slightest trauma can trigger the cold sores to bleed and leave scars on your skin. Although bleeding might not cause severe health issues, it can promote the spreading of the virus.
Are Red Cold Sores Contagious By Nature?
Yes. Red cold sores are considered to be contagious by nature but primarily during the early stages of the virus infection. Moreover, you can have a cold sore outbreak without visible symptoms like a blister. This makes it tough to diagnose the virus when it appears on your body.
However, the chances of the red cold sores being contagious start to reduce once they start to heal.
Where Do Cold Sores Usually Appear?
Initially, cold sores appear at the transmission location and slowly start to spread all across the body. As soon as your body is infected with the virus, you will notice blisters appearing on the newly infected areas. Eventually, it spreads across the body and leaves red scars all over.
Final Words
With that, we have reached the end of our informative guide. Before signing off, here are a few preventive measures that you can take to reduce the chances of having red cold marks and scars.
Firstly, you should avoid touching the blisters at any stage of the sore scar infection. This will cause the scars to spread all across the body, making them tough to get rid of later on. Secondly, if you notice anyone with the same symptoms, you should avoid making skin contact with them.
Additionally, using shared utensils and home appliances can spread their infection to you.
Furthermore, you should maintain a healthy lifestyle since one of the main causes of red cold sores is weak immunity. By having a rich diet with plenty of vitamins and nutrients, you can reduce the chances of getting these scars in the first place.
We hope you live a healthy life. See you next time!
