Cold Sore Relief

It's a sad day when you feel that tingle on your lip and know that a cold sore is about to erupt on your face.  You know that you are in for two or three weeks of facial disfigurement and discomfort.

Small bottle - big results!

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, 90% of American adults have been exposed to the virus that causes cold sore and fever blisters.

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For years I have searched the pharmacy shelves and even gone to the doctor to find a way to shorten the duration and alleviate the pain of cold sores.

Over the counter products, in my experience, are both expensive and relatively ineffective. They often expire before the next episode occurs, requiring me to purchase an expensive little tube for each occurrence.

I discovered my new "go to" treatment while perusing the essential oils at my local co-op.  I saw a bottle of Cold Sore Treatment formula from Verditas Botanicals and decided it was worth a try.  To my delight it was amazingly effective.


To understand why this product works so well, we need to explore the cause of cold sores.

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus.  Once you are infected, the virus lies dormant in your nerve cells.  Most of the time the virus is suppressed, but when the immune system is weakened, the virus erupts and replicates forming one or more blisters, usually on the lips or face.

Western medicine has few good treatment options for viruses in general.

Lucky for us, many plant medicines can interfere with the ability of viruses to replicate, basically stopping the virus in its tracks.

That is why it is so important to use herbal antivirals at the first sign of a cold sore. You want to inhibit the spread of the virus in its earliest stage, as once the virus multiples it is harder to suppress.

I keep a bottle of Cold Sore Treatment on my desk at work and another at home.  My goal is to treat the cold sore as soon as I feel that dreaded tingle.

Ingredients in Cold Sore Treatment Essential Oil

When I began to research the ingredients in this essential oil blend, I realized that this is a powerful combination of essential oils specifically formulated to treat the herpes simplex virus.

Melissa - According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Melissa, more commonly known as lemon balm, is highly effective against the herpes simplex virus.  In studies, patients and doctors noted improvement in redness and swelling after two days and reduced healing time.

Lemon balm is easy to grow and adds a lemony flavor to teas.

Ravensara - This antiviral stops viral growth by rupturing the protective coating on the virus then killing the virus inside.  It is also effective for other viral conditions such as the common cold, influenza, measles, mumps, and pox.  More information can be found by clicking here. (Note; most essential oils are safe for external use only.)

Tea tree is known for its antiviral, antibiotic, and antifungal properties.

Lavender is used for healing, soothing, and calming.  It also has synergistic properties and increases the effects of other oils in the blend.

Rose geranium relieves nerve pain

Eucalyptus citridora has antiviral activity against the herpes simplex virus.

I apply the Cold Sore essential oil to my lip several times a day during an active outbreak, and when the swelling has gone down, it is time for the healing power of comfrey salve. 

Comfrey is a plant that is hardy in zone 4 and has a long history of promoting healing.  Instructions for infusing the leaves in oil can be found here.  To learn how to make a salve from infused oils, click here.

Comfrey is prolific in my Zone 4 garden.

Preventing an Outbreak

Rosemary Gladstar, in Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, provides comprehensive information for preventing and treating cold sores and shingles outbreaks;

• Listen to your body and use a holistic approach to reduce your stress level, whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed. 

• Drink bitter teas made from Oregon grape root, dandelion root and yellow dock root to cool the liver.

Yellow dock roots can be harvested in early spring or late fall.

• Add shiitake mushrooms to your weekly menu (try out this stock powder recipe), or use reishi and maitake mushrooms in tincture form.  These mushrooms enhance the immune system and are all indicated for viral infections.

• Boost your immune system with echinacea tincture by taking 1/4 tsp, two times daily, 5 days a week for 3 months.

Echinacea is more commonly known as Purple Coneflower.

• Use a daily dose of 500 mg lysine for 3 months to build antibodies and enzymes and heal damaged tissue.

Dietary and Herbal Tips to Treat an Outbreak

• Avoid peanuts, chocolate, and all sugary foods as herpes thrives in acidic and high sugar environments.

• Add lysine-rich foods to your diet, like nutritional yeast, eggs, milk and beans.

Nutritional yeast has a nice cheesy flavor.

• Nourish your nervous system by using passionflower, skullcap, chamomile, lemon balm, and lavender. These herbs can be infused in water to make teas or steeped in bath water for transdermal absorption.

• Apply licorice root tincture to the blister several times a day at the first signs of an outbreak.  Licorice inhibits both viral growth and the cell damaging effects of herpes. 

• Use a combination tincture of St. John's Wort, licorice, and calendula both externally and internally.  Dab the tincture directly on the effected area and take 1/2 to 1 tsp of the tincture 3 times daily.

St. John's Wort blooming in my garden.

Cold sores are just one of the viruses that can impact our health.  For general information for combating viruses of all kinds please read the following section.

Herbal Antivirals and Immune Boosting Foods

If you have a condition diagnosed as viral, often times your doctor will tell you there is no medication to prescribe that can help, and the illness will need to "run its course".  This is the time when knowledge of herbal antivirals is so important.

There are many plant medicines that are effective for treating viruses. In HERBAL ANTIVIRALS by Stephen Harrod Buhner, the author provides specific herbs to use for illnesses ranging from influenza to shingles.  Buhner cites 52 pages of scientific studies in his bibliography.  Here are a few herbs mentioned;

Elderberry is a common shrub that has antiviral properties and is used primarily for the influenza virus.  You may be surprised to find it growing in your neighborhood.

Wild elderberries harvested in late summer.

Fire Cider is a cure-all brew that incorporates garlic and ginger, two antiviral herbs that are used primarily as food.

Ginger, horseradish, garlic, and cayenne are infused in AC vinegar to make fire cider.

The best defense against viral infections is a robust immune system. Herbalist Stephen Harrod Buhner suggests adding these foods to your diet to strengthen your immune system;

• Yogurt and Kefir (with active cultures)

• Oats and barley

• Selenium-rich foods like Brazil nuts, fish, poultry, sunflower seeds, and shellfish

• Homemade chicken soup 

• Black tea

• Foods high in Zinc, like oysters, wheat germ, liver, and sesame, pumpkin, and squash seeds

• Shiitake and maitake mushrooms

• Broccoli and other vegetables in the Brassica family

• Red peppers

• Herbs including; garlic, oregano, ginger, astragalus, cordyceps, and rhodiola.

Please note: The objective of this blog is to raise awareness of alternative ways to achieve wellness and to empower you to take an active role in your health decisions.  To accomplish this, you will need to explore these subjects in greater depth and then determine what makes sense for your life.  My hope is that this information will inspire you to start your own search into ways to make your life happier, healthier and more fulfilling.