Tip - Buttermilk for cold sores

By Hklbrries

Q. I am plagued with ugly cold sores. You wrote once that buttermilk might help. Do you drink it as a preventive measure? Or do you apply it topically on the cold sore to make it heal faster? I know that sounds odd, but people suggest the craziest things to get rid of these awful sores. I'd really like advice on preventing them.

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A. Several years ago we received a letter from a man whose pharmacist told him to drink buttermilk to avoid cold sores on the lips. He reported that it worked very well.

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Another popular approach is the dietary supplement L-lysine. Many readers report that 500 mg daily can prevent outbreaks. Unfortunately, there isn't much recent research on this approach, so we don't know whether it would hold up in a placebo-controlled trial.

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One herbal remedy that is used in Europe is lemon balm, or Melissa officinalis. This is applied topically at the first hint of the tingle that accompanies cold sore formation.

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One reader shared her experience with a very simple inexpensive remedy: "I know that I've written on this subject before. The easiest solution for cold sores is one I've been using for years. As soon as I get that familiar tingling, I apply cold. Ice wrapped in a cloth or a package of frozen veggies for about an hour or so takes the problem away. My lips are sun sensitive so I also apply lip balm with sun protection to prevent outbreaks."

Ingredients

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Details

Adapted from peoplespharmacy.com

Preparation

Step 1

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