This article will discuss how to treat herpes on the lips. Are there any reliable means against this scourge that work not only efficiently, but also quickly? After all, disgusting itchy rashes on the delicate skin of the lips can ruin the mood of anyone. Moreover, you never know when exactly this trouble can fall on you. This usually happens at the most inopportune moment, for example, on the eve of some event, when you need to look not just good - brilliant, but here God knows what appears on your face in the most prominent place! And ugly, and painful, and offensive ...
Herpes - what is it?
Before starting to deal closely with the question of how to treat herpes on the lips, let's first find out what it is all the same. Herpes is a small blistering rash that most often can appear on the lips or nose. It is popularly called "fever" or "cold" among the people.
That is why a person who once caught this infection will never get rid of it. This does not mean that unpleasant rashes on the lips will haunt him or her all his life. Not at all! Strong immunity can keep herpes in check. But when the body's defenses are weakened, the virus immediately goes on the attack, and it is here that people have to urgently find out how to remove herpes on the lips. Perhaps this problem has not yet touched you, and you are looking for information, so to speak, for future use. Then read the next chapter carefully to avoid contracting this addictive infection.
How herpes enters our body
The virus can be transmitted through direct contact with a person who carries it, for example, during a kiss. Also, herpes infection can enter the body through various household items or by airborne droplets.
The most convenient way for a virus to enter the body is through the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, eyes, and also the genitals. Penetrating into the blood and lymph, it becomes a dangerous internal enemy, endowed with the power to infect various organs and systems of the body.
Reasons why herpes can intensify
Doctors believe that 90% of the world's population is infected with herpes. However, not all carriers of the virus suffer from this. There are many lucky ones among them who have never been familiar with the external manifestations of herpes infection and who never have to think about how to treat herpes on the lips. What factors can activate the virus? Here are the most basic ones:
- Failure of the immune system. This can happen at any time of the year.
- Cold, sore throat, or flu.
- Severe hypothermia or, conversely, overheating.
- Stress, severe emotional distress.
- Bad habits: heavy smoking, abuse of alcoholic beverages and liquids in which caffeine is present in large quantities.
- Overwork, exhaustion of the body, etc.
You may argue that you have many acquaintances who have many of the above, and yet they never have a rash on their lips. Well, firstly, this means that they can be part of the happy bunch of people completely free from the virus, and secondly, their immunity, despite everything, is obviously strong enough.
The beginning of the "fever"
It is very important to be able to feel the first symptoms, signals with the help of which herpes on the lips makes itself felt. Treatment will go quickly and effectively only at the earliest stage of the manifestation of the disease. If the "fever" is not stopped at the very beginning, then, most likely, you will have to walk for several days with disfigured lips, and this, of course, is very unpleasant.
So, at the very beginning, a person usually feels a slight pinpoint numbness and tingling sensation on the upper or lower lip. If he pays attention to this and looks in the mirror, he will be able to see a slight redness and slight swelling on the lips - these are very characteristic signs that herpes has gone on the attack and it's time to put it in place with the help of some effective drug. At the first stage of the disease, even ordinary folk remedies can help well, which will be discussed in our article.
The next stages of the disease
If you do not react in any way to the first mild symptoms, then be sure that self-healing will not occur. The swelling and redness will increase with every hour, soon they will be joined by pain, sometimes quite severe. Gradually, bubbles filled with a transparent yellowish liquid will begin to form on the sore area, the temperature may rise, accompanied by headache and chills.
If nothing is done at this stage, then the bubbles will increase until they break. After a few days, a sore will form on the lip, which will serve as a dubious decoration for you for a long time. Summarizing all that has been said, 4 stages of the disease can be distinguished:
1. Numbness and tingling, gradually turning into severe itching.
2. Inflammation characterized by the formation of small blisters.
3. Ulceration - rupture of the bubble and the outflow of fluid. The appearance of an ulcer at the site of the former vesicles. At this time, the person is most infectious to the people around him.
4. Formation of scab-sores. The final stage of the disease, during which a crust forms over the ulcer, under which the ulcer will heal.
Herpes on the lips. Folk remedy for treatment
In fact, traditional medicine offers far from one remedy, but many. Let's get to know them.
1. At the first stage, you can soak a piece of cotton wool or gauze in vodka or rubbing alcohol and apply it to the "fever". If the disease has just begun, then it is enough to hold such an alcohol compress for half an hour or an hour for the herpes to completely pass. In the absence of vodka or alcohol, you can use cologne, Valocordin or Corvalol.
2. The affected area can be wiped with lemon 9-10 times a day.
3. Here's another tip from alternative medicine about how to treat herpes (folk remedy): salt can help at the stage of the formation of bubbles on the lip. It just needs to be applied to the site of injury.
4. Juices of domestic plants such as aloe and Kalanchoe have a good healing effect on rashes on the lips.
5. Garlic can also help trouble. In any case, traditional medicine says so. The problem area is rubbed with garlic juice.
6. You can wipe the "cold" with camphor oil 2 times a day.
7. Fir oil is a very good remedy. If you smear it with "fever" several times a day, the bubbles will begin to dry out and will soon disappear without a trace.
Drugs from the pharmacy
Well, now let's see what the modern pharmaceutical industry can offer us in order to heal herpes on the lips. Treatment can be quickly and surely possible with ointments such as Zovirax and Acyclovir. To date, these are the most effective and reliable means.
Of course, it is best to apply a medicated ointment to the lips at the very first symptoms. But even if the time was a little lost, they will still help. Both drugs are based on the substance acyclovir. It is able to actively suppress the development of herpes infection.
Another fairly effective external medicine is Panavir-gel. Its main component is an extract isolated from potato shoots. The advantage of this drug is its plant base, which guarantees the absence of allergic manifestations and complete safety of use.
The traditional proven remedy for herpes is zinc ointment. It dries out the rash quickly and speeds up the healing process.
Why herpes is dangerous
Herpes on the lips, drugs for which you can buy at any pharmacy, only at first glance seems to be a harmless disease. If you often have such a problem, then this may indicate that the immune system is depleted and needs urgent strengthening. You should see a doctor for a consultation, take general tests, etc.
During the period of the formation of blister rashes and their ulceration, you need to be very careful, since you can easily transfer the infection to other parts of the body, for example, in the eyes. To do this, it is enough to touch the sore lips with your hands, and then rub your eyes with them. Herpes is especially dangerous for pregnant women and their future children.
What to do if herpes sores appear during pregnancy
An unpleasant situation is pregnancy and herpes on the lips. What to do in this case? For the expectant mother herself, this is not a threat to her health. But for her unborn child, the herpes virus is a very threatening factor. You need to contact a consultation for an additional examination. The specialist will identify what type of herpes circulates in the body of a pregnant woman.
The fact is that, perhaps, the woman is infected with genital herpes and does not even know about it. During childbirth, the baby can become infected, and this can provoke such terrible diseases as epilepsy, deafness, blindness and cerebral palsy. Therefore, pregnant women should not be treated on their own, but entrust this matter to a gynecologist who will prescribe effective drugs and a treatment regimen.
What not to do with herpes
Sometimes, after hearing enough from friends and acquaintances, how to treat herpes on the lips, people take measures that not only do not improve their condition, but can do much harm. For example, you do not need to cauterize ulcers and rashes with brilliant green or iodine. The only thing that can be achieved in this way is to get a severe chemical burn, which will have to be treated for a long time, and such extreme measures will not have any effect on the herpes virus itself.
Preventive actions
If cold sores often bother you, then you need to do something about it! It's time to get down to prevention. You don't have to do anything special for this, you just need to strengthen your own health. This will help you:
1. Hardening. You just need to start gradually. You shouldn't try to become a walrus right away. For a weakened body, a cool shower followed by an intense rubdown with a hard towel is best.
2. Sports activities. Movement is life! If you are experiencing a catastrophic lack of time, then do at least daily morning exercises.
3. Taking vitamins and microelements necessary for the body. In summer and autumn, the problem of vitamin deficiency can be easily solved by actively eating fresh vegetables and fruits, but in winter it is best to purchase some good multivitamin complex at the pharmacy.
4. Try not to be nervous, constant stress can undermine even the strongest organism.
5. Sleep at least 8 hours a day.
Final word
As you can see, it's not such a fatal thing - herpes on the lips. You can pick up a cure for it, and everyone is quite capable of protecting themselves from the virus. The main thing is not to be lazy. We wish all our readers to always be healthy, beautiful and active!