@dr.finbar.skin: I've got a cold sore on my lip right now — so I'm using my own as the example. A busy weekend (a triathlon, two gigs and barely any sleep, then a hack on top) was the perfect storm, and I missed my own treatment window. That's exactly what most people get wrong: they wait for the blister, when the real window is the first tingle — before you can see anything — when antiviral creams like aciclovir or penciclovir, or tablets from your doctor, do the most good. Miss it like I did and the medicines do much less, so it becomes about keeping it comfortable (a little Vaseline so it doesn't crack), not picking it, and letting it heal. You can't get rid of the virus for good — it lives quietly in a nerve near your lip and flares when you're run down — but catch it early and you can make each one shorter, less sore and less frequent. Use this to have a better conversation with your own doctor about keeping treatment on hand and whether prevention is right for you. Hashtags: #coldsore #coldsoretreatment #skincaretips #skinhealth #drfinbar

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Thursday 11 June 2026 13:17:49 GMT