Everyday Rx · FAQ
How long does Cold sore treatment take to help an outbreak?
Short answer
Cold sore treatment may shorten an outbreak when started at the first warning signs, but it will not make the sore disappear right away. Results vary. The usual one-day dosing course is not a one-day healing promise. Contact your physician if the sore worsens or is not healing within two weeks.
Valacyclovir may shorten a cold sore outbreak, especially when it is started during the first tingling, itching, or burning. Results vary. It slows the virus from multiplying, but it does not remove the virus from your body. It also cannot promise that a blister will not form.
The typical dosing course lasts one day, but the skin may still need several days to heal. Results vary. Do not take more tablets because the sore is still visible after your last dose. Follow your prescribing physician’s instructions and the pharmacy label, even if the appearance of the sore has not changed yet.
The timing of treatment, your immune health, and whether the lesion is truly a cold sore can affect what happens next. Contact your physician if it gets worse, you have frequent outbreaks, or it is not healing within two weeks. Seek prompt care for eye pain, eye redness, or sores near the eye. People with a weakened immune system should ask their clinician about symptoms that need earlier review.
Sources
Written by the Verra clinical team · Medical review pending
General information, not medical advice. If you're in crisis, call or text 988.
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