Cold Sore Salve Recipe with Lemon Balm and L-Lysine: Relieve Pain and Help Them Go Away FAST!
Note: This recipe is for an effective home remedy for cold sores (caused by herpes virus) on the lips or elsewhere. Made with powerful antiviral herbs, essential oils, and the amino acid L-Lysine, it is easy to make and is proven to speed recovery! This salve helps reduce the pain and speed recovery.
Oh.....Winter Time. Or…Stressful Times.
It’s a cold time of year, and the time of year the common cold and flu (as well as all the accompanying symptoms) can get started in your body. Times of great anxiety and stress are other common triggers for cold sores. Even too much sunshine can get an outbreak going!
I’ve written about how to stop a cold or flu from getting started in the first place, and these tips definitely apply to cold sores as well.
But….maybe it’s too late? Maybe you already have one of these pesky, painful buggers starting up?
Well…..Here’s something you can make quickly and easily and have ready to go if you feel a cold sore coming on and you want to get rid of it much faster.
Here’s my favorite recipe I make sure I have on hand for just in case. It’s my Lemon Balm and L-Lysine Cold Sore Salve.
Cold air, perhaps a stressed immune system, even the bright sunshine bouncing off the snow can contribute to painful cold sores, also known as fever blisters. From that first itchy tingling feeling to the extraordinarily painful blisters to the unappealing crusty sore....Just….UGH.
Read on! I’ve got something easy for you here that will possibly prevent the outbreak, reduce the pain, and/or speed recovery…..
Interestingly, I get cold sores on my left forearm and also on my left hip. Whether they’re on your lip area or on your skin, cold sores are unsightly, painful, and I personally just want them to GO. Away! Right now. FAST!
If you get them sometimes, I'll bet you feel the same way.
I'm sharing my best Cold Sore salve recipe with you. It combines a powerful anti-viral herb well known to help with cold sores, shingles, etc., an essential amino acid that is easily found and super helpful for cold sores, and essential oils for their anti-viral and pain relief properties.
**You may also be interested in reading an herbal perspective and protocol on helping with shingles and the resulting pain.
This salve is easy to make, too, and it will save you a ton of money over the ointments and creams sold in the stores. You also won't be putting petro-chemicals on your skin with this all natural salve!
FTC Disclosure: There are affiliate links scattered throughout this article. If you click through and make any kind of purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
How to make an effective cold sore relief salve so you can get rid of them fast...This is an easy cold sore salve recipe and remedy, and it contains effective herbs, amino-acids, and essential oils. This cold sore salve will help relieve pain and heal that cold sore fast! You can't beat herbal remedies for helping get rid of fever blisters! #coldsore #getridof #goawayfast #homeremedy #coldandflu #healingharvesthomestead #easy #howto
Snag this handy 12 page Remedy Guide for 10 common herbs, PLUS a cheat sheet for quick use. Click here to download yours now!
What is a Cold Sore, or Fever Blister?
According to WebMD, “A cold sore is a group of tiny, painful blisters caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). They’re also called fever blisters or herpes simplex labialis….Cold sores are most likely to show up on the outside of your mouth and lips, but you can also get them on your nose and cheeks.” Source
Did you know that over 90% of people get at least one cold sore in their life? And a whopping 15 to 40% have recurring cold sores? This is because the virus that causes cold sores (Herpes Simplex) lives in the nerve cells forever, once your body is infected.
But as long as you keep yourself healthy, recurrences are less likely to happen.
How Do You Get Cold Sores?
Cold sores (Herpes simplex) is a virus, therefore you need to "catch" it. To do this, you must come in contact with an affected person. You may also contract the virus by being exposed to wet towels, utensils recently used by an infected person, etc.
Cold sores are known as the "kissing disease," and have been documented as far back as Ancient Greek/Roman times. Suffice to say, there are many ways one can end up with a cold sore.
Some people may be infected with the virus and never have had symptoms, yet they are able to pass the virus along to others. Sneaky little organism, that Herpes simplex virus.
There are other strains of the herpes virus, and these may manifest in other areas of the body. This salve recipe I’ll be sharing works for these as well.
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Stages of a Cold Sore Outbreak
There are stages to an outbreak of a cold sore(s), and if you happen to be a person who gets them regularly, you’ll be able to identify the beginning signs and start preventive measures fast. In my own personal experience, doing the things I suggest here in this article can significantly reduce the time frame and severity of the sores.
A cold sore can emerge from a few days to up to 20 days after being exposed to the virus.
First signs of a cold sore outbreak usually present as tingling, burning, or itching in the area. This may be uncomfortable for some and unnoticeable for others.
Up to 24 hours later, blisters emerge in the area of the tingling. These are raised, fluid filled sacs that are extremely painful for many people (myself included). For many, the area around the blisters becomes painful as well.
A day or two later, the blisters break open, and over a period of a day or two after the emergence of the blisters, you’ll find fluid coming from the blister site. Source
After this, the sores scab over, usually with an unsightly scab. Children especially are prone to pick at these, and this can spread the virus, so keep hands off!
Finally, the area heals up. Most cold sore events occur over a period of three days to a week, depending on the person and the severity of the outbreak.
What Does a Cold Sore Look and Feel Like?
You may actually be able to tell when you are getting ready to get a cold sore because often the skin in the area of attack will be sensitive, itchy, or start feeling tingly or painful. It may also become red and a bit swollen.
When the sore emerges, it starts out as a fluid-filled blister. These are very painful and also highly contagious. This is the point a person is most contagious and able to spread the virus to others.
Eventually, the blister will break, leaking the fluid. At this point, it will become a sore, and within a couple of days will crust over and heal. The pain tends to go away at this point.
What Triggers a Cold Sore?
Some things in our lives can cause cold sores to pop up, and many of these can even be somewhat controlled. Things that can trigger an outbreak are 1) weakened immune system; 2) sunlight; 3) stress; 4) pre-menstrual syndrome or menstruation; 5) recent fever or illness.
Can You Prevent a Cold Sore?
Yes and no--- It depends.
We are all different, and people react differently to different stressors and illnesses. Cold sores are no different. Some people unfortunately get cold sores chronically, while other may never even have an outbreak, even if they carry the virus.
It’s a silent virus. Unless you have an outbreak, you may have the herpes virus alive and well in your system and not even know it.
With that said, there are some natural things you can do to help prevent a cold sore:
Stay healthy in the first place—keep your immune system healthy
Keep affected areas out of the sun
Keep your stress under control
Consider supplementing with L-Lysine and/or lemon balm on a regular basis
We’ll discuss these steps further just below.
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What are the Active Ingredients that Make This Healing Salve Recipe Effective Against Cold Sores? (The Scientific Research)
Melissa officinalis, commonly known as lemon balm:
Lemon balm is a member of the mint family that’s grown in many gardens and also found wild in some areas. It’s beautiful lime-green leaves are reminiscent of other mints like catnip, peppermint, and spearmint, but the chemical compounds in lemon balm make it a very effective nerve-supporting herb, used for centuries by herbalists. It has excellent antiviral actions and is often used to help calm and soothe anxiety and/or tension.
Luckily, we have clinical studies on the effectiveness of the antiviral activity of lemon balm on the nervous system, specifically for this article, on treating and preventing cold sores, which are caused by one of the herpes virus strains. There are many more studies other than the ones I’m discussing here, as well:
One study found that, “At noncytotoxic concentrations of the oil,plaque formation was significantly reduced by 98.8% for HSV-1 and 97.2% for HSV-2, higher concentrations of lemon balm oil abolished viral infectivity nearly completely. In order to determine the mode of antiviral action of this essential oil, time-on-addition assays were performed. Both herpesviruses were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with balm oil prior to infection of cells. These results indicate that Melissa oil affected the virus before adsorption, but not after penetration into the host cell, thus lemon balm oil is capable of exerting a direct antiviral effect on herpesviruses. Considering the lipophilic nature of lemon balm essential oil, which enables it to penetrate the skin, and a high selectivity index, Melissa officinalis oil might be suitable for topical treatment of herpetic infections.” Source
Another study found that “inhibitory activity against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), type 2 (HSV-2) and an acyclovir-resistant strain of HSV-1 (ACV (res)) was tested in vitro on RC-37 cells in a plaque reduction assay. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC (50)) of the extracts for HSV plaque formation were determined in dose-response studies. All test compounds showed a high antiviral activity against HSV-1, HSV-2 and ACV (res).” Source
At this point in time, there have now been many studies confirming what folk herbalists have known for hundreds of years: lemon balm can be helpful against viral activity, specifically the herpes-type viruses.
L-Lysine:
I’ve been using L-lysine as well as suggesting it for clients who suffer from shingles and herpes viruses for many years. The thing is, you need to use a lot of it (internally). I like to take it both internally, as well as infuse it for topical use, along with lemon balm.
In case you’re not sure what L-lysine is, it’s an essential amino acid that’s easily found in the over-the-counter supplements area of most decent health and grocery stores. It’s essential to our bodies, and for some of us who experience a propensity toward cold sores and shingles can benefit from extra Lysine.
Here’s some of the science on this important amino acid:
One study found that “L-lysine supplementation appears to be ineffective for prophylaxis or treatment of herpes simplex lesions with doses of less than 1 g/d without low-arginine diets. Doses in excess of 3 g/d appear to improve patients’ subjective experience of the disease.” Source
In another small study of 30 men and women, Lysine was combined with unspecified botanicals and vitamins for these results: “At the end of treatment the ointment produced full resolution in 40 percent of the participants by the third day and in 87 percent by the end of the sixth day. A cold sore episode may last up to 21 days without treatment…..Overall data indicated significant improvement in participants by the sixth day of treatment for all but two participants. There were no adverse effects reported during this study.” It appears the study was focused on Lysine effects. Source
In an article published online via Harvard.edu, a synopsis of the effectiveness of lysine states, “In the laboratory, it hampers the activity of arginine, an amino acid that promotes the growth of HSV. This suggests that increasing lysine intake might work against HSV infections. But results of studies in humans have been inconclusive and recent Cochrane analysis of cold sore prevention failed to find any evidence that lysine is effective.” Source
I want to point out that not all studies show conclusive evidence, even when empirical data and long-term use prove otherwise. My mother told me about L-Lysine as a preventive and for use to speed recovery during my teen years (I’m now 56). This indicates to me that it has a history of home remedy use, and in my case has been extremely effective.
When I’ve suggested it to clients with shingles, I’ve had several report back to me in gratitude that the only thing that helped the pain was the addition of Lysine (in large doses). One man told me he had been to multiple doctors and placed on multiple prescriptions, and nothing had worked until the Lysine.
I enjoy scientific studies and reading the results, however, I trust my experience and the experiences of others as well.
This is beautiful lemon balm. Did you know this common garden plant can be such a great gift?
How to Prevent Cold Sores in the First Place
1) Stay healthy and keep your immune system boosted, especially during fall, winter, and early spring...and for some, during the months of summer sunshine.
**NOTE: Sunlight is thought to trigger cold sores in some people. See more below.
Keep your immune system in tip-top shape. You might be interested in reading these articles about the immune system:
How to Boost Your Child's Immune System Naturally,
How to Prevent Colds/Flus from Happening Naturally,
and What to do at the First Sign of a Cold/Flu.
2) Keep previously affected areas protected from sunshine
For some people the sun can trigger cold sores. I happen to be one of these. I mentioned above that I tend to get them on my forearm, and years ago, I noticed that if I got a little sunburn, BAM....A cold sore was on its way.
If you get them on your mouth area, using a lip balm with a sunscreen can help. Otherwise, covering up or wearing a good natural sunscreen is a good idea.
3) Keep stress under control
This is a hard one for many people these days, but stress can absolutely trigger an outbreak. I'm one of these anxious people myself. When I was going through some stressful periods at work, or if I allowed myself to get all upset about something....it was more likely a cold sore would rear its ugly head.
Even the extra stress on the body of the normal menses period for women can cause outbreaks in many people.
4) Take L-Lysine supplements and/or drink lemon balm tea
L-Lysine is an essential amino acid, which means it must be consumed. It's necessary for a number of functions in the body, among them brain health, skin health, and nerve health. Hence, it is a great supplement for helping your body fight off the virus that causes cold sores.
You can take L-Lysine internally, and it is a common supplement found in good health food stores, or even your grocery. You can also use it topically in creams or ointments.
Elderberry tincture is another good remedy I’ve used that is VERY helpful, as it also has anti-viral properties and is immune-boosting. You can see how it works and how to make it in this YouTube video.
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L-Lysine is an essential amino acid long known to help the nervous system, the brain, and your skin and hair. Not only is it an all around needed amino acid, but it specifically has been shown to help heal cold sores faster, reduce pain, and even keep them from coming back. You can take it internally too--in fact, you should!
How to Make Your Own Herbal Cold Sore Salve
This sized batch will fill about five 1 ounce tins, with a little extra to spare. You could also use a small Mason jelly jar, too. This recipe is for an approximate 4.5% dilution, which is meant for short term, adult use. For children, consider halving the essential oils in the recipe and leaving out the wintergreen essential oil.
Ingredients for Cold Sore Salve:
*** 1/2 cup Lemon Balm infused Olive Oil
(See this article for instructions on how to make an herb-infused oil. It's really easy to do.) The link is for Starwest Botanicals, my favorite place to purchase herbs. You can purchase infused Lemon Balm Oil from Amazon, but there's not enough to make a salve. You'll have to use it by itself.
Lemon Balm is a strong anti-viral herb. There is plenty of evidence that it helps relieve and heal cold sores quickly. It's also known as Melissa---so if you see that label on a bottle in the store, you'll know it's Lemon Balm. **Take a look at the Resources at the end of the article.
*** 1/8 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon beeswax pellets
*** 1 tbsp L-Lysine Powder
(I make my own by crushing up 4 to 5 1,000 mg L-Lysine tablets into a very fine powder.)
*** 20 drops lemon balm essential oil (Melissa officinalis)
Using Melissa essential oil helps significantly with the pain, in my experience with my own cold sores and work with students and clients.
*** 20 drops Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) essential oil
Peppermint essential oil is cooling and helps relieve the pain somewhat. It also smells wonderful! SAFETY Considerations: Do not use peppermint essential oil with children under the age of 10. Choose spearmint (Mentha spicata) essential oil instead.
SAFETY: Reduce drops to 10 drops if using with children under age 10. Do not use peppermint near the nose with children under age 6.
*** 20 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) essential oil
Tea Tree essential oil has anti-viral properties, and helps heal.
*** 20 drops Wintergreen (Gaultheria fragrantissima) essential oil (optional--see Safety Factors below)
Wintergreen essential oil is great for pain relief due to the methyl salicylate in it, however, if you are in doubt about using it near your mouth, just leave it out, as it shouldn’t be used internally. Personally, I love it for my own use in this salve, but I’m careful.
SAFETY: Wintergreen should not be used by pregnant women or those taking blood thinning medications. Do not use it with children under the age of 10.
*** 10 drops Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) essential oil
Helps with pain relief because of its numbing effect.
Here, I'm crushing the L-Lysine tablets into a very very fine powder.
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Directions for Making Cold Sore Salve
Step 1)
Combine the Lemon Balm infused olive oil with the beeswax in a double boiler, or use a Mason jar set into a pan of water (my preferred method). Heat gently on low until the beeswax is melted completely.
Step 2)
Remove the Mason jar/double boiler from heat and add the L-Lysine powder. Stir well.
Step 3)
Add your essential oils, and once again stir really well.
Step 4)
Carefully pour the liquid oil mixture into your tins. You'll have to stir immediately before pouring each tin, or the Lysine powder will sink. Pour about halfway up in each tin, then come back around and fill to within a bit of the top. I've found it helps the powder stay suspended better if small amounts start solidifying first, then you can add more on top, stirring well once again.
Step 5)
Allow to completely set up before using.
You can use this salve on all skin areas, just do not use in open wounds if you have included the Wintergreen.
SAFETY: This salve is meant to be used on your body or lips. If you are using it on young children who may lick their lips, you should NOT add the Wintergreen essential oil. Otherwise, if you are an adult, just try not to lick your lips if using. If you are concerned about the Wintergreen, just leave it out. See other safety information above in the wintergreen section.
OOPS! I overfilled this one, and it made a little mess. Never fear--it's easy to clean up after it hardens. I only had four one ounce tins---I should have used five and filled them much less full. But it's all good.
Where Do I Get My Essential Oils?
I've done a LOT of research on essential oils. These days, I have three or four favorite companies I like to purchase from, and here they are, so you can decide your best choices for essential oils!
Starwest Botanicals carries quality essential oils. In fact, it's their brand I use in my soap-making and potpourri. My other brand I like is Rocky Mountain Oils.
If you love Amazon, you can find Plant Therapy there, too.
There are many quality companies out there, and I will never tell a person to only use essential oils from one specific company. I feel this is dishonest.
There’s been a HUGE debate about how to find quality essential oils in the aromatherapy world in the past 15 years. It seems some companies want people to believe ONLY their brand is of high quality, and this is not the case. However, purchasing quality oils is absolutely important. As a certified aromatherapist, I’m very careful about where I purchase my own oils.
Final Thoughts on Making Cold Sore Salve
This cold sore salve combines the best herb (Lemon Balm) and essential oils, as well as the amino acid, L-Lysine, to help keep those cold sores either gone or going away fast! Pain relief is also one of the benefits of this salve.
One of the best things you can do to steer clear of these painful, pesky, and often unattractive sores is to keep your body rested and your immune system healthy. It’s normal during certain times of the year, such as cold and flu season, to get run-down. Do your best to stay rested and healthy!
Preventive measures by supplementing with Lysine, a commonly found over the counter amino acid is helpful, and so is drinking a cup or two of lemon balm tea daily.
Cold sores are no fun....at all. And if you are one of the many who gets recurring cold sores from time to time, you'll want to have this salve on hand ready to go!
You might also enjoy these related articles:
Essential Oils to Support Weight Loss: Stop Cravings, Boost Metabolism, Increase Energy
Home Remedies to Beat the Cold and Flu
10 BEST Essential Oils for Cold and Flu Season
It’s Fire Cider Time! My Favorite Recipe for a Traditional Wellness Tonic
Anti-Itch Salve for Dry Skin, Eczema, and Bug Bites
And here are some videos you may enjoy:
DIY Immune-Boosting Thieves Room Spray Recipe
Seasonal Sadness: How to Feel Happier if You Have the Winter Blues
Warming Massage Oil for Cold Winter Months—-and a Non-Greasy Lotion Option
How to Formulate Your Own Herbal Tea Blends
(And please subscribe to my channel!)
There are literally hundreds more articles over on the website and videos on my growing YouTube channel. I hope you’ll head over and browse around for more easy and effective, safe home remedies you can make yourself.
Hugs, Health, & Self-Reliance,
Heidi
P.S. I hope you'll sign up for our newsletter and never miss a thing! You can do this when you sign up to get my FREE Herbal Remedy Guide and Cheat Sheet! It’s perfect for your home apothecary and kitchen.
Beautiful herbal healing salves.....Easy to make, super inexpensive, and highly effective!
Resources:
http://owensborohealthse3.adam.com/content.aspx?productid=107&pid=33&gid=000261
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19023806
https://www.winchesterhospital.org/health-library/article?id=21798
https://www.winchesterhospital.org/health-library/article?id=21849
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/herpes-hsv1-and-hsv2/oral-herpes
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/understanding-cold-sores-basics#1
https://draxe.com/l-lysine-benefits/
http://www.lemonbalm.org/does-lemon-balm-help-cold-soresherpes-chicken-pox-and-shingles/
https://draxe.com/wintergreen-oil/
Disclaimer:
I am not a medical doctor, and in no manner, stated or implied is any information in this article, elsewhere on my website, or other publication by me meant or implied to cure, treat, diagnose, or prevent any illness. Please seek advice from your medical doctor, especially when using herbs or essential oils. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Got stress, too much sun, or cold? Cold sores can emerge overnight, and here’s how to get rid of them fast! This homemade natural salve is super easy to make and best of all, it works! Directions for making cold sore salve. #coldsore #remedy #howtogetridof #treatment #causes #lysine #facts #overnight #homeremedies #stressrelief #healingharvesthomestead