How to Treat a cold sore or fever blisters

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By Christine Sostarich
eHow Contributing Writer

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Cold sores or fever blisters are often difficult to know how to deal with. If you get cold sores and fever blisters, follow these steps.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Cold sores and fever blisters are contagious. These blemishes are most often caused by the herpes simplex virus and if you have one on your face, you should be careful not to share items with other people or kiss anyone when you have an outbreak.
Step 2

See your doctor when you have an outbreak. Doctors can test your cold sore to see if it is caused by the herpes simplex virus. If your cold sores are caused by the virus, your doctor may be able to prescribe a medication to take as soon as you feel the cold sore coming on. Your doctor may also prescribe a cream to apply to the cold sore to speed healing.
Step 3

Keep the cold sore clean and dry. Do not squeeze the cold sore to try to dry it up. Squeezing the cold sore can spread the virus to other parts of your face or to other people. Do not remove any scabs that form over the blister.
Step 4

If you don't have a prescription medication you can purchase an over the counter medication to apply to your cold sore. Ask your pharmacist for advice on which products to use and follow packaging instructions carefully.
Step 5

Over the counter pain medications like aspirin, Tylenol or Advil can help with the pain. Hot and cold compresses can also help, whatever feels best for you.

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