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JaninnaMaynz t1_j6l53a3 wrote

Reply to comment by BellyScratchFTW in The amount of people that do not know that a cold sore is herpes is surprising. by BellyScratchFTW

One thing I hate is that every so often, my lips start drying out, so I start using lip balm, and right around the time I get hooked on the lip balm, I get a cold sore, infecting it. As soon as the cold sore starts healing, I stop using that lip balm to avoid a repeat infection, and I find I don't need lip balm anymore. After a while, my lips start drying out again, so I start using lip balm, and just as it becomes routine, COLD SORE! It heals, I don't need lip balm anymore. I start needing lip balm, and just when I think it might become a regular piece of my life, a cold sore swoops in and pushes me away again.

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BellyScratchFTW OP t1_j6l5dgr wrote

I feel for you! Hope they create a cure for that some day. I know that would be frustrating.

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That-Ad757 t1_j6melb8 wrote

Maybe use something else than lip balm speak to your doctor or pharmacist

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JaninnaMaynz t1_j6nkiwe wrote

I'm talking once every 15 months or so. Lip balm is a cheap, pleasant option. And I'll be using it for 2 or 3 weeks before the cold sore appears. Most of the time, simply licking my lips provides all the moisture I need. But once in a while it's like my body decides that it makes it worse, instead. Thus, lip balm.

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Rough_Jacket4023 t1_j6miq8h wrote

They make topical medication for cold sores that you put on when you start to feel like you're going to get one.

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JaninnaMaynz t1_j6n8emu wrote

Yeah, but by the time I notice, the lip balm is infected.

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Rough_Jacket4023 t1_j6p4gnc wrote

Throw away the balm and use the medicine

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JaninnaMaynz t1_j6p6cf2 wrote

The medicine, at best, makes it go away faster. So does lip balm. I know because I've tested it. The medicine is maybe slightly faster than lip balm, but lip balm tastes better. Especially for someone sensitive to mint, when pretty much every product associated with the mouth is mint flavored. sigh

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