- Over 6 million Canadians suffer from cold sores?
- Cold sore is a common recurring infection caused by a virus?
- 60% to 90% of adults are infected?
- 20% to 40% of those adults will experience recurrent outbreaks?
Triggers: What causes cold sores?
Once you are infected, here are the possible triggers that will cause cold sore outbreak:
- Fever
- Sun/cold exposure
- Stress
- Dental procedures
- Impaired or weakened immune system
- Pregnancy, hormonal changes or menstruation
Tackle your problem: it can be treated
It is optimal to treat cold sores early at the “tingling stage”, where pain, burning and itching are experienced. The majority of cold sore patients tell us they prefer a topical cream to an oral medication for continuous cold sore prevention.
A new prescription cream for cold sore sufferers is now available, considered to be the most effective topical therapy on the market. It is called Xerese (5% acyclovir with 1% hydrocortisone cream). It has been shown to shut down the development of cold sores, decrease the size of the lesion and speed up healing time. This is the first and only treatment to help prevent cold sores progression that combines both an antiviral and anti-inflammatory agent. Finally, most private insurance plans do cover the cost of this product.
If you are one of the 6 million Canadians suffering from cold sores, ask your physician about the available treatment options.
