Herpes simplex 1 is the virus behind cold sores. Up to 80% of the population has this virus in their body, though it is dormant for much of the time. Anyone who has ever had a painful, and ugly, outbreak has one main question that they want answered: how to get rid of cold sores fast. Even though cold sores don’t last forever, it can seem that way sometimes. But there are some things you can do to make life a little easier.

Of course the best thing to do is to not get an outbreak to begin with. Make sure you keep your immune system strong by getting enough sleep, eating properly and washing your hands frequently. None of these things will guarantee that you won’t get a cold sore, but they sure can help.

It’s also a good idea to avoid using personal items from anyone who has an active outbreak. Steer clear of razors, toothbrushes, glasses, lipstick, etc. You’ll also want to keep the kissing to a minimum, sorry.

Cold sores will be more likely to rear their ugly little heads when you are over stressed or over tired. Try to keep balance in your life (not always easy I know) and you might be able to avoid some outbreaks.

Once you’ve got a cold sore the only thing you can think of is how to get rid of cold sores fast. The sooner you start treating your cold sore the sooner you can be rid of it.

Here are some ideas:

1. Keep the area around the cold sore dry and clean. Cold sores love a moist environments so by keeping the area clean and dry you are depriving it of what it needs to make it’s self at home.

2. As soon as you get an outbreak, get a new toothbrush. The moist toothbrush can actually harbor more of the virus. Also, don’t forget that if your toothbrush has come into contact with the tube of toothpaste, make sure you replace that too.

3. Taking a supplement to help keep yourself strong might also help you quicken the recovery time. You may not totally stop an outbreak, but you might be able to hasten it’s departure.

4. Herbal remedies like lemon balm, echinacea and tea tree oil can also help the healing when applied to the affected area.

5. Learn to deal with stressful situations by learning to meditate, or do yoga, or whatever it is that will help you keep balance in your life.

Remember, that most of us have this virus in our system, many of us have had since we were kids, so we just have to learn how to live with it. Doing everything possible to keep your body healthy and avoiding an outbreak in the first place is the first step. But if, despite your best efforts, you still get a cold sore, there are some simple things you can do to learn how to get rid of cold sores fast.