How long does the risk of infection last?

The liquid in the vesicles contains a large number of virus particles. For this reason caution is required, especially when the bubbles appear and break open. These two phases cover a period of six to eight days.

The risk of infection is greatest during this period. However, the crusts may still be contagious. For this reason, it is advisable not to have any physical contact between the lip and other people during the entire outbreak of cold sores.

It is therefore important that, at best, no other people are kissed or touched with the infected lip during the entire outbreak. The virus can also be transmitted via objects. For this reason it is advisable that sick people do not use the same cutlery as healthy people.

Lipsticks or towels should also be used alone during this period. A herpes patch can also be used to limit the infectiousness. The patch acts as a barrier here, holding back the secretions of the blisters and preventing them from spreading.

Duration for treatment with creams

If ordinary moisturizing cream is used to treat cold sores, the duration of the disease is not expected to be shortened. On the contrary, there is more likely to be a risk that the fluid from the blisters will be distributed by the cream and cause an infection in neighbouring skin areas. For this reason, only substances with a virus-inhibiting, antiviral effect should be used.

Normal skin creams do not have this antiviral effect and thus do not combat the spread of the virus. One can therefore assume the same duration of the disease as if one would not treat with creams. As a rule, the duration is about 10 days.

Duration of treatment with Zovirax

Zovirax® is a cream which is used to treat cold sores. The cream consists of three different ingredients: Aciclovir, Dimeticon and Propylene Glycol. Aciclovir is a so-called antiviral.

This means that it prevents the virus from multiplying and thus has a beneficial effect on the course of the disease. In addition to Aciclovir, Zovirax® contains Dimeticon and Propylene Glycol. In principle, these active ingredients ensure that the cream is quickly absorbed into the skin and that the active ingredient acyclovir has a good effect.

The treatment period is set at four days. In most cases an improvement will already occur within this time. However, one or two additional days can be added until the wound has completely healed.

Duration of treatment with Aciclovir

During treatment with Aciclovir only the antiviral is used. It is not present here in combination with other substances. This inhibits the reproduction of the virus and leads to healing within six to seven days on average.

Aciclovir can be obtained as infusions, tablets, creams or ointments. The speed at which acyclovir works may depend on how you take it. For cold sores, it is usually applied as a cream or ointment.