Prescription-strength cold sore remedies are typically the most-effective oral herpes treatments available, and stand alone as the only FDA-approved medications that are available to people that have problems with problematic, recurring oral herpes outbreaks. While they may have several drawbacks (specifically significant costs, in addition to the need for a prescription from your doctor) as compared to their over-the-counter, and home remedy competition, their scientifically-tested record of success ensures they are well worth the added cost and hassle for most herpes sufferers.
Listed here is a brief summary of the top prescription cold sore remedies:
Antiviral Skin creams - Denavir and Zovirax
Considered the quickest means to deal with a cold sore outbreak, prescription antiviral creams are applied topically to cold sore fever blisters, and customarily bring about an almost instantaneous decline in soreness and swelling. Additionally, they are known as effective agents in the process of healing, often chopping a couple of days off the period of time necessary for the skin to mend itself.
The leading, FDA-approved prescription brands are Denavir (penciclovir 1%) and Zovirax (acyclovir 5%). It's debatable as to which brand is the most effective (studies seem to indicate that this depends, to a large degree, upon the particular user), but both antiviral creams have extremely high success rates in lowering the severity and extent of cold sore outbreaks.
A significant difference worth pointing out comes in the form of the dosing cycles necessary for the two drugs. Denavir requires topical application on the area affected by the herpes episode every couple of hours over a period of four days. Zovirax, however, is applied 5 times each day (about once every three hours) during an equivalent time frame (four days).
Zovirax's less-rigorous dosing schedule has made it more popular with patients since it came on the market in 2002, but ease of use seems to be its only demonstrated edge over Denavir. As mentioned, the medications match each other in performance, and figuring out which one is better suited to you is generally best left to your doctor.
Antiviral Pills - Famvir and Valtrex
Whereas antiviral creams work for treating fever blisters after they appear, antiviral capsules excel at stopping outbreaks before the blisters appear. The two most-recognized brands, Famvir (famciclovir) and Valtrex (valacyclovir) have each been shown by FDA testing to be effective at curtailing viral shedding of the HSV-1 virus all through the early stages of an outbreak. In laymen's terms, this means that using them at the initial sign of an episode may well prevent the episode from worsening.
The Drawback to Prescription Cold Sore Treatments
For the majority of patients, the biggest drawback to using prescription cold sore remedies is cost. Whereas an over-the-counter medication like Abreva (the only FDA-approved antiviral cream sold without prescription) sells for as little as $10 USD, a monthly supply of a prescription drug is typically three-to-four times that amount. Like anything else though, you often get exactly what you pay for. Prescription cold sore treatments cost more, but their level of consumer satisfaction has a tendency to out-distance their competitors as well.
Listed here is a brief summary of the top prescription cold sore remedies:
Antiviral Skin creams - Denavir and Zovirax
Considered the quickest means to deal with a cold sore outbreak, prescription antiviral creams are applied topically to cold sore fever blisters, and customarily bring about an almost instantaneous decline in soreness and swelling. Additionally, they are known as effective agents in the process of healing, often chopping a couple of days off the period of time necessary for the skin to mend itself.
The leading, FDA-approved prescription brands are Denavir (penciclovir 1%) and Zovirax (acyclovir 5%). It's debatable as to which brand is the most effective (studies seem to indicate that this depends, to a large degree, upon the particular user), but both antiviral creams have extremely high success rates in lowering the severity and extent of cold sore outbreaks.
A significant difference worth pointing out comes in the form of the dosing cycles necessary for the two drugs. Denavir requires topical application on the area affected by the herpes episode every couple of hours over a period of four days. Zovirax, however, is applied 5 times each day (about once every three hours) during an equivalent time frame (four days).
Zovirax's less-rigorous dosing schedule has made it more popular with patients since it came on the market in 2002, but ease of use seems to be its only demonstrated edge over Denavir. As mentioned, the medications match each other in performance, and figuring out which one is better suited to you is generally best left to your doctor.
Antiviral Pills - Famvir and Valtrex
Whereas antiviral creams work for treating fever blisters after they appear, antiviral capsules excel at stopping outbreaks before the blisters appear. The two most-recognized brands, Famvir (famciclovir) and Valtrex (valacyclovir) have each been shown by FDA testing to be effective at curtailing viral shedding of the HSV-1 virus all through the early stages of an outbreak. In laymen's terms, this means that using them at the initial sign of an episode may well prevent the episode from worsening.
The Drawback to Prescription Cold Sore Treatments
For the majority of patients, the biggest drawback to using prescription cold sore remedies is cost. Whereas an over-the-counter medication like Abreva (the only FDA-approved antiviral cream sold without prescription) sells for as little as $10 USD, a monthly supply of a prescription drug is typically three-to-four times that amount. Like anything else though, you often get exactly what you pay for. Prescription cold sore treatments cost more, but their level of consumer satisfaction has a tendency to out-distance their competitors as well.
About the Author:
Want to find out more about herpes symptoms in men?, then visit Devin Brindinshire's site for more useful advice on cold sore remedies.
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