by amyk49 in Wellness & Beauty, - Top 100, Apr 24 '03
Pros: Definitely speeds healing time, dries clear, no scent Cons: Expensive, and tube is very small
I can expect to endure a cold sore about 3 to 5 times a year. Not all that frequently, but when I do have one I want it gone NOW! Unfortunately, untreated a cold sore can take up to two weeks or even more to completely heal. I feel like some kind of...
Pros: It helps to decrease the healing time for a cold sore. Cons: Does not relieve initial pain. Expensive. Ridiculous packaging.
Hello to the fellow cold sore sufferers. From what I understand, and don't hold me to this, there are three types of people when it comes to cold sores. One group gets cold sores frequently. Another group gets maybe 3-4 a year. Another group is ...
Pros: Heals cold sores QUICKLY!! Cons: A little on the expensive side but nothing compared to the pain-free outbreaks!
One of the worst things that I hate is when I get a cold sore! About 3 times a year they pop up...about 3 or 4 of them on my bottom lip. If you've never had one...you are soooo lucky! I don't even want to go out in public because it's such a sight! ...
Hubby is susceptible to cold sores. He gets them maybe three times a year but no matter how often or how little they make you feel awful and they don't look particularly attractive. They also make you infectious. He is always very careful about spreading ...
Pros: works quickly Cons: hock your mama's jewelry, because it don't come cheap
Recently, my four-year-old daughter had her very first dance recital fast approaching. She also got her very first cold sore at the same time. With dance pictures and recital day coming up in next to no time, I was desperate to help her out as quickly as ...
Pros: Healing time remarkably accelerated. Cold sore intensity greatly reduced. Cons: Tiny tube, BIG price!
"Oh no. My lip is tingling!" (runs to bathroom, looks into mirror) "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" (masses of frightened birds flee from surrounding trees) That's pretty much the scenario when it comes to discovering I have a ...
Pros: Works great, not greasy, helps moisturize, little goes a long way, odorless, tasteless, dries fast/clear Cons: It SEEMS expensive, metal tube, no anesthetic
This is the only cold sore treatment I have found that actually shows dramatic results. I have suffered with cold sores for 26 years. Growing up, I tried using vitamin E topically and taking L-lysine (an antiviral vitamin). These measures helped some, ...
Pros: Cold Sores can be very painful and embarrassing, Abreva delivers on curing both! Cons: Abreva comes in a very small package and is expensive.
Recently I graduated from high school and went on a senior trip to Hawaii. Yes, it was fabulous! After returning home to Utah I experience a number of break outs, including cold sores. I guess after spending 8 days in the humid environment in ...
Pros: Works very well, cream is odorless and disappears once absorbed into skin Cons: Expensive, doesn't relieve pain, may not be effective once sore reaches the oozing/scabbing phase
If you suffer from cold sores aka fever blisters, then you know what it's like to live in constant fear of these nasty little blisters that cause big pain and embarrassment. Cold sores can have many causes and we all grow to know our own triggers and ...
Pros: Speeds healing time and dries clear with no scent or taste. Cons: None!
I have been a cold sore sufferer for a few years now. Thankfully, I only get them once every 2 or 3 years. But as any cold sore sufferer knows, thats enough to make you CRY out in HORROR when you start to see that little sucker pop up. Thursday (it's now ...
Pros: It works! Cuts cold sore healing time dramatically. Far better than other products. Cons: A little pricey, small tube of product, but it goes a long way.
Unfortunately I'm one of those few that is plagued with getting cold sores on my lips. I seem to get one, or sometimes a couple in a small group, about 1-2 times a year. Usually due to going out in the sun for extended periods w/out wearing chap stick t ...
Today's special guest is the virus we all love to hate Hi, I'm Herpes Labialis. Some of you may know me as Herpes Simplex 1. My big brother is Herpes Simplex 2. He likes to lounge around on your genitals. I never did like it down there, but I ...
Pros: FDA approved, clinically proven to reduce duration and healing time. Cons: Expensive for small amount
For all fever blister sufferers rejoice! Abreva is the first over the counter, FDA approved medicine that clinically reduces the severity and duration of fever blisters. There are many "medicines" that are sold in drug stores that are marketed to ...
Pros: Works if used at first sign, prevents cold sores from coming if used soon enough Cons: pricey, hard to open the box that it comes in
Abreva is something that I keep in my purse at all times. When I put this on at the very first moment that I feel like I may be getting a cold sore, it prevents me from getting one altogether. I use it at the first sign of tingling or if my lips are ...
Pros: It works. Not expensive since I get 4 episodes worth of treatment from a tube. Cons: I guess a small percentage are apt to be allergic to it.
I've been getting cold sores for most of my adult life and I'm now in my 40's. They usually erupt when I'm getting sick, or about a week before my period. Most of the time I wake up in the morning feeling the "itch", but this most recent time I was ...
Pros: WORKS, blister went away without progressing, discreet, no unpleasant taste/crust, actually stopped cold sore. Cons: Dries out skin slightly.
The last cold sore onset I had was preceded by a tingling - I applied Tinactin, but lo and behold, the next day I had the blister (fluid filled and pink) appearing in the usual spot. The pharmacist told me Abreva was the best available, so I bought it. ...
Pros: None for me. Cons: Expensive and does not work if not applied at first notice.
It had been a few years since I had a cold sore, and one morning I woke up and and noticed a slight tingle on my lower lip. There was some slight redness, but I though nothing of it. I threw on some chapstick and went to work. The next morning the ...
Pros: Everything, because it works Cons: None, because it works.
No more feeling like some sort of skeezy, herpes infected freak when you go out in public while having a cold sore. No more trying to come up with some non-herpes related reason to explain your jacked up lips. Ummmm, yeah, I was walking a little old ...
Pros: Keeps fever blister from going to "full bloom." Cons: May cause blister to spread and/or produce new blisters.
I have had fever blisters periodically for several years, always occurring in the same spot. Two blisters ago, I tried Abreva. It totally skipped over the "full bloom" stage, and that's good. But it left the blister area with a feeling of slight ...
On Wednesday morning I woke up and felt like I had a pinched lip, but I thought it was merely from my orthodontic adjustment the day before. I never had a cold sore before in my life, so I never would have guessed that this was what it was. I left it go ...
Pros: Fast Healing, Dries Quickly, helps the itching and tingling as it Heals. Cons: Small bottle (easy to loose), The price.
I've been getting cold sores ever since I can remember. My triggers are food, they change over time but its usually spicy foods.. Sometimes its just stress. I can usually control them and not eat certain foods and I am fine. On Friday (today is ...
Pros: Cheap compared to prescription medicines like Zovirax; has synergistic effects with traditional prescription meds. Cons: Don't know yet if it will work so well on its own.
My experience Since I'm rather the biology geek, I looked up the active ingredient (docosanol, which is a 22-carbon-atom-long alcohol) on PubMed before buying this. Some studies said it's somewhat effective against herpes simplex labialis - ...
Pros: Reduces symptoms noticeably. White cream also has makeup effect of disguising the sore somewhat. Cons: May cause symptoms to re-occur at a different location or more frequently.
The first time I tried Abreva, I was really impressed. Even though the sore was well underway by the time I first applied, it seemed to hasten the healing. I figured it would really work great if I applied when symptoms first appeared. ...
Pros: Shortens cycle if you catch it in time Cons: side effects, exspensive
I used Abreeva over a period of about 4 months. It didn't work for me, infact I reacted adversely to it. I had minor puffiness in my jaw line & soreness in my neck & shoulders. It messed up my periods, & I was having one every 2 weeks! ...
Pros: It speeds up the cold sore healing process EXPONENTIALLY
A little goes a long way. Cons: Easy to lose (I'm on my second tube). Expensive but worth it.
I felt the oncomings of a cold sore on Monday night, and I went out and bought this itty bitty tube of Abreva. On Tuesday the cold sore looked a bit worse, on Wednesday it was huge, but by Thursday it was already drying up. I usually have my cold sores once every few years but they last for a good month at least. And are extremely painful. I still went through all my cold sore stages with Abreva but it sped up the entire process. You really do not need to put on much, which is a good thing since it is a bit $$$. But it is WORTH it.
perspective is important by mysticaldeath ,Sep 13 '04
Pros: odorless, reasonably priced, OTC access, ease of application, speeds healing time Cons: lacks topical analgesic (anti-itch & pain-killer)
Having never had a cold sore until recently, I don't have a frame of reference of how long they usually last for myself untreated vs being treated with Abreva. I'm in my third day now though and the process of eruption to blister, crusting over and healing seems to be moving quite quickly relative to other accounts I've read of almost 2 weeks. I started using Abreva the evening i realized that I had a cold sore. It doesnt seem to directly address the itching or burning though, outside of shortening the whole awful experience itself.
Many reviews I've read claim that the main con is price and size of tube. I found 12.99 (9.99 with coupon!) before tax to be quite reasonable for an effective medication, and a 2.0 gram tube should be enough to see an individual through the whole course of treatment, maybe even with some left over.
Abreva Work! (Most of the time!) by amusedalison ,Oct 19 '06
Pros: Works Great! If used immediately.. Cons: Don't bother with this if you've waited more than a day.
I woke up this morning with that annoying tingling on my lip. I knew I'd have to step it up to get to the store in time to get the medicine before going to work. I bought the Abreva and applied it immediately, after the struggle in the car to get through the plastic packaging. Tonight, my symptoms are nearly gone, thanks to immediate application.
Other times I wasn't so lucky. Didn't have time to acquire the medicine until the cold sore had "set in". I might as well have used lip gloss. If you don't apply Abreva at the first signs of a cold sore, it won't help much. BUT...if you have it on hand or can get some quickly, it works wonders!
It's a little expensive, but I'd rather pay the $13.00 - $16.00 and get rid of the ugly thing quickly, than endure the embarrassment and pain of a red, cracking, fat lip for nearly 2 weeks. Besides, you won't need a full tube. Save the leftover in a handy place to get started on the next outbreak.
Pros: No Rx needed, find at any drugstore. Cons: Burns terribly and DOES NOT MAKE TINGLE GO AWAY-- it accelerates a full-blown outbreak!
I felt the tingle and ran to fill my prescription cream only to find I was out of refills! I ran to the drugstore and found this product and decided to give it a shot.
Oh man, after the first application I knew it was a bad choice; my lip burned like a bee had stung it and the tingle turned into a rapidly growing sore. WHAT!?! It actually made the outbreak happen!
I ran back to the store and exchanged it for Releev which I am pleased to see actually made the swelling dissipate a little after the first hour or so. I am still on the first day and will post a review of Releev when treatment is complete; all things are looking good for this new product!
better than most but not the best by tracys828 ,Feb 21 '07
Pros: works faster than other products, keeps area moist, no taste or odor, painless Cons: expensive, tiny tube that you tend to overuse, can hurt worse in between applications
I get cold sores every now and then and so far I feel that Abreva does work better than most products--I have yet to find anything better although I still look. The cold sore is usually gone within 10 days max---and that means completely gone with no trace of a scab or anything---7 days is usually how long it takes for it to be gone without being painful or irritated anymore
7 days is still a long time to have this nasty thing on my lip.
Pros: Very effective. Actually stops the progression of the cold sore. Cons: Expensive, but worth it. Puny little tube.
I always have Abreva on hand. Very important! If I apply Abreva at the first inkling of getting a cold sore, I won't even get the cold sore. Yes it PREVENTS the cold sore. Now if you wait till you get home to put it on you have waited too long. If started after that it still does stop it in its tracks and it doesn't progress much beyond that point. Its effectiveness is directly proportional to the amount of time that passes before you start application. Continue to apply as often as you think of it untill the cold sore is gone. If you get the same type of sores elsewhere on your body, it works there too. I have tried a prescription cream called Denavere, or something like that, and it had little effect. Buy the 2 pak at Sam's club. Best price by far. Even cheaper than at Walmart.
I bought Abreva as to me it was the most well known. I applied it to the cold sore on my nose before it blistered. On fourth day of application, I woke up looking like Rudolph the red nose reindeer. Only then did I realize I was allergic to it. The huge red nose from allergic reaction is more embarrassing to me than the cold sore.
Some of us are ALLERGIC!!!! by my3sons2834 ,Jun 28 '05
Pros: Have heard very good things - just didn't work for me. Cons: Apparently allergic. Made my symptoms MUCH worse. Very bad experience.
I have been plagued by frequent recurring cold sores for the past several years so I was thrilled to hear about Abreva and rushed right out to get it when the need arose. I applied the product before bed and when I awoke the next morning I found that the blister was MUCH worse. I did not know if this was part of the healing process with this particular product, SO I applied it again. Again the blister got even worse both in size and pain. I stopped using it and finished out the treatment with my old stand by, Campho Phenique.
It must have been some time until the next ocurance because the reaction had slipped my mind and at the first sign of the cold sore I reached for the Abreva and applied it. It did not take me long to remember. Same swelling and pain. I threw it away.
Pros: Speeds healing time, no prescription needed. Cons: Small tube, somewhat pricey
I have suffered from cold sore for 25 years or longer and have tried every product known to man over the counter and prescription. I have found that Abreva works better than anything else out there. I also use it in combination with Valtrex and if I catch it early enough the blister rarely appears. Its definitely a life savers for those of us who suffer from reoccurring cold sores.
DID NOT WORK FOR ME, SEEMED TO MAKE WORSE! by hatethiskl ,Jun 15 '08
Pros: None Cons: Overpriced, doesn't work, made my blister worse, made pain worse.
I bought this overprice stuff within 5 hours of seeing the first signs of a bump and feeling the tingling on my chin.
I have now used it for 4 days and if anything, the blisters are WORSE. The last outbreak I had was barely more than a pimple -- now, this thing on my chin is big, red and ugly. Also, I tend to get one swollen gland under my chin with outbreaks -- not only is the pain in the gland worse after four days of Abreva, but in fact a new swollen, painful gland popped up this morning.
Next time, I'm going to my doctor for a prescription cream.
Abreva seems to have made me worse!
Pros: works like it says. PLENTY in the tube. doesn't expire for a year! Cons: It is expensive, the tube is easy to lose packaging was hard to open.
I recently moved to Japan as a military wife and am living out of suitcases. The move has been stressful and anyone who gets cold sores knows, stress can be a major trigger. I forgot to pack my prescription medication and it figures 2 days ago I got that dreadful tingle on my lip. Unable to get a Dr. appt for 3 weeks, I knew I had to do something fast or endure a horrible sore for 7-10 days. I went to the base drug store and found ONE tube of Abreva for 15$. That tiny tube, though expensive, has done what it professes. The tingle stopped and my lip has a minimal swelling now instead of a full blown sore. Without the Abreva I know that I would have one of the worst ones I've ever had. Thanks Abreva! Also, it doesn't expire for at least another year and there is plenty of cream in the tube to treat a ton of outbreaks if I have them. I still don't think it's as good as my prescription for Famvir though. Feel a tingle, take a pill and that baby never even shows up. Ask your doctors about that!
Abreva also spread my cold sores by annema1 ,Jan 20 '08
Pros: stops cold sores Cons: spreads and increasing frequency of my cold sores
I used abreva and thought it worked great the first time. I get cold sores once or twice a year, so I was really surprised when I started getting one a week later, and instead of the usual spot, there were many tiny dots spread out over half of my lip. Abreva did not let them develop, but three weeks later they started again. I chose to let these develop and never used abreva again. I am now back to my normal twice a year.
Troublesome Packaging and very expensive by jtm282 ,Oct 28 '08
Pros: works if you catch the cold sore soon enough. Cons: Expensive for what you get. Packaging is terrible. Doesn;t work once a cold sore has developed.
I found the product only to works if you apply as soon as you feel a tingle. Once a cold sore has developed, Abreva seems to do very little.
I paid almost $20 for .07 oz. This is extremely high, given the limited window of time you have to start applying the product for it to do any good. But I wouldn;t even mind that som much if wasn't for the packaging.
It is double wrapped in thick plastic. Why would a small tube of cream need such protection? I had to get out my toolkit to even get to the product.
One web site lists the cost of Abreva at $13.99. The package size is 0.07 oz. Calculating the cost:
There are 128 oz in a gallon.
There are 0.07 oz in an Abreva package.
There are 1828.57 package contents in a gallon (128/0.07).
1828.57 x $13.99 = $25,581.69.
So Abreva costs $25,581.69 per gallon.
Maybe I should just let the cold sore go away on its own and buy a new car.
i think i may be allergic to it by worrybrunette ,Oct 09 '08
Pros: None for me Cons: unstopping swelling on the area, expensive, more itching
this is the very first time i ever had a cold sore, i applied abreva and it seem to make it worse for me, my lips is gigant now and im going to the doctor tomorow morning, im actually getting really scared, my lip is just growing and growing, and its feel like itches even more, i will comment again.
Pros: Highly effective. Painless. Goes on smooth and clear. Cons: Pricey. The tube is tiny but seems to last longer than you think.
I'm a 26 year old healthy male, but have struggled with cold sores since I was young. I've tried everything out there it seems, but for some reason overlooked Abreva until now. I thought I was getting a cold sore last week so I came across it in CVS. Turns out I didn't get a cold sore.. it was a broken blood vessel on my lip ?? which just "looks" like a herpe now.. awesome! Anyways, I ended up getting a real cold sore this week. I woke up on Sunday and felt the tingle.. ahhh! I immediately starting using the Abreva and it wasn't getting any worse. It is now Monday night and it's completely gone! If you've been a cold sore sufferer then you can imagine my excitement when I finally found something that works. I plan to keep a tiny tube of Abreva on hand for the rest of my life.. unless a cure is found sooner! I'm glad I was one of the people to write a good review on this product. Best of luck everyone!
Free Shipping on Orders Over $...(Stock status: N/A)
Abreva Cold Sore / Fever Blister Treatment Pump shortens healing time and duration of symptoms : tingling, pain, burning and/or itching.More at AmericaRx.com Health Shop
Docosanol 10% cream. Cold sore treatment. Portable and convenient pump. Only FDA approved medicine to shorten healing time - Only non-prescription col...More at Walgreens
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
, Oct 18 '09
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.