There is nothing to like about cold Sores, believe me, I get plenty of them. So, I am forever trying new products to try to rid me of this nemesis. Could Lipivir be the answer to my prayers?
I was asked to try this new cold sore cream and jumped at the chance. It is new to Canada, so I had not been aware of it before, but over the years I have tried many different treatments for the dreaded cold sore, and none have ever come close to either stopping them once I get them, or preventing them completely.
I have had cold sores for as long as I can remember and they are awful things. Anyone who hasn't had one can't appreciate the pain and discomfort they cause, let alone the fact they look horrendous. I tend to get them, not just on my lips, but on my nose too. Every year I can get anything from a couple to five or six each winter season and one or two during the summer.
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex 1 virus and they are painful blisters that form mainly on the lips but can, as with me, also appear on or in the nose. I remember once when I was in my early 20's I had the worst one ever which started on my lower lip but ended up spreading all the way down to my chin. It literally covered the area one side of my face from mouth to chin and so unbelievably painful and made me look like something out of a science experiment that had gone wrong.
Although there are many triggers for cold sores, I find that for me it is mainly down to either weather: extreme cold, extreme heat, wind and quick temperature changes or it's when I'm feeling run down, such as if I have a cold or am unwell. They can also be triggered if I hurt my lip. I once hit my lip with my hairbrush (don't ask) and it triggered a cold sore. Many of the treatments I have tried are reliant on applying them when you first get the cold sore tingle. But, with me, I find many of my cold sores come up overnight. So. I'm perfectly okay when I go to bed, but wake up with a cold sore, by which time it's a bit late. So, what is Lipivir and how can it help me?
According to Lipivir, 80% of the Canadian population carries HSV-1 and 20-40% have cold sore outbreaks regularly throughout their lives. The following is a direct quote from the Lipivir website.
““A medical innovation new to Canada, lipivir® was discovered by scientists in Switzerland. lipivir® is a drug-free ointment made of a unique mixture of polyethylene glycols (PEGs): a safe ingredient commonly used as filler in products like skin creams, which scientists discovered interferes with the herpes simplex virus, preventing its ability to infect the healthy cells in your lips. Applying lipivir® daily means that whenever a cold sore trigger wakes up the virus, lipivir® is there to stop it from infecting your lips to produce a cold sore. Because of its drug-free formula, lipivir® can be used alone or safely be added to your existing cold sore treatment regimens.””
Lipivir needs to be applied morning and night, every day. You simply apply a small amount, a little goes a long way, to the areas affected and remember to wait five minutes before applying skincare and makeup products. The tube it comes in is very tiny and contains 2g of product which they say should last 2 months.
I have been using this for a week now and find it very easy to integrate into my routine. As long as I allow it to dry for five minutes before applying skincare and makeup it does not affect them. Lipstick and foundation, for example, go on fine and I've had no coverage problems.
The product is in a gel format that does have a very bitter taste if you happen to taste it, but it soon goes away and I've managed to avoid licking it after the first time. It goes on very easily and spreads well.
I did notice on the info leaflet inside the product that it says it does not offer any SPF protection, so you will need to use another product for this purpose. I personally would do this as the extreme sun can be a trigger for me. It also says it can cause lips to feel dry, so perhaps a lip balm with SPF is the answer.
I really have my fingers crossed for this product. If I don't get any cold sores during the winter months, I think I can safely say it works. I have never gone a whole winter without an outbreak or two.
Lipivir costs $26.99 CND, and I, fortunately, got this one free, but if it works, I won't hesitate to buy it. Anyone who suffers from cold sores will understand that this is a very small price to pay for a cold sore-free existence. Fingers crossed!
