Herpes simplex 1 is a viral disease caused by herpes simplex viruses and is easily transmitted by direct contact with a lesion or the body fluid of an infected individual. A cold sore is specifically herpes labialis, and is characterized by an infection of the lip. In many cases it causes small blisters or sores on or around the mouth that are commonly known as cold sores or fever blisters. These sores often weep a clear liquid and form scabs after a few days. They are often confused with impetigo, which usually develops between the nose and upper lip and the fluid that weeps is cloudy and honey-colored. Cold sores usually heal within 2-3 weeks, but the virus that causes them is not gone; it becomes dormant in the facial nerves, periodically reactivating to create sores in the same area of the mouth or face that the original infection occurred.

The herpes virus can lie dormant in the body and become active when something triggers it. Generally it is felt that anything that compromises the immune system may trigger the cold sores, such as infection, stress, cancer or any illness.

Medical research in England found that many people with cold sores were low in B12, and that by adding 250 mcg. of B12, the condition improved rapidly. This research also suggested taking B complex supplements with emphasis on B12 and folic acid.

Diet considerations are also to be noted. Researchers found that the ratio of amino acids arginine and lysine plays an important part in controlling (not curing) cold sores. Arginine aids the growth and reproduction of the herpes virus, while lysine inhibits it.

Foods to Avoid
- Chocolate
- Peanuts and other nuts
- Grains
- Peas
- Seeds
- Oatmeal
- Whole wheat products
- Coffee

Purchon/Cantele suggest:
Anise
Bergamot
Cajeput
Cedarwood
Chamomile (Roman or German)
Cypress
Eucalyptus globulus
Ginger
Hyssop
Spike Lavender
Manuka
Marjoram
Melissa (avoid using in UV light - Manuka is a good substitute)
Sandalwood
Tea Tree
Thyme ct thymol
St John's Wort infused oil as the carrier

Valerie Worwood suggests:
Clove Bud
Eucalyptus radiata
Manuka
Melissa (avoid using in UV light - Manuka is a good substitute)
Oregano
Sage, Dalmation
Sandalwood, Mysore
Star Anise
Tea Tree
Thyme ct linalool

Kurt Schnaubelt suggests these gentle oils:
Cardamom
Clary Sage
Eucalyptus globulus, radiata
Geranium
German Chamomile
Helichrysum
Hyssop var decumbens
Myrtle
Palmarosa
Ravintsara
Tarragon (also helps with stress)
Tea Tree
Niaouli

Aromatherapy Literature Notes and Research:
It was noted by Dr. Dietrich Wabner, a professor at the Technical University of Munich, that a one-time application of true Melissa essential oil led to complete remission of Herpes Simplex lesions.

Antiviral Activity of Melissa Essential Oil Against Herpes Simplex Virus Type-2 PubMed

Antiviral Activity of Sandalwood Against Herpes Simplex 1 and 2 ScienceDirect

Herpes Cold Sore/Fever Blister Blend (15mL) by Monika Haas
2mL Eucalyptus radiata (alcohol)
2mL Ravintsara (alcohol)
2mL Myrtle (alcohol)
2mL Tea Tree (oxide)
2mL Clary Sage (ester)
2mL Eucalyptus citriodora (aldehyde)
1mL Bay Laurel (oxide)
0.5mL Geranium (alcohol)
0.5mL Melissa (aldehyde)

Application
Apply at first symptoms of an outbreak, which is usually a tingling sensation. Per Schnaubelt, usually the oils used can be tolerated at 50% ratio, but dilute with more carrier if needed. The concentration should at least be 2%, and it's best to apply the mixture for several days after the outbreak has subsided. "Ongoing use of essential oils can succeed in keeping the virus dormant. To apply oils over longer periods they should be in a 2% dilution."

Application should be to the base of the spine and to the areas where the outbreaks usually occur at least 3 times per week. For the 'in-between' formula, some oils should be different from the ones used in the 'outbreak' formula to void getting used to them [Habituation article].

Testimonials
1. I used to get cold sores when I was under a lot of stress. I used Oregano oil – diluted! – and after one hour I could actually feel the cold sore going away. Before I get them, I can feel them coming on from deep inside first. I put one drop diluted Oregano on every couple of hours and they don't develop. I've also taken Oregano in a capsule to help. Since following this protocol, I haven't have another cold sore!
[HEO's Safety Comment: Oral use should only be considered with respect for how concentrated the oils are. HEO does not advocate internal use of essential oils without appropriate knowledge and understanding of how to administer, for what purpose, how much, which essential oils, safety concerns and so on. Kurt Schnaubelt Ph.D. notes that "French aromatherapy literature contains many references to using oils orally." He goes on to note that "generally 1 drop is always enough when ingesting essential oils." A potential toxicity hazard could occur when untrained people use essential oils orally and ingest too much. Keep in mind that while medical doctors or health care practitioners may prescribe essential oils for internal use, they are trained and experienced in the safe application of essential oils.]
 
2. My husband suffers what I call "stress cold sores." He has used Bergamot and Purify. If we get to them early enough, they are usually gone in a day, or at least definitely reduced.

3. I woke up with a cold sore bump on my lip (already past the "tingle" stage). I hadn't had one in a long time. I immediately put Plague Defense on the bump (unbroken skin), and continued to apply it 4-5 times the first day. It didn't sting at all. I did get a small sore, but not "active" like I usually do. I continued to apply Plague Defense until after the scab formed.
 
4. I used to use Zovirax on my cold sores. This last sore I decided to try Lavender instead. I applied it 4-5 times the first day and then about 3 times for the next 5 days. The sore didn't ever break out and there was never a scab. The Lavender took the itching feeling away as well. These oils are incredible!
 
5. I use Plague Defense on my five-year-old boy for his cold sores. I do dilute it and apply it whenever I think of it or he mentions it. The Plague Defense definitely controlled the pain, and in just a few days the spot was completely dried up with barely any sign that he'd had it. It never came to a head. There is nothing that compares to these oils!!!
 
6. When I get cold sores they are extremely painful, blister, my glands swell and so on. I hate them like a passion. I normally use Zovirax, but decided to try the Plague Defense since I saw so many testimonies about it. I applied it (undiluted) at least 8 times the first day, and when I awoke the next day it was gone! Whooohoo!

7. I have used a myriad of different natural remedies for fever blisters over the years, but Linda's Contender is the best thing I've ever tried. I'm very happy with this blend and am telling my friends!

8. Contender blend works like nothing else for fever blisters! - Sarah

9. Since I was very young I'd get fever blisters and it seemed like a long process: first the tingle and itch, then the painful throbbing blister that lasted days, and then the drying up and scab that lasted several more days until it finally went away. With the more recent fever blister I got, I felt the itch in the morning, and by evening it had formed a large blister. I started appling your Contender blend on it that first day, so then that night when it formed the blister, I applied it again everytime I thought about it. By the next morning, it was already to the drying stage and had completely disappeared in just a few more days. So a process that normally took my body 2-3 weeks to complete was done in a week. I think I could have sped the process up it I'd started applying the blend at the first sign of the itch instead of midday, and if I'd kept appling it after it began to dry up. - Sherri

10. My young daughter gets a lot of fever blisters, and when I see one coming on, I apply the Contender blend and it nips it in the bud. - Sarah

11. My dad tried my Contender blend and he was sold. He said it was the best thing he ever used for his fever blisters, so he asked me to order some for him (and he's a big skeptic when it comes to natural treatments!). - Elizabeth

12. Lysine helps prevent cold sores and also tends to help lessen the outbreak and/or help in healing. The amino acid arginine is an antagonist, so foods high in arginine should be avoided or eaten with restraint. Chocolate is a source of arginine (and for me a big trigger - so when I am eating chocolate, I try to take 2 grams of Lysine the same day to help maintain balance). I apply Lavender essential oil directly on the cold sore, which helps with outbreaks and healing as well. As well as Lysine, get adequate Vitamin C, Zinc and B vitamins. Probiotics can help keep your body strong to keep the virus at bay. But, I know for me, when I'm in situations where I know I'm more likely to get a cold sore (too much chocolate, sun or stress), I take 1-2 grams supplemental Lysine a day until things calm down or I stop eating chocolate.

13. Since cold sores are a type of virus and are contagious, you do not want to kiss anyone while you have the sore or even when you feel one coming on. As a herpes virus, some canker sores can lie dormant until the next stress, lack of sleep, over-exposure to the sun, diet failure and so on, comes along. I have a particular spot on my lip that "tingles" as if it's about to break out. As soon as I feel this, I start taking L-Lysine 3-4 times daily as long as needed.  

14. I read on the Facebook group about Balsam Fir for fever blisters. Saturday night I spent the night with my daddy. About 10:30 P.M. I noticed a fever blister on my bottom lip. I didn't have the Balsam Fir with me, but I did have a purse full of others. I used Lavender immediately, and then I put on Shea butter. As soon as I returned home the next morning, I put on Balsam fir and then Shea butter. I alternated them every couple of hours. I made some lip balm using shea butter and mango butter with several drops each of Balsam Fir and Lavender. I continued to alternate Balsam Fir and Lavender neat, with the lip balm on my lips over the oils. By this evening, 69 hours later, the thing is entirely gone, including the scab. It has a small "scar" there that will probably still be visible for a few days. I am quite impressed and grateful to God!! - Cammy

15. My husband has been using an OTC cold sore medication for as long as I can remember whenever he has a breakout. After doing some research, I suggested that he try Ravensara to see if it might help him. I had him apply a drop to a Q-tip then dab it directly on his lip as soon as he felt the beginnings of a cold sore. It immediately gave him relief, and he never even had a full outbreak. Usually his lips get very cracked, bleed and then scab during an outbreak, but not this time. He had a small red area where the cold sore should have been, but that is it. It was completely gone in 2 days, when it usually takes him 7-10 to recover. I was able to get him to give up his OTC meds for a natural alternative that works even better! Thank you so much! - Teresa

16. 2. I’ve used Rosemary ct cineole oil for oral herpes simplex virus with great success. I apply it neat or diluted with Jojoba oil at the first sign of an outbreak, and the blister is gone within 24-48 hours. - Elizabeth

17. I had a recurring cold sore every few months. I put Plague Defense on it about 5 months ago. (Yeah, it stung a bit!) It hasn't been back since! - Kim

18. I recently ran out of my nitric acid and forgot to order more. When a fever blister appeared, I was soooo disappointed! Nothing works for me like Nitric Acid homeopathics! - Jen

Other Possible Choices
Acidophilus - Take four acidophilus capsules 3-4 times daily with raw milk. The milk is an activating culture medium for the bacilli. This should soothe the sore and speed healing. Doing this at the onset may prevent the sore from maturing at all.

Aloe Vera - Keep a plant around as it's beneficial for many things. When the tingling starts, rub juice from a fresh-broken leaf on the affected area. This remedy is especially useful at the onset and may help keep it from "blossoming."

Camphor Essential Oil - dab on the sore with a cotton ball.

DMSO - Dab it on the sores twice daily. It is noted to stop the growth of the virus by penetrating right to the center of the herpes infection. Used in conjunction with an essential oil will help to usher the essential oil to the site to fight the virus.

Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) - mix a few drops with aloe or olive oil and dab it on the sore. GSE if very potent, so use sparingly!

Ice - eases the pain and may prevent the virus from migrating from the nerve to the skin.

Melissa Essential Oil - German studies indicated that Melissa reduced the symptoms and sped the healing process.

Myrrh Essential Oil - relieves pain.

Tea Steep - after making tea, use the cooled tea bag as a compress for lesions.

Yogurt - is high in lysine. Homemade yogurt is preferable, but if you must purchase your yogurt, get a brand without gelatin.

Homeopathic Choices
Natrum muriaticum (Nat mur) - This is the first choice for cold sores around the lips and mouth, nose and chin. It's especially useful in the early stages of herpes when the upper lip is swollen but no vesicle - or fluid-containing sac such as a blister - has appeared. You may also have dry, chapped lips, your mouth may be dry and you may be thirsty. Nat mur is indicated if the person is emotionally upset.

Nitricum Acidum (Nitric Acid) is useful for fever blisters on lips with stitching pain. Stitching pain is like as from splinters. It is most felt when touching the lips. Lips may be swollen. The lip may be cracked and sore also.

Rhus toxicodendron (poison ivy) -The herpes that are relieved by Rhus tox usually burns and itches, and acrid fluid may seep from yellow vesicles. Rhus tox is effective for the tissue crusting that occurs with herpes. Can be used after Nat mur to finish off the cold sore.

Sepia (cuttlefish ink) - People needing sepia have herpatic eruptions around the lips, corners of the mouth and particularly around the nasal area with crusty eruptions inside and on the nose. People needing sepia often have dark circles under their eyes and are exhausted and depressed. Sepia is appropriate for cold sores that occur during pregnancy, before menses or in menopause.

Dulcamara (bittersweet) - People needing this remedy can have thick, brown herpatic crusts with reddish borders. These crusts can bleed when scratched. Dulcamara is appropriate for blisters that appear in clusters and ooze watery fluid. Glandular swelling, burning, stinging and itching sensations may be present. For people needing dulcamara, eruptions of herpes may occur after rain or sudden changes from warm to cold or damp weather. Eruptions are also more likely to appear around menses.

Hepar sulphuris calcareum (calcium sulphide) -This remedy is suitable for eruptions around mouth and lips, occasionally following the path of the nerves across the face or even around or into the eyes. Hepar sulph is needed particularly when herpes vesicles have become infected, indicated by formation of yellow pus. Hepar sulph is the main remedy for painful boils, pimples or abscesses. Hepar sulph can quickly control infection in most cases, averting the need for antibiotics.

Reference
Purchon, Nerys; Cantele, Lora, Complete Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness, 2014, page 249-250.
Schnaubelt, Kurt, PhD, PA Online Course: Essential Oils for Herpes, Shingles and Genital Herpes, @2019 Terra Linda Scent and Image
Worwood, Valerie Ann, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, New World Library, 2016, page 58-59.