NBR: quick fix for breakouts/cold sore?

MrsGlaedr

FI and I are flying home tomorrow night for Kyles baptism and we're having our engagement pictures taken on Monday by a potential wedding photographer. I've been so excited for months waiting to go home and do this, but we've been under a lot of stress the past couple weeks and this morning I wake up with (i'll admit, small- bu noticeable!) pimples all scattered across my face and a huge nasty cold sore front and center on my bottom lip. bahhhh

I'm a notorious picker so I'm keeping my hands busy, applying carmex, drinking my weight in water and washing my face like its going out of style. Any quick fixes you ladies know of? I was blessed with clear skin in high school but now I dont know how to cope when this happens lol

TIA! 

mintea

Definitely don't touch it. I like Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick. It soothes cold sores (or pimples) so I am less likely to touch them, and it helps dry them out. Worst case scenario maybe your photog can photoshop it out!

88eve88

For cold sores, I use Abreva and I find it really does heal cold sores faster.  

https://www.abreva.com/

For breakouts, I've heard that overwashing your face can actually make it worse, so I'd probably stop doing that.  

What facial cleanser to you use? I use Spectro Jel when my skin breaks out.

https://www.spectroskincare.com/blemishprone_fragrance_free_cleanser.aspx 

Do you have oily skin?  If so, tea tree oil might be helpful. 

ALane1128

Nothing works for me except for taking Lysine pills (like 4 a day), putting Lysine gel (found at Walgreens) on at night and during the day putting on Campho-phenique (found at Walgreens). The campho is more like a numbing agent and drying up agent - it helps me forget that it's there. The 1 reason we get cold sores is cause of our body's lack of lysine...thats where the pill and gel come into play. I've had cold sores all my life. This remedy has been by far my LIFE SAVER!!!! I had 2 a week before my wedding and w/these things, they were gone 3 days before the big day! Good Luck!

songstress503

When I get a cold sore I am aggressive! As soon as there is a blister I prick it with a sterilized pin and use a cotton pad to apply alcohol liberally.  It will sting! Then I use a combo of abreva and prescription Zoverax. Repeat alcohol and creams atleast every 3 hours.  I have tried using tea bag compress also, and it seem to help, but my chin was temporarily orange!

MrsGlaedr

songstress503:

When I get a cold sore I am aggressive! As soon as there is a blister I prick it with a sterilized pin and use a cotton pad to apply alcohol liberally.  It will sting! Then I use a combo of abreva and prescription Zoverax. Repeat alcohol and creams atleast every 3 hours.  I have tried using tea bag compress also, and it seem to help, but my chin was temporarily orange!

This is more my style but I'm nervous-- if all I have is carmex and alchohol to work with, and not your prescription creams, do you think its still a good idea? How long does it take to get back to normal?