Zovirax Ointment User Reviews & Ratings

• Jem...
• February 21, 2012

For Cold Sores "I have been dealing with cold sores for the past 10 years. I usually would only get 2 per year during an extreme weather change. I've tried Abreva, Releev, Campho, etc. Nothing really worked at all except drying the area. Well, this fall and winter season, I had 3 outbreaks, and at the 3rd, I said enough is enough. I read all the reviews online and decided to go with the Zovirax ointment. I got a prescription from my dentist the first day I noticed the tingling (prodromal stage). The meds indicate this is the best time to start applying. I applied several times the first day, and the next day I woke up and hardly saw a thing on my lip. I applied the ointment about 5 times that day, even though it seemed to be gone. 3rd day GONE!!! Miracle!!"

• iam...
• March 30, 2010

For Herpes Simplex (HSV) "I've been using this product for years. It's the best thing to not having an outbreak. You must catch it on the first sign, though, when the tingling begins, if possible. After that, it will run its full course in pain at the site. I have outbreaks frequently, so I should know. I have trouble controlling when I have an outbreak. I control how I can deal with it when it comes."

• Ram...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 8, 2015

For Cold Sores "I have tried everything, from home remedies to over-the-counter cold sore treatments. Well, my doctor prescribed Zovirax, and since then I have been nothing but thankful. At the first sign, apply the ointment. It won't make the cold sore go away immediately, but by the second day it's dried up, and within four days it's gone. I love Zovirax."

• jpe...
• January 12, 2011

For Cold Sores "I find this the only treatment that can nip a cold sore before it develops. If one does develop, it also eliminates the pain faster (2-3 days) than any other creams I've tried. I also discovered after more than five years of annoying outbreaks that cold sores in the summer actually came from sunburned lips. Once I started to completely cover my lips before spending time in the sun, they did not come back. Here, prevention is the key."

• Lyn...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 20, 2017

For Cold Sores "COLD SORE TREATMENTS AND PREVENTION THAT WORK: L-lysine: You can buy L-lysine over the counter in tablet form; one a day pretty much prevents cold sores from forming. If you run out of tablets, make sure you buy more; it's like the virus sits inactive under the skin just waiting for a break from the L-lysine treatment so it can raise its ugly head. ZOVIRAX: If you feel a cold sore coming on or you have a cold sore, buy Zovirax from the chemist or supermarket; ~$17 a tube, but you only need a little bit applied 5 or 6 times a day, and the last application should be before you go to sleep (whenever you think of applying it, really). Zovirax helps heal the blisters much faster than anything else I have tried. ICE OR COLD PACK: If you don't have Zovirax and the cold sore is really burning and itchy, get a freezer bag or similar and put some ice in it or some frozen peas and apply that to the area until that nasty burning and itchy feeling eases. Avoid licking or playing with the blisters with your tongue; this tends to make them bigger. Pop the Blisters or Don't Pop the Blisters? This is a personal preference; however, I have found that by not popping the blisters, it only allows the blisters to grow bigger to the point of them sometimes joining together and becoming one big blister, which takes a lot longer to heal. Hence, I pop the blister and apply Zovirax straight away, and the majority are gone within a few days. SAFETY FIRST: DO NOT have oral sex and AVOID kissing anyone when you have an active cold sore; they do spread as quickly as a peck on the lips from someone with the active cold sore virus, and wash your hands if you touch your mouth by accident; this helps prevent spreading the cold sore virus. PREVENTION: Take L-lysine 1 tablet daily and try to avoid sudden drops in temperature, excessive sun, or wind. Changes in climate conditions and temperature drops can bring on the cold sore virus. Avoid rubbing your lips hard like we sometimes do to remove stubborn lipstick, and avoid the hard bristles of a man's beard or regrowth. Both of these things can irritate the sensitive skin on our lips. Just be mindful of the cold sore virus, and it will become second nature to prevent it from occurring."

• Non...
• December 19, 2019

For Herpes Simplex (HSV) "There is some confusion about the cream vs. the ointment. Chemically, acyclovir is acyclovir. The only difference between the two is the 'CARRIER' - cream vs. ointment. The ointment (for genital herpes in the U.S.) has polyethylene glycol, a very slippery compound used in laxatives and for bowel prep. It has many other medical and industrial uses. Considering the small amount possibly ingested when applying to the mouth, the only reason not to use the cheaper ointment is if you are sensitive to polyethylene glycol. The cream (oral herpes/cold sores) contains mineral oil (also a laxative), poloxamer 407, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, water, and white petrolatum. Propylene glycol is supposedly good for skin, stops flaking, etc. Despite hours of research, I can't find why cream is so expensive unless the maker thinks we'll pay more for a treatment for our face vs. genitals. The CREAM is the one that is SO OUTRAGEOUSLY EXPENSIVE!!"

• sic...
• October 31, 2015

For Herpes Simplex (HSV) "I have genital herpes as well as SLE and related complications. I mention the other health issues only because the treatment for the lupus is to suppress the immune system, which can allow the herpes virus to become more active than it would be if my immune system was not compromised. I take valacyclovir daily for suppressive treatment, but when I do have an outbreak, I always add the acyclovir ointment. I find that it eases the discomfort and helps the sores heal a little bit faster."