Acyclovir topical for Herpes Simplex (HSV) User Reviews

• iam...
• March 30, 2010

Acyclovir topical "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."

• Non...
• December 19, 2019

Acyclovir topical "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!!"

• Ver...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 8, 2015

Acyclovir topical "I have lived 14 years with cold sores from HSV-1, spending $20/tube on Abreva and suffering from annual breakouts, some worse than others, but all embarrassing and painful! I never thought to ask for a prescription, but coincidentally had a cold sore on my lip when I went to see my OBGYN last year. She noticed it and wrote me an Rx for Zovirax cream, and I let it sit in my wallet for a couple of months until I felt the tell-tale 'tingling.' This stuff really works, and if you apply it early enough, the sore won't even really form or blister and will completely disappear within 3-5 days. It's amazing and totally worth it. Do yourself a favor and get it! It was only $30, and the tube is bigger than a tube of Abreva."

• sic...
• October 31, 2015

Acyclovir topical "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."

• Nic...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 12, 2020

"I have had cold sore outbreaks around my mouth since my childhood. I have tried absolutely everything (i.e., Lipactin, Abreva, and so on), and the only topical treatment I've found to be effective is acyclovir cream 5% (I buy generics). If applied early in the onset, sores typically remain small and will dry within a day or two. Before switching to acyclovir cream, an outbreak would last from 4 to 7 days. Now, 2 to 4 days is the usual. It feels like you are skipping the nasty and uncomfortable phase right after the outbreak to go straight to the 'recovery' phase where the skin is healing under the dried scabs. I always carry some with me now."

• Jus...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 30, 2017

Acyclovir topical "I first contracted G. herpes and where the semen contacted my skin, and I've had eruptions of horrible, painful, blistering sores. It's first a tingle, and I immediately know... I have Valtrex, but it takes longer to work, even if I take it at the first tingle. For my cold sores, I used to get sores on my chin, but no longer. I get them on my ear... uh huh, that's right. My ear and the small of my back, right where my jeans hit. Once my ear swelled up so much, and my neck too, nothing helped but this cream. It stopped my chin sores (underneath where a second neck would be if I had one) altogether. My back sores happen at severe stress, ugh, abreva doesn't help. This cream does 100% for me."

• 032...
• January 23, 2017

"I have suffered from genital herpes for 6 years and tried all herbal prevention treatments as I suffer approximately 8 outbreaks a year. For the last 6 months, I have tried the acyclovir suppressive treatment, and in 6 months, I have had 1 very mild outbreak. After the first 4 months, I went from taking the recommended 2 tablets a day to just 1 a day. I am so glad I tried acyclovir, I feel I have my life back!"

• ouc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 26, 2017

"I was diagnosed with genital herpes earlier today, though the symptoms began a month ago and I mistook it for a yeast infection. The sores started last Monday (5 days ago). The burning was so bad to the point where I had trouble walking. After applying acyclovir earlier, I experienced moderate burning for a short amount of time, but after sitting down for a while, I felt relief. Let's hope that tomorrow the sores aren't as painful."

• bet...
• November 17, 2011

Acyclovir topical "I got HSV-1 in 2008 from cheating on my now ex-wife. It was never a problem until a breakout in 2010. I never went on antivirals until this breakout, and I now know why this was so bad. In the summer of 2010, I had neck surgery and had 4 fusions from C4-C7, and after reviewing this, the virus lies dormant in the base of the neck in a nerve area called the ganglion. If you have HSV-2 (genital) herpes, it lies dormant in the lower back. So, my first breakout 6 months ago, in June 2011, gave me the worst ever, making not only a cold sore but fever blister clusters on the top and middle lip. Been on acyclovir since July 400 mg twice daily. Still barely helped. 3 days ago, got Zovirax cream, and after 6 months, it's finally gone. This works awesome."

• Gir...
• December 14, 2019

Acyclovir topical "I have had a spot come up twice in 14 years on my index finger. Index finger on the right hand, infected when worked as a dental assistant on patients. This time they prescribed this cream, and I noticed a great change. You never know what you're exposed to in the medical/dental field. Gloves still tear. But luckily, there are meds to help. This product has lessened the swelling and throbbing."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 4, 2018

"I use the generic brand by Mylan. This product is amazing. Even if you have a bad outbreak, it cuts the healing time by a few days. That may seem minimal to some, but for those who suffer from cold sores, this is superb. If you apply it during the first signs, you will not even have an outbreak."

• Jam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 2, 2021

"I 100% recommend this acyclovir prescription/treatment to anyone suffering from herpes! I was diagnosed with herpes simplex 1 and have used Abreva, Valtrex, and have tried random home remedies that people have sworn by. Abreva, after maybe day 7, started to work, Valtrex, after close to a week, began to work, the home remedies did not work at all!!! All in all, the effectiveness of what I've tried prior to acyclovir did not impress me as much as this prescription has. I was a day into my outbreak, my lip was already swollen and bubbled. That one day in, I started the cream and the next day, it had gone down 80%. It was already scabbed over and no longer pulsating! This has definitely been a blessing to me, as I am very skeptical at times when it comes to medications that claim to be close to 100% effective!"

• Jb3...
• September 3, 2015

"This is a godsend. I was reluctant to pay the $400 since my insurance only covered the pills and not the ointment, but I'm really glad I did. My sore was looking very sinister and just kept growing until I put acyclovir cream on it. It dried up overnight and is basically a scab now. It would normally take my sores weeks to go away completely, but from the looks of it now, I think this will be gone in a few days. Totally worth the price for me because my work is very much dependent on my face. I was worried I wouldn't be able to work for a few weeks, but it looks like I'll be back by Monday. (It's Thursday morning now. The sore started on Tuesday afternoon, and I put the ointment on Wednesday morning.)"

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 5, 2020

"I was prescribed Acyclovir cream for face shingle treatment, however, I have no cold sores. I am in the scabbing phase. My dermatologist was negligent to tell me that the tiny tube would cost $230. This medication seems more designed for intense cold sores. Not sure it's worth a damn if I don't have cold sores, and not sure I am willing to spend $230 to see if it helps my scabs lighten. I don't hold dermatologists in high regard, and now a bit less."