Abreva for Herpes Simplex (HSV) User Reviews (Page 4)

• Suf...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 14, 2016

"Had cold sores since I was 4 years old. When the cold sore would first form, it would feel tingly (NEVER ITCHY), and then as the cold sore grew, it would be severely painful that if it was accidentally bumped into, I would feel like going through the roof. Sometimes it would grow as big as an adult male's thumbnail and be about 1/2 inch thick. Initially, I tried Lipactin, which I have to admit worked to make the cold sore a reasonable size. All I can say is thank God for Abreva because of this medicine. I can put it on, and my cold sore reduces to the size of a pea or even smaller. For people that haven't had results, I think it matters on how you feel when the cold sore is coming on. If yours is itchy, this stuff might not work."

• Joa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 6, 2019

"Wow... I have had just the opposite of some of the other comments. I have had terrible cold sores all my life... and Abreva is the best I have found to lessen the pain and start the healing, and keep the cold sore from growing to a big mess. It has also shortened considerably the painful week or two of a cold sore. It doesn't work overnight, but being consistent over a couple of days works wonders! I will definitely use it every time!"

• Thi...
• October 22, 2016

"Abreva works wonders! Put it on your cold sore the minute you notice it coming. Make sure you clean the area and your fingers prior to use. Mine was gone after two days!!! I always get these sores due to overexposure to sun or stress and never was able to find something that would help. I've tried Orajel, ice, salt water, and it just made it worse! It's a virus, so it will spread if you 'pop' one of the liquid-filled bumps. Do not touch it unless you're putting Abreva on. I cleaned the area and reapplied Abreva 5-7 times for two days. Try to do it as gently as possible, and it will be gone. Hope this helps."

• Gra...
• June 11, 2015

"First major breakout with cold sores, started on the lower lip and moved to the corner. I found this on the shelf and was going to pass it up when I saw the price...thank goodness I spent the money and went for it. This stuff works fast!!!!"

• Jay...
• May 6, 2017

"Tried it many times, even used it as a preventing factor, still got them, and it didn't make them heal any faster. The bottle is packaged to look bigger than it actually is. I think it's a total expensive scam!"

• Liv...
• August 16, 2017

"I got a cold sore yesterday morning, it was quite small and barely noticeable. I put Abreva on and put it on like 10 times, and when I woke up this morning, it was bigger and more painful. It does not work. I don't get cold sores quite often, only when I'm very sick or physically drained (I'm a lifeguard and swim teacher). This was a huge disappointment, especially for how expensive it was."

• Ann...
• February 9, 2017

"Got my first cold sore in 2010. Started first with a tingle, then itchy, then inflammation as the blister tried to make it to the surface. There was a raised, circular shape where I knew the cold sore was coming. Rushed to Walmart to get Abreva (back then it was still in the tube and $16) and applied it about every 2-3 hours that day. The blister itself never actually was able to form into an unsightly sore (no scab), though I still saw the circular, raised area which took about 3-4 days to fully disappear. Over the course of a year, I had about 3 more cold sores in the same spot, always applied Abreva at the first tingle and it never surfaced. This week got a cold sore for the first time in 7 years, put on Abreva and again, never surfaced."

• Hap...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 14, 2017

"Abreva is the only cold sore cream I have found that works. I've been getting outbreaks my entire life. More so when I was a kid, now I get one outbreak about once a year. I apply the cream at the first sign of tingling and use it every 2 hours the first day while applying with a finger and washing my hands before and after. The second day I apply it every 3-4 hours. Abreva stops the spreading for me, the earlier I catch it, the better. It also takes about 5 days to fully go away. If I don't use Abreva, it will stick around for up to two weeks."

• Hal...
• January 3, 2017

"I was surprised to see quite a few negative reviews of Abreva. It works great for me. As soon as I noticed the itching, I put it on right away and as often as I can throughout the day. There've been some times where you can barely notice there's anything on my lip. It heals up quickly and numbs the pain. I remember the old days when it would take two weeks or more to fully heal, and it would be a big, awful sore on my lip. I don't get cold sores that often, but I always have Abreva on hand. One thing I did notice is that when I had a tube for a long time, that was six months or more until the expiration date, it didn't work as well as a new tube. It's expensive, but I think it's totally worth it!"

• Tdp...
• February 25, 2017

"My doctor recommended I buy Abreva. I used it several times, and it did temporarily help with the pain, however, when I woke up in the morning, my sore was gooey and looked like it had melted all over, causing it to spread to other parts of my lip."

• Sep...
• January 16, 2019

"I could feel a cold sore coming on and I thought, guess I need some Abreva!! Ran to the store even though I was broke to buy a $20 tube of this stuff!! Started applying it immediately and what do you know, I’ve had the worst outbreak I’ve ever had!! Going on day three and my lip is swollen with two huge blisters!! I’m in pain!! Never again will I use it, and I don’t recommend use of it!!"

• Anonymous
• November 14, 2008

"I have used Abreva every time I get a cold sore/fever blister. I get them really bad all the time. I usually have cold sores/fever blisters anywhere from 3-4 weeks. Abreva has cut down how long I have them down to a week or a week and a half. It has also gradually made them smaller until they are gone."

• Non...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 30, 2018

"Abreva doesn't work, and I'm convinced that all these comments saying it does are fake. I've used it as directed on two different occasions now, and the blister forms anyway and ends up huge. This is an absolute waste of $20 for a teeny little tube that does nothing at all. It's back to high doses of lysine for me (which, by the way, works really well), never buying this again."

• Don...
• November 17, 2019

"Abreva was used at the very beginning, before I even felt a tingle. I used it, and it spread the cold sore terribly. Now I have two outbreak spots, which is very rare for how I get them. Never buying this again. Con product that doesn’t do anything but make it way worse."

• Sou...
• September 12, 2018

"I am not one to get fever blisters, but I have had a few. This is the first time I have used Abreva, and it was a serious mistake. It became HUGE overnight and is white and puffy on top now and keeps getting bigger. I will never use this again, it is EXPENSIVE too. I do not recommend this to anyone, it is terrible."

• Zee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 27, 2019

"I had a tingle on my lower lip and felt a bump forming. I decided to get Abreva because I’ve used it years before, and it worked for cold sores. I always use Q-tips to apply and made sure no double dipping. But this time, it made it 100x worse. Blister bumps formed all over my bottom lip and spread to my upper lip and to the nose. I had to go to the doctor to get oral medication. Don’t ever use this product !!!!"

• Jes...
• January 31, 2014

"I was in Mexico and spent the whole day drinking at the pool (I think they did not wash glasses properly, and I contracted it there). I went for dinner, and just as I finished my meal, I licked my lips and right away could feel the tingle, then bit my bottom lip where it was and had that very sharp pain. Could tell right away, having had several when I was younger. A single small blister had formed on my lip already, and luckily I carry Abreva everywhere, so I put some of that on right away. Next day it had 'popped'. I soaked that and put more Abreva. Was starting to heal and crust within 2 days. This is why the ladies in my family carry it everywhere. You have to use it straight away to stop the spreading, but it's a life saver."

• les...
• August 28, 2017

"Started getting cold sores a few years ago, and Abreva used to work, but now I have used it last time, and this time, and not only does it not work, but it appears to make it worse. I usually only have one small one the whole time, and it is gone in a few days. Now, both times I have used it, the one cold sore tripled, and it is bigger than ever. Will not waste my money on this product anymore. They have definitely changed something, and not for the better."

• Ver...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 12, 2015

"I have suffered from cold sores since I was a teenager. Nothing worked! I've tried Carmex, lysine, cold sore capsticks, and nothing prevented nor stopped the process 'til Abreva. I used to suffer the painfully swollen lip, ugly crusted scabs, and the pitying but slightly disgusted stares in silence and mortification. Now I have a remedy that completely ends the cycle, and I couldn't be happier! I will say that to see results, you have to be diligent in your application of this product. I know the bottle says 4 times a day, but I put the cream on every hour after the redness started, and the cold sore never grew or left a scab! I know the cost is a little high, but believe me, it's so worth it. Another tip is to not buy the pump of Abreva."

• Tot...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 1, 2017

"I am so happy with this product. Every time I get a high fever, which is usually once or twice a year, I always have a breakout of fever blisters. I have tried everything under the sun from ice, tea bags, Herpicin L, Releev, Carmex... Anything, and it would always take 3-4 weeks to just see it start to scab. I bought Abreva yesterday morning, and it is already at the scabbing stage, and I had a fever blister start the day before. I apply every 2-3 hours, and it's working great! I do make sure to wash and dry my hands before and after applying Abreva."

• tru...
• November 5, 2015

"I have had the worst case of cold sores for nearly 10 years now. I used to live by Lysine ointment because I thought it was the best, fastest treatment for cold sores compared to the numerous other ones I had tried that made it worse. I've learned over these years that not everyone gets cold sores at the same severity. Mine sometimes start on my lip, then spread away from my lip and onto my upper lip or even cheek, forming into at least 10 mini blisters, leaving incredible damage on my face! I had avoided Abreva because of the price at the time (nearly $20). I couldn't find my Lysine, so I tried Abreva. It is the overall best cold sore medication on the market! PROMISE!"

• Cin...
• October 3, 2016

"I experience cold sores 3-4 times a year. I'd run out of my prescription acyclovir, which works the best for me. Walgreens only had the pump dispensed available. The product worked fairly well, but the pump dispenses 3-4 times the amount needed. It's very expensive, so too much uncontrolled wasted product!"

• Cin...
• December 26, 2016

"I only had one cold sore on my bottom lip right in the middle. I used over 6 home remedies the day I saw a tiny bump with some bubbles, the next day, Abreva was the only thing I was using, and 2 days later, I noticed the cold sore spread underneath my lip. I have over 6 little cold sores. I am so mad I spent $20 on this cream. I am visiting a dermatologist to help me because it's been over a week and all of my cold sores have not gone. You're better off with home remedies such as the following: ketchup, garlic, tea tree oil, ice, vanilla extract, doTERRA oils (On Guard oil), alcohol, etc. Anything that will dry it out. Overall, Abreva helped me in the past once, but now I'm done with it. Overpriced and spreads more cold sores, don't buy."

• Hoc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 5, 2015

"Less than 2 days ago, I noticed a large herpes bump on my upper lip, and immediately my heart sank. I grabbed the Abreva I had and applied it right away, but I figured it was too late. My first time trying it, and in less than 48 hours of application, the 'bump' shrunk down and has practically disappeared. No outbreak, no redness, or scabbing stage. It's like I completely skipped the entire outbreak! :) I'm gonna start hoarding Abreva. 5-star experience!"

• the...
• August 2, 2016

"I bought this after I had my first breakout in years, it wasn't that bad, but I had an event coming up and wanted it to be gone ASAP. So I go to the pharmacy, buy this really expensive product, apply it just like the package said to, and it got worse and took longer to completely heal. The cream was painful and just prolonged everything. I stupidly decided to give it another chance, and the next time was even worse. After that, I started having breakouts all the time, sometimes twice a month. I wrote the company and complained, but no one bothered to write back. Since then, I've been using high doses of vitamin C, and it's awesome. I take 6000 mg of vitamin C right when I feel one coming on, and it prevents it 99% of the time."