Abreva for Herpes Simplex (HSV) User Reviews (Page 5)

• Ear...
• December 23, 2016

"I've been using Abreva for about 10 years now. What does that tell you? I'm amazed at how good it works. 4 or 5 times a day, and I can see it start working. After 4 or 5 days, it's pretty much gone. If you're persistent with your application, you shouldn't get any red, scabby blister. My one problem with the product is that you changed the container from a thin opening to a wider opening, therefore having to use more of the product. Why can't you go back to the original container with the thin neck... therefore preventing waste."

• Wil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 20, 2017

"My immune system has been stressed by pregnancy, and all of a sudden, I started getting cold sores. The first one, I immediately used Carmex like my dad did when I was a kid, and it blistered and popped within a few days and took almost the full two weeks to heal completely. This time, I was far enough in the pregnancy that I was okay using medication, and boy, was it one hell of a blister by the time I applied the Abreva. Dead center, upper lip was just one solid mass of blisters. I used it the recommended five times a day. That was yesterday. Today, the blister is gone, not popped but deflated and hardened in that spot. No pain. But the medicine makes my whole mouth feel funky, even inside, not just where I've applied the ointment."

• EMS...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2015

"I was really skeptical about paying so much for a small amount. Usually, my cold sores do not get very bad or noticeable, however, it did this time. The first day, I could feel the tingle. The second day, my lip was swollen to where my mouth couldn't close comfortably, and blisters had started. By the third day, my lip had swelled even bigger, and blisters were extremely noticeable. And by day four, blisters had popped, leaving a dark, crusty look, some swelling went down. By the beginning of day four, I was ready to pull my hair out. I went to the pharmacy and bought a small tube and began to use it like I use oxygen. Overnight, I applied a heavier coat, and by day five, the large scab from the blisters fell right off! Swelling was completely gone!"

• D98...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2020

"I swear I am experiencing the same thing with the Abreva pump! I’ve used the tube, no problem, so I got a tingle, got the pump... & BOOM, the worst cold sore ever, it swelled, oozing & spread, also little hive-like bumps on top lip, as someone else stated. I went to the Dr. yesterday & was told I had an allergic reaction, I was given 2 shots, one prednisone, the other Benadryl.... sent home with a script for both to take in pill form. The swelling went down some. It’s been about 24 hrs, but the blisters are weeping and so am I. I’m just going to finish my meds, scrap the Abreva & continue with tea tree oil, aloe & original Neosporin..... After reading these comments, I’m glad I know I’m not crazy."

• the...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 31, 2015

"I have used this product for years. I had no idea how well it was working till I went without it one time recently and had the most painful cold sore in recent memory. I will never leave home without it again. Yes, it's expensive, but when you think of it like paying 18 dollars to get rid of a couple cold sores faster and with less impact, it is well worth the cost."

• Ava...
• June 6, 2016

"Love this stuff. It is worth every penny. For me, not only did it reduce healing time significantly, I stopped getting cold sores almost completely. I used to get them all the time from kissing, heat, alcohol, etc. I have the scar tissue to prove it. Any reoccurrences of cold sores have been minimal and infrequent."

• Anonymous
• February 9, 2017

"Don't buy the Abreva pump. It's a rip-off. I've used Abreva for years. The pump gives the impression of being more. Their scam is when you push the pump, way more cream gets expelled than needed. I'm halfway through my outbreak and totally out of cream. Just open it up and see the tiny, tiny little tube. Time to go on prescription. Too bad for this corporate company. I'm tired of being ripped off by these thieves."

• Con...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 5, 2019

"I have had outbreaks since I was 7 years old. We all know that sinking feeling that comes with that lip tingle or from waking up to a new sore. I've spent hours trying to find home remedies and determining triggers. Eventually, I started to rely on Abreva to help keep the lifecycle of an outbreak short. Fast forward 15+ years of Abreva use to today. I've had two outbreaks in the past year. Both times I reached for the Abreva, both times it got worse. Lots worse. Time to speak to my doctor about daily antivirals."

• sti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 4, 2016

"It's a scam and a total waste of money. All cold sores will start healing themselves in 3 days. I speak from 70 years of experience. Save your money. When I feel the first tingling of a cold sore, I use Blistex and use it continually for 2 or 3 days, and the blister doesn't even form. It's quite obvious that you don't accept comments that are truthful and affect your monetary bottom line. Another evidence of a scam."

• Gir...
• October 20, 2019

"Used Abreva once prior (from the tube). Had some swelling, but within three days, everything seemed to be healed and back to normal. Used the new pump this time and, my God, things have taken a turn for the worse. Sometimes, after being in the sun for hours and from not getting enough rest, I’ll develop super tiny blisters on the inside of my upper lip. I put Abreva (from the pump) on this time and used it as I did with the Abreva from the tube. Never again. My entire lip is swollen 10x its normal size. It now looks like I have a million tiny little bubbles in my lip that I am praying do not surface. The original three little blisters are now 7-8 and are oozing. It hasn’t spread to my face or upper lip but seems to have spread across my entire bottom lip. I don’t know if it’s an allergic reaction or if the condition has worsened. Either way, I will not use this product again. I stopped using it completely for the past 24 hours, thinking the symptoms would subside. I was wrong."

• I...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 6, 2016

"I ran out of acyclovir, so thought I'd try Abreva since I couldn't get in to see my doctor. Have had cold sores for 20 years, and since using Abreva, I have had my worst episode yet. Seems to heal the area, but then the cold sore keeps popping up in new parts of my lips, despite using Q-tips and being very careful not to spread it. Have had this for 10 days now and am frustrated. Not sure why this is happening, but I'm going back to my doctor to get a prescription for acyclovir cream."

• Nik...
• November 7, 2016

"Doesn't work at all. I've been getting cold sores for my entire life, and my mom always got me Abreva because it's supposed to be 'the best,' but it never worked-just a waste of money. It makes your cold sore very gooey and gross. I highly recommend Campho-Phenique Cold Sore Treatment, which is a little less than $4 and works wonders."

• Ugh...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 26, 2022

"It definitely seems to help one from forming, but once it's already there, I'm pretty positive it's making it worse. My sores last over a week with using the Abreva every 4 hours. Next time I'm trying without it."

• Dal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2018

"Abreva is a scam. I'm pretty sure the only thing Abreva helped was my cold sore take my lip hostage for 2 weeks. Don't waste your money, I'd recommend setting the cold sore on fire before recommending Abreva."

• Ran...
• May 4, 2016

"Try Abreva! It's most effective when used as soon as you feel a cold sore coming on. It's my go-to, and only when I fail to notice the cold sore start and then start using Abreva does it not work as well. Abreva, combined with prenatal, zinc, and L-lysine supplements, you can knock out a cold sore within 3 days."

• Mer...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 21, 2020

"I had been getting terrible cold sores on the outside, wrapping to the inside of my nostrils for the last 10 years. Every six months, or whenever I would get a cold and wipe my nose excessively, I would get one. They were painful, embarrassing, and just overall gross. I have had three doctors who have given me all types of meds for it. None worked. My cold sore would last 11 days no matter what. None of my doctors mentioned Abreva. One day, I had a breakout, and my husband (on a whim) grabbed me some Abreva. I applied it right away, and my cold sore only lasted four days instead of 11. I apply it every time I have an itching or burning sensation where I used to get cold sores, and I have not gotten one since. I highly recommend this product."

• Geo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 25, 2016

"So worth it. No product has helped except Abreva. I put it on as soon as I realize I'm getting a cold sore, and within 2-4 days it's gone. Tip: don't let your thing burst, or this product can't help you. Only works if used before you pop the blister, and the blister won't pop."

• All...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 8, 2015

"This product works so well. Felt a tingle early that morning, cried, was depressed. Applies this for the first time, five times a day. The next day, I'm usually used to huge oozing clusters all on my chin, but I was amazed, no of that. It is now day 3, and it's completely gone."

• Bac...
• December 8, 2015

"I get cold sores about 2-3 times per year. Abreva has worked for me, but with caveats. If I can catch the sore at the very first tingle, I can limit its spread, and it will heal up and go away in 3-5 days. It still looks bad for a couple of days, but at least it's not two weeks. The second to last time I used Abreva, I was traveling and couldn't get to it until about 12 hours after the first tingle. I applied Abreva, but it didn't have much effect, maybe quickening healing at best (the sore lasted seven days, untreated, I'd expect a week and a half). In short, you really have to rush to apply it (and keep applying it every few hours), and it's a race against time with that first tingle, even if you aren't 100% sure it's an oncoming outbreak."

• Kat...
• January 19, 2017

"I have suffered from cold sores since I was a toddler. It was miserable getting them several times a year as a child, with no remedy. Just two+ weeks of misery and embarrassment because those suckers would always sit right in the middle of my bottom lip. When Abreva came out, I was so desperate to try it, and it works for me. If you use it the second day of getting a cold sore, no, it is not going to work as well because the virus is now going nice and strong. It will help with the pain and aggravation and will still help shorten its lifespan a bit, but not as much as within the first 8 hours of getting one. I also use it in conjunction with Vicks Vaporub. Sucker dies in under a week and definitely cuts a lot of the painful scab stage out!"

• Why...
• November 21, 2015

"I go into crisis mode when I start to get a cold sore. I get approx. 4-5 a year. It's very depressing, especially if you have to do a lot of interaction at work. Abreva is overhyped. It does help, but for me, it only knocks 2-3 days off the healing, which is still great, but it's not the miracle drug for me like others profess. I try to use Abreva during the day and when I go to bed, I put on Zovirax (prescription). Sore usually lasts 5-7 days, whereas if I don't use anything, it could last 2 weeks. God, how I hate cold sores!"

• Abr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 18, 2017

"I mean, it looks like badly chapped lips, but my cold sores are stress-induced, so they don't look or feel like most of the conditions described on this page. Either way, my symptoms were flaring up, my lips were cracking, a little bit of bleeding, some scarring. I had to do so much exfoliating, it wasn't pretty, and it wasn't healing. Legit, 15 minutes after applying Abreva - my lips actually look fine. Like nothing was wrong in the first place. I can't believe it. It's actual magic. Wild."

• Ago...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 3, 2017

"I used to pop cold sores, then put rubbing alcohol on it, but it would scar badly. So I went to the emergency room, they gave me an awesome cream! But I lost the cream, and I couldn't get a doctor's appointment quick enough, so I bought Abreva for the first time. At first, I thought it was working because it looked like it was drying up the blister fast, then put some on before bed. But then the next day, it started to break out near the blister, so I put more on. Then it started to break out a little more, so I put more on extra for a week. It has gotten three times bigger. I looked on here, saw the negative comments, quickly washed it off, and bam! Within five minutes, it was worse! Five minutes after removal, it was drying up and feeling better! Never using Abreva again!"

• Hap...
• May 7, 2021

"I've only had a cold sore two separate times. The first time, I wasn't too sure what it was. My outbreak wasn't too bad, but it lasted a couple of days. This time, I applied it when I felt the tingling and could see something was starting to flare up. It's been one day, and I already went through the fluid-filled stage and burst. It's very small and pretty unnoticeable after applying Abreva periodically all day. Everyone reacts differently, but it's definitely worth a try. I think a lot of people saying that Abreva made their case worse don't realize that cold sores get worse and can spread on their own. Abreva needs to be used at the first sign of an outbreak. I'd say it can't do miracles, but for me, it has. It saves a lot of embarrassment."

• Min...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 26, 2017

"I had my doubts about this product based on the negative reviews about it comparing its effectiveness to its cost. I started getting a cold sore yesterday morning, and a bump started forming by the time I got off work. I went to buy Abreva, and I had used it a total of four times since last night and right now (less than 24 hours). I'll admit that the bump did get bigger overnight, reaching its full size (which normally takes me about three days), and just about half an hour ago, the cold sore finally popped after this fourth application. Cold sores for me usually pop by day five. True to its advertising, it has extremely reduced my healing time. I think people are expecting too much now that I have had my own experience with Abreva."