Finding the most effective cold sore treatment is one thing, but preventing the virus from activating in the first place is altogether another.
Unfortunately, short of fast-forwarding to the future for a science-fiction-style immune system transplant or super new vaccine, there is little you can do to guarantee freedom from a cold sore infection.
However, a recent item on ITV's This Morning programme indicated that vitamin C may have an important role in keeping the cold sore virus at bay.
Dr Chris Steele, the programme's resident expert, said that high doses of vitamin C had a role to play in boosting the function of the immune system. He suggested that simply adding more orange juice to the diet could help with this, although it is worth remembering that plenty of other fruits and vegetables contain similar levels of vitamin C while also having considerably lower sugar contents.
However, he warned that although there was a strong consensus that vitamin C can play a preventative role in the outbreak of colds and viruses, at the moment scientists can only really claim that it reduces the severity and length of a virus.
"It won't do any harm," he said. "Different people will swear by certain remedies."
He also advised that people try and survive the winter by getting as much natural daylight as possible. Not only can this improve immune health, it can also help with sleep patterns by reducing tiredness and enhancing circadian rhythms – all beneficial things to cold sore sufferers.
Furthermore, he advised plenty of exercise through the winter months However, there is one important caveat: although exercise is fine with a cold sore, you should be careful if it is your first outbreak or if you have any concerns at all that you might be developing a fever. For those who wish to exercise outdoors in the cold and wind without aggravating their cold sores, effective cold sore treatments are available.
