You are just getting ready to go to work. You are kind of stressed about how work is going to go that day. And you are stressed about how your kiddo is doing in school. And bam, you feel a cold sore coming on. Too much stress. And you do not know what you can use to get that thing to feel better and disappear quickly. Bring on the peppermint oil for those cold sores.
There are some great essential oils that help with cold sores so maybe you will not need to buy an expensive over the counter medication. Or a prescription medication that you would take orally. And it would go through all of your body systemically just for a cold sore on your lip. So keep reading to find out what essential oils you should use for cold sores, including peppermint oil.
Start With Peppermint Essential Oil
So peppermint essential oil is awesome and amazing for cold sores! And there are a couple reasons for this. One, it is drying for that cold sore which will make it go away faster. And two, it will have a cooling sensation so the cold sore will feel better.
So there are two ways you can use peppermint essential oil for that pesky cold sore. You can put it directly onto the cold sore without any dilution a couple times a day. But you need to remember that peppermint is what we call a “hot oil.” This means that it is pretty strong on your skin. So it might hurt a bit when you put on the peppermint essential oil without any dilution.
So the other way to use peppermint oil is to dilute with coconut oil so it does not hurt. You can either put about a tablespoon of coconut oil into your hand and then put about two drops of peppermint essential oil on top of the coconut oil. Then mix with your finger and apply to the cold sore.
Or you can put coconut oil and peppermint oil into a roller ball bottle. Then you can use the roller ball bottle on your cold sore multiple times a day. And it is super convenient to just have in a roller ball bottle. If you want to do that here are the roller ball bottles I use. And also the coconut oil I use to dilute the peppermint essential oil.
Another Oil to Try is Melissa
Melissa is a strong anti-viral essential oil and that is basically what a cold sore is. It is a virus that manifests itself on your lip and looks like a sore. And there are two ways you can use Melissa on your cold sore. First, you can put the oil directly on the cold sore. I have had many people use it on their cold sore and they say that it makes it very tingly, so do not be alarmed by that. But that it does help.
The other way you can use Melissa is you can put under the tongue. This does take a certain amount of coordination though. So you need to try and put two drops of Melissa essential oil under the tongue. Sometimes you can use a mirror to do this. Hold up the mirror so you can see your mouth, and then put your head back and watch your mouth in the mirror as you put the oil under your tongue. Another easy way to get the oil under your tongue is to have someone else help you! So you can just open your mouth and have someone else drop the oil into your mouth under your tongue.
Now, you might be thinking, why would you put Melissa under your tongue when you have a cold sore on your lip? Well, because Melissa essential oil can help to prevent cold sores. So if you put a couple drops of Melissa under your tongue daily. You can prevent getting cold sores. Without taking a daily medication, or just dealing with the cold sore when it crops up. Melissa is awesome as an antiviral so it is also in the immune booster recipe you can find here.
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Lemongrass is an essential oil that is going to have the same effect like peppermint. It will dry out the cold sore when one pops up. And you can use multiple times a day. The thing about lemongrass is it is not as much of a “hot oil” like peppermint is. So you should not need to dilute with a carrier oil like your coconut oil. You can just put a couple drops on your finger and put directly on the cold sore.
Make sure you wash your hands after applying the lemongrass essential oil to your cold sore. Just so you do not spread it around to anywhere else. Also, if you are worried about spreading your cold sore, use a q-tip to put the lemongrass on your cold sore.
Tea Tree (Melaleuca) Essential Oil
Tea tree oil is just the oil you need when you have any kind of infection going on. Whether it is bacterial, fungal or viral. Which I have already mentioned that a cold sore is a virus. So tea tree oil is definitely one to try to get that cold sore moving on. And you will just apply the tea tree oil just like the lemongrass. You can apply with your finger directly to the cold sore without any dilution of coconut oil. Just as long as you wash your hands after applying.
Or you can use the q-tip to apply it so you do not have to use your finger. Definitely apply to the cold sore multiple times a day so that it the cold sore goes away quicker.
You can use just one of these essential oils and see how it works. Or you can use all of essential oils, or perhaps just some of them. I just gave you lots of options so hopefully you can find the right combination to help you get rid of those cold sores for good!
Vanessa is a Doctor of Pharmacy who champions natural health. She lives with her husband of 18 years as well as her 12 & 15 year old sons. She aspires to encourage moms on their journey to family wellness through holistic health and essential oils.
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