Topical zinc in the form of zinc oxide cream may help to reduce the severity and duration of a cold sore outbreak.
Topical zinc in the form of zinc oxide cream may help to reduce the severity and duration of a cold sore outbreak.
In the study cited here, cold sores were treated with a zinc oxide cream every 2 hours until the cold sores resolved.17
A recent study suggests that topical zinc may be helpful for treating cold sore outbreaks. In this trial, 46 individuals with cold sores were treated with a zinc oxide cream or placebo every 2 hours until cold sores resolved.17 The results showed that individuals using the cream experienced a reduction in severity of symptoms and a shorter time to full recovery.
When you take zinc in topical form, such as with a zinc oxide cream, you are not using zinc as a nutrient. Instead, certain forms of zinc release ions that are thought to directly inhibit viruses on the skin and mucous membranes.