Early signs of a coming cold sore include pain, burning, or feeling the blister emerging.  Abreva is made for use on your face or around your lips, but you can also use it around your nostrils if your cold sores have extended there. Don't apply it inside your nose or mouth. If a small amount gets into your mouth, such as cream that you licked off your lips after application, there is no need to worry. It is not harmful in small amounts. Start by washing your hands with soap and water, then remove any makeup. Cleanse the area with soap or cleanser and warm water. Lightly pat the area dry with a clean towel. You may want to use a paper towel or napkin to blot away the water so that you can throw it away afterwards. You don't want to use the same towel on unaffected skin, as you can spread the virus. Use your finger or a cotton swab to cover your cold sore with the cream. You should apply a generous amount to be sure that the whole sore is treated. Don't worry if you get the cream on your unaffected skin, as the medicine is safe on both healthy skin and cold sores. Gently massage the cream into your sore until it is fully absorbed. You should not have a remaining white residue Use soap and warm water to clean the virus from your hands. Herpes simplex 1 is highly contagious and can possibly spread to other parts of your body or to loved ones. Use the medicine every 3 to 4 hours for up to 10 days. If your sore has not healed after that period, talk to your doctor about what you should do. If you are using the Abreva on a child under 12, ask your doctor for a dosage recommendation. It's okay to wear makeup over the cold sore, but don't apply it directly from the container. Use a separate applicator like a cotton swab avoid contaminating your product, which could allow the virus to spread. Since the virus that causes cold sores is so contagious, don't allow anyone to come into contact with the sore. Kissing or snuggling others could infect them. While the virus is most common around the mouth, it's important to remember that it can spread to other parts of the body.
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One-sentence summary -- Use the medication as soon as you start experiencing symptoms. Wash the area before applying the product for best results. Apply a dab of Abreva on top of the cold sore. Rub the medicine into your cold sore using a light touch. Wash your hands after treatment to avoid sharing the virus. Continue applying the medicine 5 times a day until your sore has healed. Apply other products only after the Abreva dries. Avoid kissing loved ones while using the product.


Of course it’s appropriate to touch your piercing with clean hands while you wash it, but avoid playing with, twisting, pulling, or fondling your piercing unnecessarily. Any excessive touching (especially with unwashed hands) can make your piercing more susceptible to opening up and bleeding, or becoming infected. Your initially piercing jewelry should stay in place for the duration of the healing period (4-10 weeks). Removing your jewelry before your piercing is fully healed can cause your piercing site to close up, which can in turn make reinserting jewelry more difficult and painful. This added irritation could potentially create more scarring and slow down your body’s natural healing process. Ointments or creams prevent your piercing from coming in contact with air, and breathing. They block out air and seal in moisture at the piercing site with potential bacteria. Even though these ointments might be antibacterial, they can extremely hinder the healing process, and yield an infection.  Harsh cleansers like hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol should also be avoided. These disinfectants can kill the cells that help rebuild the puncture site of the piercing. Cleaning solutions containing Benzalkonium Chloride (or BZK) should also be avoided, as these can similarly inhibit your piercing from properly healing.  Much like these cleansers, any oils, lotions, sunscreens, and makeup should be kept away from your piercing site. These products can all clog your piercing and encourage an infection. Tight, constricting clothing can irritate a new piercing because of the friction against the piercing, and its lack of access to fresh air. Try to wear loose-fitting, breathable fabrics like cotton, and stay away from synthetic materials. Also be cautious when changing or undressing. Removing your clothes roughly or quickly, increases your chances of snagging your piercing on your clothes, and causing injury. Just like you should avoid taking a bath and instead take a shower, you should also avoid other pools or collections of water. Water areas like swimming pools, hot tubs, and lakes and rivers should be avoided during the first year after your initial piercing. This is because all of these water sources could potentially make prolonged contact with your new piercing, with water that might be harboring infecting contaminants. Sleep on your back and sides for the first few weeks after your piercing. This helps to ensure that you don’t apply uncomfortable pressure on your piercing by sleeping on your stomach, while it’s still new and sensitive.
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One-sentence summary --
Keep from touching your piercing. Leave the jewelry in place. Avoid applying ointments. Wear loose clothing. Stay away from unclean water. Sleep on your back or sides.