How To Use Tea Tree Oil For Cold Sores

In this article, I’m going to teach you how to use tea tree oil for cold sores. This beautiful world supplies us with a superabundance of healing remedies for health issues.

In the case of cold sores, there are plenty, and tea tree oil has proven itself to be one of the top on this long list.

Using tea tree oil for cold sores is an extremely effective way to treat cold sores.

The plant is fascinating to me, and it has a variety of health benefits.

For this piece, I’m only going to focus on the benefits that relate to cold sores, which I know you will find extremely helpful.

But before I do that…let’s first discuss the nature of cold sores…

Tea Tree Oil For Cold Sores – Cold Sore Overview

Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, are groups of small blisters that form on or near the lips. Cold sores are a result of something called herpes simplex virus (HSV).

There are two types of HSV, and both can cause cold sores. HSV-1 typically is responsible for cold sores, and HSV-2 is most often the cause of genital herpes.

However, both types of HSV can cause cold sores or genital herpes.

After primary infection, the virus resides in the associated dorsal root ganglion where it lies dormant until an external stimuli (such as stress or immunosuppression) initiate reactivation of the virus from dormancy.

The virus lives on forever, and that’s why people continue to get cold sores over and over again.

Tea Tree Oil For Cold Sores – Tea Tree Oil Overview

Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is commonly used in natural medicine. It is taken from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia, which is native to Southeast Queensland and the Northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia.

The tea tree was named by eighteenth century sailors, who made tea that smelled like nutmeg from the leaves of the tree growing on the swampy southeast Australian coast.

Do not confuse the tea tree with the unrelated common tea plant that is used to make black and green teas.

Tea Tree Oil For Cold Sores – How it Works

Tea tree oil has been documented in numerous medical studies to kill many strains of bacteria, viruses and fungi, making it a good choice for killing the herpes simplex virus.

Using tea tree oil for cold sores eases the pain and discomfort. It also helps to diminish the appearance of cold sores.

Here are the benefits of using tea tree oil for cold sores:

 

Using tea tree oil for cold sores works well because it fights the herpes simplex virus, it dries out the skin which speeds up healing time, it reduces pain and swelling from the cold sore, and it can help the cold sore diminish in size and heal faster.

Tea Tree Oil For Cold Sores – Research Study

In 2001, a research study was performed to test the antiviral activity of tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil against herpes simplex virus in cell culture.

Here is a direct quote from the study, where TTO stands for tea tree oil, EUO stands for eucalyptus oil:

Australian tea tree oil exhibited high levels of virucidal activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2 in viral suspension tests. At noncytotoxic concentrations of TTO plaque formation was reduced by 98.2% and 93.0% for HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively. Noncytotoxic concentrations of EUO reduced virus titers by 57.9% for HSV-1 and 75.4% for HSV-2. Virus titers were reduced significantly with TTO, whereas EUO exhibited distinct but less antiviral activity.”

To sum up the study, tea tree oil was able to fight the herpes simplex virus in a significant and effective manner.

How To Use Tea Tree Oil For Cold Sores

After reading all the science and research confirming the benefits of tea tree oil for cold sores, you may wish to use this natural remedy in your life.

Here’s how to use tea tree oil for cold sores:

 

The key to cold sores is to prevent them from forming in the first place.

Thus, I encourage you to check out my Ultimate Guide to Preventing Cold Sores.

It’s free and has absolutely everything you need to know.

If you have any comments or questions on the use of tea tree oil for cold sores, please post them in the comment box below.