Essential Oils For Cold Sores and Fever Blisters: 10 Recipes That Actually Work

You feel that familiar itch and just like that, your day is ruined. Around 70% of American adults have oral herpes (cold sores).

But it doesn’t take away from the fact that cold sores are annoying and beyond embarrassing.

The good news is that using essential oils for cold sores and fever blisters can be a highly effective and natural way to treat that dreaded itch.

Rather than giving you a list of random oils, let’s dig into some studies and research so we can take out the guess work and get you feeling (and looking) 100%. Shall we?

What Causes Cold Sores and Fever Blisters?

Cold sores and fever blisters are caused by Herpes Simplex Virus 1, otherwise known as HSV-1. This is a viral infection that affects approximately 3.7 billion people under the age of 50, which is 67% of the population of the world.

The virus is mainly spread through oral contact with someone infected.  The other form of herpes, HSV-2, is generally spread through sexual contact.

Source: Herstat.com

Although this is how they spread, most people who have HSV-1 have been infected since they were children. There is no cure, so once a person is infected, they have the virus for life.

This type is generally around the mouth area. However, it is a myth to believe that HSV-1 cannot spread beyond the lip area. There is a certain percentage that are affected in the genitals, even though that is usually associated with HSV-2.

A lot of times, both forms of herpes are asymptomatic. When symptoms do present, they usually start with an itch in the area, followed by a red bump that turns into a fluid-filled blister. This then turns into a painful sore that scabs over. The process can take weeks.

Treatments do not cure herpes but can lessen the severity and duration of symptoms.

There are prescriptions for drugs like acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir, which are all antivirals.

Generally, they can be treated at home without medical interference. If the virus is in the eyes, nose, or migrates to the genitals, especially when pregnant, then a visit to the doctors is definitely warranted.

Some over-the-counter products are available like Abreva, Herpecin-L, and Campho-Phenique. A quick Google search will return hundreds of home remedies for the virus, some of which are pretty crazy and others that just don’t work at all.

Are essential oils an effective remedy for cold sores and fever blisters?

One of the worst parts of having an outbreak is the sheer embarrassment. The sore or blister is usually quite noticeable, showing up right around the mouth.

Considering not all men have beards and women don’t have that luxury when breakouts occur, the lesions are quite visible. They can even show up in weird places, like the nose or worse, the eyes. While they’re usually on the face, they can appear anywhere on the body.

While makeup can help women to a point, there are times when that just isn’t feasible. Plus, it is not a good idea to put makeup on an open sore anyway. As tempting as it is to cover it up, it’s a bad idea.

So for anyone that loves essential oils, it’s natural to wonder if we can effectively use them to treat a fever blister or cold sore.

Luckily, we can.

In the second edition of Essential Oil Safety – A Guide for Healthcare Professional (Amazon), Tisserand even lists the herpes virus in a list of the few things that oils can be used ‘neatly’ on, or without a carrier oil, which is a method not usually recommended.

The active constituents in many oils have been found effective against viruses.

In Aromatherapy for Health Professionals (Amazon) by Shirley Price and Len Price, they list the constituents in essential oils that are effective antivirals against herpes:

• Anethole
• Beta-caryophyllene
• Carvone
• Cinnamic aldehyde
• Citral
• Citronellol
• Eugenol
• Limonene
• Linalool
• Linalyl acetate
• Alpha-sabinene
• Y-terpinene

They do stress, however, that testing shows these may only be effective on the virus before it attaches to the host cells.

In another table is listed the specific oils that have positive activity against herpes simplex:

• Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
• Lemon (Citrus limon)
• Eucalyptus globulus (Blue Gum) – (E. globulus)
• Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis var. decumbens)
• Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
• Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
• Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
• Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
• Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
• Clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum)

Another text considered relevant in the field, Valerie Worwood’s The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy (Amazon), lists the following:

• Clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum)
• Eucalyptus radiata (E. radiata)
• Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium)
• Melissa (Melissa officinalis)
• Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
• Sage (Salvia officinalis)
• Sandalwood (Santalum album)
• Star anise (Illicium verum)
• Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
• Thyme linalol (Thymus vulgaris ct linalol)

And in Julia Lawless’s The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Amazon), she only lists four:

• Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
• Lemon (Citrus limon)
• Eucalyptus Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus)
• Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)

To further complicate matters, Kurt Schnaubelt mentions that nearly all, if not all, essential oils ‘from Anise to Xanthoxyllum’ are effective against herpes lesions in The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils (Amazon).

Even when consulting reputable sources, things can be quite confusing. Obviously, you need to get the sore gone as soon as possible, so we’re going to look at some studies on the subject.

If you want to skip the technical part, there are recipes below. Since not all oils work for everyone, if the ones listed do not help, you can consult the lists provided and adjust the methods as needed.

Studies show that many essential oils are effective against HSV-1.

• Chamomile was highly effective against HSV-1 and was not irritating.

• Ginger, thyme, hyssop, and sandalwood all showed high virucidal activity against acyclovir-resistant HSV-1 in a study in 2007.

• In separate studies, the constituents isoborneol, thymol, carvacrol, beta-pinene and limonene all showed antiviral activity.

• In 2003, peppermint oil was tested and found to be effective against the virus, including acyclovir-resistant strains. The researchers believe it can be an effective topical treatment against recurring outbreaks.

• Researchers found eucalyptus and tea tree are effective against the virus before and during the adsorption phase, but not after it penetrated the host cell.

• In 2010, scientists determined that the complex combinations of chemicals in naturally-occurring tea tree oil were more effective against the herpes virus than monoterpenes on their own.

• Melissa inhibits the virus attaching to the host cells and was found to be a suitable topical treatment for the virus.

• In yet another study, Melissa, peppermint, and tea tree have all been found effective against the virus, and tea tree was determined to relieve the pain associated with the virus and reduce healing time.

• Other oils that have been studied and showed positive effects on the virus include star anise, lemongrass and manuka.

Lemon balm is highly effective for cold sores.

If you can get your hands on some lemon balm, or Melissa as it is often called, do so.

There are both studies and a ton of anecdotal evidence that this works.

It is one of the easiest to use too. You simply need to put a drop on the sore.

This oil is extremely gentle and very effective, which is exactly what you want in a situation like this.

In Germany, it is an active ingredient in a popular product for the virus called Lomaherpan Creme.

In her book, Shirley Price said she used lemon balm as a preventive by just using a drop neat.

Along with tea tree, Melissa can reduce the healing time as well as reduce the frequency of outbreaks.

Tea tree oil for cold sores isn’t just a myth.

Tea tree, often called melaleuca because of its botanical name (Melaleuca alternifolia), is another one that is good for cold sores.

Like Melissa, it can be used neat as long as you do not have a reaction to this oil.

In some cases, it could aggravate the sore and make it worse, so this is something to be aware of.

Obviously, if you have ever had an adverse reaction to using this oil neat, you will not want to use it on a cold sore without diluting it.

Here are some other tips to heal cold sores.

When you get a flare-up, you want to do whatever you can to heal it as fast as possible. There are a few things you can do to enhance the healing properties of your chosen oil or blend.

Hydrolats:

You can clean the area with hydrolats to help the healing process prior to administering the oils if desired. You may see these called hydrosols.

These are waters collected during the distillation of plants that while similar to essential oils, are very gentle and can be used directly on the skin.

Based on their healing properties, choose one of the following:

• Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
• Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
• Chamomile, German / Roman (Matricaria recutita / Anthemis nobilis)
• Eucalyptus radiata
• Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)
• Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
• Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
• Rose (Rosa damascena / R. centifolia)
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
• Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Just wet a cotton ball with one of the above and gently dab the area.

Diluting in a carrier oil:

Most essential oils should be diluted prior to use. The following carrier oils can enhance the healing properties of the oils and speed up healing:

• Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis)
• Moringa oil (Moringa oleifera)
• Neem oil (Azadirachta indica)
• Sesame seed oil (Sesamum indicum)
• Rosehip seed oil (Rosa rubiginosa)
• Tamanu (Calophyllum inophyllum)

You can also use Calendula (Calendula officinalis) or St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) infused oils.

One word of caution, you need to make sure you’re using 100 percent pure essential oils that are not tainted in any way.

Some reputable companies that sell quality oils are doTerra, Young Living, Mountain Rose Herbs, Plant Therapy, and others. Be sure to do your research before buying from any company you are unsure of.

10 Recipes and Blends to Treat Your Cold Sore with Essential Oils

Method: Neat

The first two ways are to apply one drop of either tea tree or lemon balm directly on the infected area. Be sure to perform a skin patch test first to make sure you do not have an adverse reaction.

Simple Blends for In Nose or On Lip:

Blend #1

• 5 drops Tea tree
• 1 teaspoon Neem oil

Blend #2

• 5 drops Geranium
• 1 teaspoon Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO)

Blend #3

• 5 drops Lemon Balm
• 1 teaspoon Jojoba

Blend #4

• 5 drops Peppermint
• 1 teaspoon Olive oil

Blend #5

• 5 drops Geranium (FCF / bergapten-free)
• 1 teaspoon Tamanu

Cold Sore Balm

You can prepare balms to use as needed. Be sure that you apply with a clean cotton swab each time to not contaminate the ointment.

Balm #1

• 1-ounce Coconut oil (unrefined, virgin, melted)
• 6 drops Chamomile, Roman
• 4 drops Tea tree
• 4 drops Geranium
• 2 drops Peppermint

Blend the essential oils into the melted coconut oil. Pour into a small balm container and allow to harden. Dab on the sore three times a day as needed.

Balm #2

• 1-ounce Coconut oil (unrefined, virgin, melted)
• 12 drops Lemon Balm
• 6 drops Eucalyptus radiata

You can use the same instructions as the balm above.

Prevention Blend:

If you are prone to breakouts, try dabbing the following blend where outbreaks occur, twice daily.

• 1 tablespoon Calendula-infused oil
• 2 teaspoons Jojoba oil
• 1 teaspoon Rosehip seed oil
• 15 drops Lemon Balm
• 7 drops Manuka
• 7 drops Chamomile, Roman

Put all of the ingredients in a dark glass bottle and store in a cool area away from light.

Conclusion

The herpes virus is one of the most tenacious, common, and embarrassing afflictions that affect billions of people.

There is no cure, and there is no warning when breakouts are going to occur. Considering that cold sores or fever blisters usually pop up in the mouth area, getting rid of it is the main thought once that initial first itch is felt.

While there are over the counter and prescription medications to treat HSV-1, they don’t always work. Luckily, studies have shown that some essential oils can work even when conventional treatments fail.

Not all oils work for everyone, so you may have to experiment to see what works for you when a breakout occurs. Bookmark this page so you have a list of what recipes and other oils you can try the next time the virus rears its ugly head.