Treatment for Cold Sores

Order a prescription for your pharmacy of choice for oral herpes treatment.

€21.50 per consultation

€21.50 per consultation

Treatment Options

To order a treatment, fill in a brief medical questionnaire. A doctor will review your order and prescribe treatment if it’s right for you. For test kits, you can just place an order. Once you’ve sent your sample to our accredited partner laboratory, results and advice from our doctors will be ready in 2 to 3 days. How to Order

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). It can be treated with Aciclovir tablets.

Order a prescription for cold sore treatment online from ZAVA - our service is fast, confidential and discreet. When you place your order, you will fill in a brief medical questionnaire.

One of our doctors will check if the medication is suitable for you and issue your prescription to a local pharmacy in Ireland. Alternatively, you can choose to have your medication delivered directly to your door.

We offer prescription for the following cold sore treatments:

  • Aciclovir treatment therapy
  • Aciclovir suppressive therapy

A consultation for cold sores treatment prescription costs €21.50.




What are cold sores?

Cold sores are small blisters developing on or around the lips. They can split and bleed slightly which can be painful. Cold sores are common and affect men and women of all ages. A cold sore develops when you are infected with either Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1) or Herpes Simplex Virus-2 (HSV-2), around the mouth.

The virus is usually contracted via direct contact with another person who has a cold sore (through kissing, or by sharing cosmetics such as lip balm). It can also be caught via oral sex with someone who has genital herpes.

Being infected with HSV-1 or HSV-2 will not always cause symptoms. If you are not currently symptomatic there is no cause for concern.

Who can get cold sores?

Cold sores can affect anyone who has come into contact with the virus. Once you have been infected, a cold sore can flare up at any time but can be well-managed with appropriate treatment.

Cold sores are often triggered when you are run down or stressed.

You have a higher risk of developing cold sores if you:

  • kiss someone with unhealed cold sore blisters
  • share cosmetic products with someone who has cold sores
  • have oral sex with someone who has genital herpes

To reduce your risk of getting cold sores, you should avoid direct contact with someone else’s cold sores.

Cold sore symptoms

Cold sores are not generally dangerous but can sometimes be embarrassing and uncomfortable. The development of a cold sore blister starts with a strange tingling sensation on or around the lips. Small blisters then form and can crack and bleed which can be painful.

Cold sore treatment

Cold sores can be treated with antiviral medication, which helps to speed up healing.

We offer the following cold sore treatments:

  • Aciclovir treatment therapy
  • Aciclovir suppressive therapy

A longer course of suppressive therapy can reduce the number of cold sore outbreaks you have over time. The short course treatment therapy helps to ease symptoms of an acute outbreak more quickly.

How do you get tested for cold sores?

A cold sore test kit is a way of checking if you have cold sores without having to take a test in person.

The test is posted to your door or a post office for collection. It contains a swab which you use to collect a sample from the area you think might be a cold sore. You then post the sample to our partner laboratory for testing.

The results of your test will be sent discreetly to your account. You can then see whether you need to get treatment or if your symptoms are being caused by another condition.

What are the options for cold sore treatment?

Cold sores can be treated with antiviral medication, which relieves your symptoms faster (acute treatment) or helps to prevent symptoms from developing, if you are getting a lot of outbreaks (suppressive treatment)

We offer the following cold sore treatments:

  • Aciclovir for acute treatment
  • Aciclovir for suppressive treatment

A course of suppressive therapy can reduce the number of cold sore outbreaks you have over time and is usually taken for 6 to 12 months. It is usually helpful if you have more than 6 outbreaks in a year. The short course treatment therapy is used to treat acute outbreaks of cold sores.

How is Aciclovir taken?

Aciclovir tablets can be taken to heal existing cold sores or to suppress recurrent outbreaks.

When treating an acute episode of oral herpes, you need to take one 200mg Aciclovir tablet five times a day for five days. You should start your treatment as soon as you notice the first symptoms.

For suppression treatment, take one 200mg tablet four times a day for a minimum of three months. Ideally, suppression treatment should continue for six to twelve months. It is very unlikely that you experience another bout while taking suppression treatment. However, if this does happen, you can take one 200mg Aciclovir tablet five times a day for five days.

You need to drink plenty of water while taking Aciclovir to prevent the side effect of dehydration.

Who can take Aciclovir?

Your doctor may not prescribe Aciclovir for you if you have previously had any trouble or allergic reactions to Aciclovir, Valaciclovir, other medicines or ingredients in this medicine; or if you are dehydrated, elderly, immunocompromised, or if you have kidney problems.

Drink plenty of water when taking this medicine.

The following medications can interact with Aciclovir:

  • cimetidine
  • mycophenolate mofetil
  • probenecid
  • immunosuppressant medicines

What are the side effects of Aciclovir?

Aciclovir may cause the following side effects:

  • headaches and feeling sick
  • diarrhoea
  • dizziness
  • itchiness/rashes
  • tummy pain
  • fatigue

For a list of all known side effects, read the patient leaflet supplied with your medication.

Who can order cold sore test kits and treatment prescription online?

You can order cold sore test kits if:

  • You are over 18
  • You think you have cold sore symptoms

You can order cold sore treatment prescription if:

  • You are not allergic to the treatments offered
  • Your immune system is not suppressed
  • You do not have any kidney problems

How to order online

You can place an order for treatment prescription or test kits using the following steps:

  • Fill out a short online assessment questionnaire
  • Place your order and make a payment
  • If your order is approved your prescription can be sent to you by post or you can pick up your treatment from your local pharmacy
  • It your order is not approved your payment will be refunded

Common side effects of cold sore treatment

Aciclovir can cause the following side effects:

  • headaches and feeling sick
  • diarrhoea
  • dizziness
  • itchiness/rashes
  • tummy pain
  • fatigue
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Medically reviewed by:
Dr Kathryn Basford

Dr Kathryn Basford is an IMC and GMC registered GP who works with our Irish team here at ZAVA. She graduated from the University of Manchester and completed her GP training at Whipps Cross Hospital in London.

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Last reviewed: 08 Jan 2021




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