If you’ve ever had a cold sore you’ll recognise that initial tingling feeling. Attack a cold sore at that first stage and it may never rear its head at all.

Cold sores typically go through four stages: tingle, blister, weeping and scab; a process that many sufferers would rather shrink down.

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which is common but only causes symptoms in some people. Unfortunately once you’ve got the virus you’ve got it for life, so cold sores can pop up again and again.

BEWARE THE PENDING COLD SORE
The first sign of a developing cold sore is often a tingling feeling where it’s about to appear, sometimes accompanied by itching. This itchy, tingling feeling tends to last from a few hours up to one day.

If you look closely you might see slight redness or a slightly raised area.
The skin over the cold sore area continues to become a little puffy, as a blister forms.

Once the blister comes to the surface and dries to form a scab, the skin continues to heal and return to normal.

COLD SORE TRIGGERS
Cold sores (or the herpes simplex virus) can be reactivated by…

• Bright sunlight
• Emotional upset and stress
• Colds and flu
• Lack of sleep or fatigue.

STOP COLD SORES WITH ZOVIRAX^®
Zovirax is New Zealand’s leading cold sore treatment,1 with the capacity to speed healing and even prevent a cold sore from forming at all.

Zovirax contains the active ingredient aciclovir and the unique MAC-PTM accelerator, which helps the active ingredient penetrate the skin five times faster to quickly reach the site of infection.2 Once it reaches this area the active ingredient springs into action, making it difficult for the virus to reproduce itself.
Many other cold sore creams and patches contain only mild antiseptics,
moisturisers or no active ingredient at all; they help the natural healing process but don’t fight the virus itself.

BEST USED EARLY
Zovirax is best used early, because at the start there is less virus around.
When used at the tingling stage, Zovirax can reduce virus multiplication, which can stop a blister forming.

If a blister’s already formed, Zovirax can cut healing time in half, compared to no treatment.

ZOVIRAX BENEFITS

• Fights the herpes simplex virus itself
• Fast and efficient – speeds healing
• Treatment at the tingle can prevent the blister
• Transparent cream disappears quickly into the skin.

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1. Aztec pharmacy unit sales, January 2010. 2. Trottet L et al. Are all aciclovir creams bioequivalent Int J Pharmaceutics 2005; 304:63-71. Contains aciclovir 5%w/w. For the treatment of cold sores. For external use only.  Medicines have benefits and some may have risks. Always read the label and use strictly as directed. If symptoms persist see your health professional. Zovirax® and MAC-P™ are trademarks of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies. TAPS NA3960


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