subject: Does Fresh Aloe Vera Treat Cold Sores? [print this page] Does Fresh Aloe Vera Treat Cold Sores? Does Fresh Aloe Vera Treat Cold Sores?
So - does fresh Aloe Vera treat cold sores, or is it a myth that it does? A bit of both, I think, and it would certainly lend weight to the myth if the wrong sort of fresh Aloe were used in the treatment.
What I mean by 'wrong sort' is essentially most of the two hundred plus varieties other than the 'true' Aloe - Aloe Barbadensis Miller. Not only is this the most potent - it is the only one actually entitled to be known as Aloe Vera!
Over the centuries this Aloe (a member of the lily family and closely related to onions, asparagus and garlic) has gained a great reputation for its healing powers and has also been given a variety of names - Miracle Plant, Wand of Heaven, Burn Plant and Natural Healer being just a few of these.
When mature (after four years' growth) the inner gel from an Aloe Vera leaf does have medicinal properties. If it didn't, I rather doubt it would still be attracting so much attention - and so many fans, both in the human and animal world.
Yes, progressive vets are now seeing its potential in veterinary practice - and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons chose to depict Aloe in its coat of arms!
But let's get back to the subject of cold sores (or fever blisters). Often wrongly confused with a canker sore, it is caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 and is highly contagious.
Frequently acquired in childhood via contact with infected saliva, it's thought to lie dormant until activated by anxiety, a cold, stress or excessive exposure to the sun. Any such factors can cause sores on your lip, near your mouth, near (or even in) your nose that usually last for a week or two.
I don't know of an actual cure for a cold sore, as they tend to keep returning - often to the same place again and again! Given, though, that cold sores are often triggered by stress, I suggest boosting your immune system in stressful periods with an Aloe drink as well as applying inner leaf Aloe gel topically.
Returning to the question does fresh Aloe Vera treat cold sores, my opinion is that - given its rich history and reputation - it probably does. But personally, I prefer my Aloe inner leaf gel to reach me in a more convenient form, which is why if threatened with a cold sore I'd immediately reach for my Forever Aloe Lips!
