Hey everyone,
So, 1 in 5 Americans get cold sores from Herpes-I and I am one of them. I haven't had an outbreak in over a year and then I started my diet a week ago and have since developed a cold sore on my bottom lip, where the last one was (in the past day or so.) Has anyone else had this happen to them? Has anyone started a diet and gotten a flair up of a cold sore?

If so, what do you use? Abreva? Zilactin?

Try Campho Phenique. My doctor recommended it.

I have always used Abreva...

However, I have found that stress, and sun exposure, are the two things that cause flare ups in myself and in my parents...not diet.

Cold sores suck! I never had one until I met my darling hubby. I don't *think* I've had one since dieting. I think that's because I eat less chocolate, an extremely rare bite actually, peanuts and caffeine. I read those might contribute to cold sores. I've also upped my salmon intake which contains lysine or something- read that lowers risk. I think (not sure) lysine is a good supplement if you get them regularly.

My dermatologist prescribed Valtrex for me to take if I feel one coming on.

I probably got them 3 or 4 times a year. None, knock on wood this year since eating better. There might be something behind the chocolate/cold sores because I really ate alot alot alot before changing my habits on January 1st.

Just found a link with some of the food culprits, it's listed under 'causes'...

http://www.health911.com/remedies/rem_coldso.htm

I'm a freak about my skin and panic like a diva drama queen if I think I'm getting one. I've found that applying ice to them before they erupt helps alot.

I think it is possible that the new diet might be causing you some stress - maybe even "good" stress, and that is why the herpes. I get them every so often - in fact I have one now. I don't think dieting causes them.