Cold sores are a very common viral infection. Some people may call them fever blisters. They aren’t harmful but they can cause some pain and insecurity. This is because a cold sore on the lip is very obvious and it feels like people are staring. Luckily, there are plenty of preventive steps that can be taken to keep these cold sores away:

1. Reduce stress
One of the most common things that causes cold sores outbreaks would be stress. That means that the easiest way to prevent cold sores would be to avoid stress. You may want to take up yoga or meditation to avoid stress.

2. Apply lip balm
Keeping your lips moisturized is another way that you can prevent these unwanted cold sores. You don’t have to purchase a 20 dollar chapstick, even the cheapest chapstick offers protection from dry, cracked lips that can lead to cold sores.

3. Use sunscreen
Sunscreen is a lifesaver when it comes to protecting your skin, as well as your lips. There are some lip balms that have some sunscreen already in them. If you want to keep life simple, you should have one of these chapsticks with you at all times. This will keep your lips moisturized and protected from the sun.

4. Stay hydrated
Chapstick can help moisturize your lips from the outside. However, the best way to moisturize your body is from the inside out. So, try to drink about two to four liters of water per day depending on your gender and activity levels.

5. Don’t share personal items
The easiest way the cold sores are transmitted is through kissing and sharing personal items. To avoid passing or getting cold sores, make sure that you don’t share toothbrushes or personal items. Even if you don’t see a cold sore, it could still be in the beginning stages of an outbreak. This means you should avoid drinking after others, sharing chapstick or lip gloss, kissing strangers, and other things that involve swapping saliva.

6. Consider over the counter treatments
Since there are so many preventative measures, OTC viral medications should be one of the last resorts when it comes to cold sores. However, if you are in good health and continue to get cold sores, you may want to consider some medicine. Abreva and Emuaid are both affordable and effective medicines that can be used. Cold sore medicine for kids can be a bit harder to find. Since their skin is much more sensitive, it is important that you use gentle products that won’t cause future breakouts.

7. Avoid touching your face
Your hands are covered in bacteria and germs from going about the day. Avoid touching your face as much as you can. If you do have to touch your face, make sure you wash your hands before doing so.