Review: Polysporin’s Cold Sore Healing Patch

One of the most annoying beauty dilemmas of all time has got to be waking up with a cold sore! For those of you who have never experienced these frustrating & painful skin eruptions (lucky you!), cold sores are not only unsightly but they can be emotionally taxing and embarrassing too. Not to mention contagious. Growing up, I remember getting them quite often, especially when my immune system was compromised from either illness, stress, a poor diet or extremes in temperature. I still get cold sores at least 3-4 times a year but I feel much better equipped to deal with them now than I have in the past. Do you suffer from cold sores? How do you deal with the pesky virus?

Hiding-smilephoto credit: Google Images

Cold Sore Facts

  • A cold sore is a highly contagious cluster of blisters that eventually scabs before healing
  • They can last 3 weeks without treatment or about 10 days if treated
  • Cold sores erupt around the lips and/or on the skin in surrounding areas
  • Tingling, itching, burning and/or pain are all tell tale signs that a cold sore is on its way
  • Medication (oral meds or topical creams) speed up healing and reduces pain
  • Polysporin’s Cold Sore Healing Patch uses hydrocolloid technology to effectively treat cold sores. The patches are great at containing the virus and preventing infection by forming a protective barrier that enables healing 

Cold-Sore-Healing-Patch-2Cold Sore Healing Patch – $18.99 CAD / 15 patches

Polysporin’s Healing Patch helps cold sores heal and also does a great job of masking them! I’ve used topical creams and even prescription medications in the past that have done a fairly good job of easing the pain associated with cold sores but no matter what I’ve used, I’ve always struggled with hiding the embarrassing nuisance without risking it spreading to other areas. What I really love about these healing patches is that you can apply lipstick or concealer over them and people hardly even notice that they are there! They also prevent scabbing, reduce tingling, pain and redness and protect your cold sore from cross-contamination.

APPLICATION TIP: Apply the patch at the first sign of an outbreak. Keep the patch on until it starts to detach from the skin (approximately 8 hours) and immediately replace with another one. Grab your favourite shade of lipstick and rock it!

Polysporin-Healing-PatchEach Healing Patch comes individually packaged 

Cold-Sore-Healing-Patch

Directions:

  1. Wash your hands. Ensure that skin is clean and dry.
  2. Remove applicator from the wrapper and hold ends using both hands.
  3. Gently pull each end of the applicator, following the arrows, until adhesive side is half-exposed. Take care not to touch the adhesive side of the patch.
  4. Gently press the half-exposed part of the patch with a finger to firmly place over the cold sore. 
  5. Slowly pull the end of applicator down and away from the skin in a smooth rolling motion until the patch slips from the applicator.
  6. To remove the patch, stretch it along the skin (as opposed to pulling it away) and discard.