Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Radius]

Crap, im starting to get one. Anyone who gets them know how much they suck. DO Koreans get a lot of cold sores? Is there any Abreva sold here or anything like that? The next two weeks are really going to suck.

[fugitive chicken]

go to a pharmacy and point to it. They will give you a small tube of medicine to put on it. Works pretty well too.

[Radius]

thanks ill try

[illvibetip]

probably best not to eat out for a few weeks...

[decolyon]

Koreans get cold sores too. I think maybe even more than in the west. There are a lot of skin issues like that they seem to be more open and accepting about (at least among other Koreans.)

One told me one they they will actually purposely kiss their kids when they're young so they get the worse ones over when they are too young to feel embarrassed about it (the first outbreak of Herp Simplex A - which are cold sores - are much worse than later.)

However, being a foreigner, that doesn't apply to you. You'll probably be labeled diseased and dirty, sorry. Use concealer or a cover up stick or a light lip stick if it's on you lip. Then, when you get home, bath that thing in pure tea tree oil. You can pick it up at Body Shop. Tea tree oil dries it out super fast. After a day or two it'll be nice and crusty, then dab a little neosporin on and it should heal up nicely.

Just a note, I don't get cold sores. I've been tested and don't have any of the Herp simplexes, but I am prone to pimples around the mouth because I drool in my sleep. And the above method works well for big nasty pimples.

[rumdiary]

I went to a doctor and he gave me a prescription for some pills and some ointment. It worked so well I looked the pills up on the internet and found they were normally given to people with shingles. I've also just gone into a pharmacy and pointed. The lady just said virsus-uh and gave me the same ointment that the doctor prescribed me but not the pills. No biggie.

[The Cosmic Hum]

If you are prone to cold sores, then I would suggest keeping a supply of Lysine around for emergencies.
It works wonders.

As soon as you feel that tingle...start taking Lysine...it will kill it in its tracks.

I used to get cold sores a few times a year...stress...drinking...blah, blah, blah...and they would last a couple of weeks.
Now when I feel that tingle...I start taking lysine, and it kills it right off.
I am at the point now that when I know I am overly stressed or going to get one, I start taking lysine.
I use this method and haven't had one full blown cold sore in many years.

I buy it back home...not sure where you can buy it here in korea...though I am sure you can order it online somewhere...it is relatively inexpensive.
I keep bottles of stacked since learning of its powerful use in killing cold sores...works for me.

As for the teatree oil...that works well if you let it get too far.
Garlic works well too.
Cut open a clove of garlic and press it against the cold sore, pimple, etc...
It stings a bit, and don't leave it on too long...can burn the skin.
This method is effective for the cold sore...Lysine prevents the cold sore.
Best of luck with it.

[mulligc3]

I agree on the lysine.. I think yoghurt / red meat is a good source I couldnt find the tablets whilst there.
Also I'd be weary of pure tea tree oil. This can be known to cause dermatitis It happened to me.I put it on a cut on my face and it swelled and broke out in an oozing crusty growth three times the size of a coldsore. Nightmare especially in Korea. Its fine everywhere else but I've obviously very sensitive skin on my face/ lips.
zoivriax equivalent in Korea is 바크로비
I found people pointed it out to me the whole time. Like "you have some trouble on your face"

[Globutron]

Just get a lighter and warm it up. It will leave to find colder people to live on.

[carleverson]

[nobbyken]

Using too many tissues starts them on me.

If I can help it, I try to use cotton handkerchiefs or water from cupped hands to clear my nose and try to keep warm. Aftershave/perfume also halts them in their tracks very well.

[Hern84]

Hey,
I've been getting cold sores ever since I was a kid ....

Thru my year of trial and error I found the best thing was to following:
1. When you feel one coming - apply an ice cube to your lip (I wrap the ice cude in a paper towel, basically onces the paper towel is drenched, which is around 10 mins your good)
2. Repeat this 3x a day.
3. While not icing keep Blistex (or equiavalent) on it..

It will still come out but usually a lot smaller and in a concentrated area. Then just blast the ointment on it until the soreness goes away...

4. Once the soreness is gone, icing does nothing and the ointment, if you continue to use it alot, will end up burning your skin and you'll have a huge scab anyways that looks worse than a coldsore.

Basically this is the best way I found to get past the annoying part and soreness that you feel, basically by day 3 it's just the scab and on it's way out ... I apply the ointment only once a day from then, and let it go away.

**************NOTE
As much as you want, never pic the scab, it just makes it worse!


Hope this helps.


- Matt

[Vagabundo]

[hellofaniceguy]

We get colds/cold sores, etc., from people, not the environment.
Going out with koreans to dinner...I don't care to do or if I do go, I eat from my own dishes.
This business of everyone at the table sticking their sticks/forks/spoons into the sames bowls and then into their mouth...is for the birds. It's nasty. Disgusting.
I might as well swap spit with them!
I don't know where your lips/tongue were last night and I'll be damm if I am going to share bowls of food with 10 people. Get your own bowl I tell 'em! Gesh! Hospitals are full of sick koreans as well and you have a cold sore and are sticking your sticks into the bowls and wanting everyone else to eat from the same bowl? I think not.

[rumdiary]