Abreva Docosanol 10% Cream Tube, FDA Approved Treatment for Cold Sore/Fever Blister, 2 grams

I hate cold sores. I HATE them. I hate them with such unbridled fury and passion that if I were to be judged at the time of my death, and the subject of my blistering hatred came up(no pun intended), Heaven wouldn't want me, and Hell would just plain fear me. But after so many years of putting up with this plague, there is a solution. I usually get fever sores(cold sores) about 8-10 times a year. Usually every 2 months, I get a new outbreak around my lips. It could be a minor outbreak, with a simple little bump on the upper or lower lip, or a grotesque outbreak cluster of about 4-7 sores at once. Usually, these sores last 1-2 weeks, sometimes longer. The day I discovered Abreva, that all changed. As it states, Abreva cuts down the duration of cold sores quite dramatically. If you manage to detect a cold sore as it just begins to form (usually indicated by a burning or tingling sensation on the lip area), application of Abreva will possibly event prevent the outbreak entirely. Upon a breakout of sores, I find that consistent application cuts the duration of sores from 1-2 weeks to a mere 1-3 days! Don't beleive the utterly ridiculous accusations that Abreva is a placebo...this stuff works, and it works well. Aside from cutting down the duration of the sore, Abreva also releives any burning and itching you may get from them, so after a while you may not even realize that they're there. The cream is comfortable, and it doesn't sting, burn or itch after application. Though the white cream leaves a film after application, if you rub it in strongly the film disappears. Though the box recommends 4 applications a day, I usually double that to 8, and up to 10 times a day for those particularly brutal outbreaks. There are some disadvantages to Abreva, and perhaps the greatest of all: the price! Amazon.com, bless them, has this item listed at 13.99...try finding Abreva at that price anywhere else and you're in for a shocker...it usually goes for $18 on average, and we're talking a VERY small tube here. Don't let the size of the box fool you, the actual tube is less than half the size of my pinky finger! So in short, the cream is a marvel, but the price is simply outrageous. If you are plagued with cold sores on a routine basis, then its worth the price. If not, then I can't justify spending $18 on Abreva if you only get cold sores once in a blue moon. But like I said, thank you Amazon for the much cheaper price! Another disadvantage is that the tube tends to leak. Upon opening the tube for the first time, the cream tends to stat pushing itself out. When you open the tube for next use, you may find that alot of the cream has been squished into the cap, and that more of it will push out immediately upon the cap being removed. This leads to a lot of waste of the product. Another disadvantage is that the cream is virtually ineffective at treating cold sores that appear on the underside of the lip closer to the inside of your mouth, mainly because you'll end up inadvertantly licking the cream off or it will get washed away by your saliva. Finally, the cream dries your lips up quite alot...I would recommend using chapstick to moisturize your lips while using Abreva, because they will become very dry and chapped with continued usage. Overall, Abreva is one of the greatest things to happen to us cold sore slaves ever. Herpicin-L is utterly useless, Campophenique does little more than burn, dry out and taste awful, and chapstick only exacerbates the sore. Abreva is the way to go. If you can justify shelling out the cash for Abreva, then by all means, do it. Those of us that get multiple outbreaks a year will love it. Others who rarely get them needn't apply, unless the breakout is particularly brutal.

I am SO impressed. I am not usually one to leave a review, but I feel I have to share as I know how upsetting, painful and frustrating cold sores can be. I have been dealing with them my entire life, and just this year I have gotten eight... I have used everything under the sun (OTC products, dr prescribed acyclovir cream and valacyclovir pills, tea tree oil, red lights, aquaphor and more that I do not even remember). From a young age, I tried Abreva and Lysine and my dr led me to believe they did not work and I need prescriptions. I decided to change up my normal routine and try Abreva again in conjunction with Acculip Cold Sore Patches. This combo = perfection. I started using both 24 hours after I got a pretty large cold sore on my top lip. After just one day of using these, it had gone down in size substantially and the pain was almost gone. It also helped me not touch or focus on it as much which is of course so important as they are very contagious. It also blended with my skin color so well. This morning (Day 4), my cold sore is completely GONE. (My skin is still red and sensitive so still continuing with aquaphor to heal, but the sore is gone!!!!!) For reference also, I got a cold sore on 11/9/2025 under my nose and got this one on 11/16/2025. The first one still has a scab on my nose and this most recent one is gone. Imagine If I had started this combo when I first feel it coming through... (unfortunately I was traveling and did not have these products on hand). Highly recommend.

This stuff works in just 3 days if you follow the instructions on the packaging.

I have used abreva every time I get a cold sore. I know people complain about the size of the tube. There's a reason for that, if you follow the directions, you know that saying "just a dab will do". You only need a little bit at a time, you will clean the area, dry and just a dab of it and rub it into the sore. It works, I have severe allergies and from my nose itching and running all the time I get cold sores, before I found this amazing product, I tried all of the others. This dries it up so fast specially if you catch it way early. Don't let that small tube get ya, its highly worth it. It use to cost 20 bucks a tube and I bought it because it works. I highly recommend Abreva. Follow the directions and in a day or too it will be gone.

I cannot remember the last time I had a cold sore, until last week BOOM. Tingle, tingle, yeeeeouch WTH? Honestly didn't know what was going on. After initial panic attack, figured out what it was, ordered Abreva, and was STUNNED how effective it was. Pain, blisters, sore diminished and disappeared within days. Will definitely keep on shelf for future emergency.

Seems to work fast. Little container but you only need a little bit of it. Cleared up my cold sore in about 2 days and was recommended to use. Don’t kiss anyone or drink out of the same cup, towels cigarette, toothbrush all can expose others to the virus. Supposed to stay in your body forever and could spread to other areas. I had surgery and my immune system was probably down. Haven’t had a cold sore in many years but got one on my lip and one in my mouth. Says not to ingest but took care of the lip fast and helped with pain and healing. I am glad it worked so quickly and will keep it on hand

Abreva is expensive. However it works great. The tube is small but a dab will do.

I've suffered from occasional cold sores on my lips for decades, and this stuff is the ONLY thing I've found that works. I start using it at the first sign of an outbreak, which is sort of an itchy, slightly burning feeling on my lip. If I catch it early enough and apply the Abreva for a couple of days, it goes away. If I don't catch it in time and a cold sore fully develops on my lip, this helps control it and gets rid of it much faster than without using the Abreva. Indispensable for me, I always keep a tube handy.