Can These 10 Home Remedies Help Clear Cold Sores?

9. Licorice Paste

Licorice possesses both antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. While licorice tea could help to a small degree, creating a paste using a tablespoon or so of pure licorice mixed with petroleum jelly or another base will likely have a more potent effect. Apply the paste before going to bed at night. Do not take licorice root orally as it can cause blood pressure elevations and fluid retention. Limited research suggests that glycyrrhizic acid in licorice can kill cells infected with the herpes virus. Due to lack of sufficient research, this is still considered more of a folk remedy than a treatment supported by science.