The aluminum tube wastes the expensive product. If you carry it in a pocket or purse, pressure builds and when you open the product it overflows in a sticky mess. Not that it matters anyway because this product doesn't accomplish much. I'm convinced the positive reviews are due to a placebo affect. I recently read the product was involved in a class action lawsuit for making misleading claims about decreasing healing time...

I don't get cold sores very often, but when I feel that tingle I immediately start using Abreva. I've actually prevented an outbreak by using the product, and I use it more than 5 times a day. It's amazing stuff! Unfortunately, it IS very expensive, but well worth it IMO if it prevents those horrible blisters that take weeks to heal. Love it!

Like many other reviewers, I began to think Abreva just wasn't working. Then I read the directions - thoroughly. I had been applying it directly to the cold sore rather than to the areas around the cold sore. When I used it as directed, it was extremely effective and contained the cold sore so it did not grow larger. You have to use it immediately. Rub it into a large surrounding area and do this as frequently as directed. I kept it by my bedside so I could use it during the night.

My new to middle school daughter developed this "sores" on the corner of her mouth on saturday. Sunday afternoon we went out to purchase this and by Monday morning the "sores" were scabbing and peeling off. By Tuesday it looks as if she has a small scratch on her face. This is a big miracle in a little bottle. This medicine worked so fast it saved her from the embarrassment of having other kids stare and make fun of her, which was a major concern for me. Thanks Abreva!!!

At first I was hesitant to try it because of the hefty price tag for how little it gave you, but I went ahead anyhow since my sores are terrible. However, the cream worked very well for me. In less than a few days, it worked its magic. There's a reason why it's the most popular cold sore ointment, you know? And for each sore, considering they are mainly of average size, a little goes a long way. This product is worth it, and I highly recommend it. And just as a warning -- my sore, as it did begin to heal and turn into a scab, which is what it should have done, also caused the scab to have an orange-y tinge. I'm not exactly sure if this is how cold sores are SUPPOSED to heal, or if this has happened before (I haven't had one in a while). However, it wasn't that much of an issue with me because my lips are a very... berry-ish color, so it blended in.

I get a cold sore every few years, maybe less. I treat with Abreva at the first sign of tingling. If I suspect but am not sure I have a cold sore I treat anyways. Recently my husband got a tingling sensation. Against my advice he washed his face and scrubbed a little. We put on Abreva as soon as he thought something was definitely wrong. He ended up getting 1-2 more sores around his mouth. By applying up to 5 times daily, he nipped the sores in the bud. They never reached the weeping stage. They kind of looked like clear moles for about a week, but they did not get huge or severely infected. We were amazed at the progression and rapid clearing. Obviously, the sores left no scars. Love, love this product.

I so totally agree with another reviewer. I get cold sores (in MD we call them "fever blisters") only about once every year or two. The first time I used Abreva, I went out and bought it the moment I felt the tingling, and put it on in the car! The sore never did anything else! It continued to work that way until this current outbreak. I felt the feeling late at night and couldn't find the tube. I stopped at the grocery store in the morning before work and they didn't have any. By the time I got to the store after work, the blisters were formed and the Abreva only eased the icky feeling. I religiously used it and not only has it not shortened the duration of the sore, another popped up right behind it 5 days after I started! Now I'm looking forward to another 5 days of suffering. Is there a new strain of the virus or has Abreva changed?

I woke up this morning at 4:30AM with a fat tingling lip and I thought 'Here we go again.' My lip was very swollen and I knew I was in for one massive sore. Then I remembered that my mother in law gave me a tube of this stuff. I dug it out of the medicine cabinet and put some on. Then I iced my lip (that has always seemed to help in the past). I went back to sleep and woke up at 7:00AM and my lip was still swollen by not nearly as large. I put on a little more at 7:30AM and now at 9:00am my lip is nearly normal and the tingling has mostly gone away. Normally after a few hours of noticing a tingle I would already have a blister. Not today! I am very pleased.

I decided to try Abreva to see if this would work better than the prescription medicine I get from my doctor. I used this product the minute I thought I was getting a cold sore (yes, before the blisters showed up) and it did not do anything to help prevent the appearance of blisters nor speed up the process of healing. Go to your doctor and get a prescription for Valtrex. It works 10x faster than this product.

I have used this product several times for treatment of cold sores. It is much more effective if applied at the first sign of the development of the sores, before they become blisters. If not applied early, it seems the sore takes about 10 days to resolve, but if used early I have seen marked improvement in 2 days.