Show ratings & reviews for

3.2 Overall Rating

Effectiveness

Ease of Use

Satisfaction

Most voted positive review

21 People found this comment helpful

I had the outbreak on a Monday and I went that afternoon to get my abreva. I applied it right after I bought it and I can say it worked immediately. The next morning I could see the difference. If only we could have came up with this years ago and didnt have to use that stinky campho phenique...yuck

Most voted negative review

5 People found this comment helpful

I asked my husband to pick up some cold sore medicine because I felt a coldsore coming on and I did not want it to become a full blown blister, very important as I had customer interviews for three hours each of two days the weekend coming up. I asked him to pick up the blistex viles that I had previously purchased because they worked effectively and I never got the blisters. Well the CVS pharma...

Shared reviews and ratings

Unhappy Camper | 55-64 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
2/27/2024
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 2.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

The last Abreva I purchased was an ointment type, which I can no longer find it is now only in cream. I started using the it as soon as I felt a tingle, and it only made my fever blister worse I’ve had a fever blister for three weeks now using Abreva and now it has a pimple in it of all things. Now I remember why I normally use Campo Phenique!

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
K123 | 55-64 | Female | On medication for 2 to less than 5 years | Patient
2/16/2024
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 1.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Very expensive and comes in a ridiculously small tube. A great example of a greedy pharmaceutical product. Use Lysine capsules instead.

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Don’t Buy It | 25-34 | Male | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
12/31/2023
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 2.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I’ve been a cold sore sufferer my entire life and occasionally give Abreva another try. It has never done what it advertises to do, which is shorten the duration of a cold sore outbreak. The best it does is keep the cold sore moisturized to prevent cracking.. but you could do that with something else significantly cheaper.

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Blisterine | 35-44 | Nonbinary | On medication for 10 years or more | Patient
12/26/2023
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 4.3
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I tend to have really bad cold sores and they usually develop into blisters before that "tell-tale tingle" is ever noticed. Abreva isn't perfect, but it certainly helps with the pain and keeps the blisters small enough to deal with for the duration of the outbreak. I've also found it does help the healing process speed up a little (usually by a couple of days). Of course, it is more effective the earlier it is used. It is my go-to topical cream.

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Rusty Shacklefo | 35-44 | Male | On medication for 2 to less than 5 years | Patient
12/10/2023
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 1.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Useless just make it blow up faster

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Anonymous | 45-54 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
8/20/2023
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 2.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

This product made my cold sore worse. I began applying it within an hour of feeling the start of a cold sore. It did help With pain, but it cause a huge blister. (Usually I don’t break out in blisters). I will stick with my usual method of peroxide and witch hazel.

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Hopeful | 55-64 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
4/18/2023
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 2.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Put on when just had tingling for a day &1/2 but I still got blisters

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Free solution | 45-54 | Male | On medication for 1 to less than 2 years | Patient
3/4/2023
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 2.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

This product does nothing to reduce the duration of a cold sore. It does seem to help a little with reducing the tingle and pain (which is why I have 2 stars effectiveness. But I do have a nearly magic solution that works 95% at stopping dead in it's track and start healing process. It's called a full size cube of ice... The secret is that you have to apply it long enough to lose sensation on the zone and stay an extra minute for good measure. Repeat often... sometimes it only takes one application but sometimes it needs more. If you catch it early it will stop completely and quicky. Catching late it will still stop it but it may progress a bit before stopping. The cold really kills the virus it doesn't like it at all. Also the cold brings more blood flow for your own immune system to fight it.Read More Read Less

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
carinaf | 35-44 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
1/8/2023
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I was hesitant after reading some of the negative reviews here, but felt that telltale tingle on my lips the day before an important interview. In addition to the tingle, the side of my lip was beginning to get red, but no sores had developed yet. Wanting to get started with treatment as soon as possible, I rushed out to get this during my lunch break and applied it about 10x the first day and 10x the following day. A miracle: the sores never came and the redness decreased after the first day. If you're skeptical, give it a try! Cold sores normally last about 2 weeks for me and get very crusty. Even though this medication was expensive, it was worth it to me to avoid having one. Also: even after this many applications I still have more than 2/3 of the medication left in the tube.Read More Read Less

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
LS | 45-54 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
12/23/2022
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

A miracle cure for cold sores! I used to suffer through a long 5-7 days with a cold sore that would get huge, painful and turn into a large, hard scab that would take a while to fall off. A few years ago I was on a vacation and a tingling tiny bump appeared. I didn’t have my usual expensive prescription Zovirax, so my I bought Abreva at the nearest pharmacy. I literally developed a small cold sore for two days and it scabbed up very lightly and disappeared by day 3. I was shocked! Since then, when I felt or noticed a tingling pimple like bump start, I dabbed the bare a on one time and the cold sore never emerged. Two years later, I waited a day as the bump emerged as I was out of abreva. I quickly bought some and again, my cold sore, though it emerged as I was late to prevent it, only lasted 2 days, like the first time I used it. And I was fully anticipating it to last a week since it was getting bigger and I thought I waited too long and missed the window to prevent a longer duration. Abreva is truly incredible! Read More Read Less

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
RacW | 25-34 | Female | On medication for 5 to less than 10 years | Patient
12/7/2022
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 2.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Abreva makes the cold sore worse and huge! I used it when I was a kid and through teenage years. USE CAMPHO PHENIQUE! It is amazing, dries it out and keeps it small until it’s gone in a couple days.

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Anonymous | 25-34 | Male | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
9/8/2022
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 1.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

This is an absolute scam, I applied it as soon as I felt the tingle. And y’all saying it needs to be sooner than that? What am I supposed to know it’s coming like a psychic for this fake medical cream to work? It’s laughable, this stuff is an absolute waste of money. Just let the sore heal on it’s own and go buy lunch with that 25. Scammers.

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Jmay | 35-44 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
9/5/2022
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 3.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I put it on before it festers at first sign & it doesn’t help & the scar is the same time

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
J | 19-24 | Male | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
8/30/2022
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

works great. Make sure you keep it on you at all times. It works best As soon as you feel the tingle.

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Anonymous | 35-44 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
8/2/2022
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 3.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

When I first started using Abbreva, it worked very well, 5 stars. . It felt like I had a bandage over the sore. I brought some a couple days ago and it doesn't work at all. This is the 3rd time this has happened.

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Burner12356 | 19-24 | Male | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
7/15/2022
Condition: Other
Overall rating 2.3
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

$20 down the drain. If you don't use it right as you feel a cold sore, this stuff will do nothing but make it worse. When I apply this, it seems to cause the cold sore to swell and get bigger.

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Anonymous |
1/20/2022
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 1.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Made my cold sore extremely worse and caused a bad infection which led to a doctors trip. Do not recommend!

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Anonymous | 19-24 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
12/30/2021
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 3.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Use vanilla extract (not artificial)

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
Happy customer | 35-44 | Female | On medication for 2 to less than 5 years | Patient
11/7/2021
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 4.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Abreva works best when it is applied as soon as though senses a cold sore coming on. It is best to rub it in completely until the creamy white is no longer visible. This ensures that it penetrates through the skin and starts working. So many times I see people walking around with a glob of it on their lips. That doesn’t work. You must rub it in. Don’t expect miracles-but if used as directed this product does what it claims. FYI I use a plastic applicator for rubbing it in to ensure it is not being absorbed into my finger or the cotton on a q-tip. Honestly it would be ideal if Abreva was sold with a plastic applicator. Read More Read Less

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.
NOYB | 45-54 | Male | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
1/28/2020
Condition: Cold Sore
Overall rating 2.3
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

It boggles me how Abreva can get away with advertising their topical cream can cure a cold sore in 2.5 days if applied at the first sign of it. I've been using Abreva for years in the hope that it may be reducing the length of time I have a cold sore -- a costly endeavor considering the exorbitant price of Abreva. I've never had it stop a cold sore and it's never prevented one from lasting less than 7 days. Honestly, you'd think by how some genius would have come up with an effective treatment and run off with millions of dollars. Read More Read Less

Report this postFill 3Created with Sketch.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT USER-GENERATED CONTENT ON WEBMD

The opinions expressed in WebMD User-generated content areas like communities, reviews, ratings, or blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. These opinions do not represent the opinions of WebMD. User-generated content areas are not reviewed by a WebMD physician or any member of the WebMD editorial staff for accuracy, balance, objectivity, or any other reason except for compliance with our Terms and Conditions.

Read More