Sunday 16 February 2014

REVIEW: Compeed Cold Sore Patch...

This post is about a product that has literally changed my life - Compeed Cold Sore patches.


For as long as I can remember, I've experienced the discomfort (and embarrassment) of cold sores on or around my mouth and nose, up to four times per year. The outbreaks would last a minimum of 10 days, and the scarring/redness would hang around for at least another two weeks after that...


The good news is that if you've never had a cold sore, you probably never will. It's caused by a virus (related to smallpox) that you're either susceptible to or not. Triggers range from stress to injury to over exposure to the sun. When I did my Higher School Certificate (year 12), I fell asleep in the sun while studying, and that combined with the exam stress brought on such a vicious attack that my mouth was completely encircled by these ghastly (and highly infectious) blisters. My lips were so swollen I looked like one of those natives that inserts plates in their lips. Even my doctor was stunned when he saw me, and once everything had subsided, I was treated with a smallpox vaccination every month for 12 months, which worked a treat - I had no cold sores at all for several years, and when they eventually started occurring again, the most I ever had was two in one year...



I think the worst thing about these wretched blistery blights is that they are so hard to disguise - people used to look at me like I had the plague because eventually they would form a scab, and that took a while to heal. Treatment was via various creams and gels from the chemist - they helped a bit with the burning sensation, but the big breakthrough for us sufferers was the development of the Compeed Cold Sore Patch. I was super sceptical at first because they promised containment, protection, fast healing and a massive reduction in the duration of the attack. Well let me tell you folks, it's ALL true :-) I was staggered the first time I tried them - my cold store was done and dusted in 4 days, with barely any blisters and therefore no scab formation! Originally they came in a Day and Night variety, but now there seems to be one convenient kind to cover the whole 24 hours in a day :-)

So here's what they look like, and once stuck on, they are virtually invisible - they cover the cold sore entirely so there's no risk of contamination, and you can apply makeup or lipstick over the top...


Here are some pics from my last attack. The damn thing started coming up on a Wednesday while I was at work, so I applied the patch as soon as I arrived home. The next morning, I put on a fresh patch, and applied my lip liner, lipstick and gloss over the top. Of course you can see the swelling, but nobody at work even noticed. In the past when I've had a cold sore and gone to a meeting, I'd observe people's eyes straying to look at my lip when they were talking to me - I could tell some of them were feeling somewhat uncomfortable (read that as "grossed out" lol) with what they were seeing, but that doesn't happen any more now that I have my Compeed patches :-)



These photos were taken on the following morning, and it's obvious that the swelling has gone down considerably. I tell you these patches are so brilliant, you can barely tell they're there - I marked the outline with X's so you'd know where it is...


And here it is again with my lipstick over the top...


By Saturday morning, the cold sore was all but gone, and I didn't have to apply any more patches - woo hoo! It still amazes me how effective these are. The packs are $16.95 and contain 15 patches, all hygienically sealed in individual wrappers, and there's even a mirror inside the lid if you need to apply one and your miles away from a bathroom. You peel away the arrowed tabs, position the clear film directly over the cold sore, and lightly press it on. I find they don't usually survive through a meal, but they sure stay stuck on overnight, and the bonus is there's no messy (and contaminated) creams left on your pillow. There's also an enclosed leaflet with refreshingly clear instructions on how to apply the patches, and some facts about cold sores. I now keep a couple in my make up bag so I can start the treatment as soon as I feel that first warning tingle...

Honestly, whoever invented these things deserves a gold medal, and has my deepest and most heartfelt gratitude - thank you Compeed! You've changed my life 

Do you suffer from cold sores? Have you tried Compeed patches yet?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

13 comments:

  1. Ooh this is incredible! You can barely tell you have anything on! I don't usually suffer from cold sores (thankfully), but if I ever do then I know what to pick up! Great post Kat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Basmah hon - gee you're lucky you don't get these rotten things, but thankfullly there's now a product that really and truly works :-)

      Delete
    2. i already gave up on ever getting cured of HSV2 because i have try many treatment none of them work out for me i have go to different hospital they always tell me same thing there is no cure for herpes when i came across a post about Dr AZIEGBE, in the net from a lady called Angela i contacted him and he reassured me with him herbal medicine which i took according to the way he instructed, that how i was cured. I doubted at first because i have been to a whole lot of reputable doctors, tried a lot of medicines but none was able to cure me. so i decided to listen to him and he commenced treatment, and under two weeks i was totally fee from #Herpes. i want to say a very big thank you to DR AZIEGBE for what he has done in my life. feel free to leave him a message on email DRAZIEGBE1SPELLHOME@GMAIL. COM and also WhatsApp him +2349035465208..
      He can still be able to help you with this herbs medicine:
      1...ALS CURE/DIABETES CURE/EPILESY/HPV CURE/LUPUS/HEPATITIS/CANCER/GOUT

      Delete
  2. This is fantastic Kats! I have so many friends who get bad cold sore's.....I will have to fill them in on these great patches. You cant even see where you have applied it and to be able to put lipstick over the top is amazing.
    I thankfully don't get Cold Sores......never have (lucky me)......glad you have found such a great product that works for you Hun.
    Love Kathryn xxx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Honestly for anyone who gets these sores, this product is a godsend hon - I'm just so glad that I can blog about it and include pictures so I can spread the word to other sufferers ♡ Love to you too babe xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Luckily for me, I don't suffer from cold sores, Kat, but these look great for people who do. It's a marvel that you can apply lipstick and lip gloss over the top too thereby disguising the patch. Gret idea and great invention !!!

    Arty Girl
    bh.artygirl@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aren't they amazing Arty? Thank goodness some clever developer took the time and effort to create something so effective :-)

      Delete
  5. I have my first one at 35 it's huge and hurts bad .. I live in the states I don't know where to buy these.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anonymous - sorry I can't help, only seems to be available from Amazon internationally. You'd think this would be for sale at Walgrens. .

      Delete
  6. I have been using these for 72 hours and my cold sores have got worse. They have got bigger and were really sore today with the patches on.

    On the up side at least they conceal them from spreading on cutlery, cups and from spreading all over your lips.
    I would recommend anything with 5% aciclovir

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ouch that sounds nasty and painful Emma - I find these patches work brilliantly when they're applied before the cold sore actually develops, which is why I always have a pack with me wherever I go. It's a comfort that they stop the spreading though - thanks for the info hon ♥

      Delete
  7. i already gave up on ever getting cured of HSV2 because i have try many treatment none of them work out for me i have go to different hospital they always tell me same thing there is no cure for herpes when i came across a post about Dr AZIEGBE, in the net from a lady called Angela i contacted him and he reassured me with him herbal medicine which i took according to the way he instructed, that how i was cured. I doubted at first because i have been to a whole lot of reputable doctors, tried a lot of medicines but none was able to cure me. so i decided to listen to him and he commenced treatment, and under two weeks i was totally fee from #Herpes. i want to say a very big thank you to DR AZIEGBE for what he has done in my life. feel free to leave him a message on email DRAZIEGBE1SPELLHOME@GMAIL. COM and also WhatsApp him +2349035465208..
    He can still be able to help you with this herbs medicine:
    1...ALS CURE/DIABETES CURE/EPILESY/HPV CURE/LUPUS/HEPATITIS/CANCER/GOUT

    ReplyDelete
  8. I had severe insecurity issues growing up because of horrible breakouts and like you, I played in the sun too long with no sunscreen one time and couldn't get my braces put on because of how bad it was. The Dentist was shocked. I wouldn't talk to anyone when I had breakouts. As a young adult I had complete strangers say very rude things to me. I'm in the middle of a bad breakout now and it's like PTSD trigger. Even my kids look at me funny. I will be trying these for sure!

    ReplyDelete