Cold sores affected many people around the world, nearly a 100 million every year in fact. Just in the United States, over 60 million people suffer from fever blisters every year. Every race and every age group are affected equally. If you have also been a victim of cold sores, then you definitely know about the pain and discomfort they cause. Cold sore prevention is a hot topic and there is a lot of misinformation out there.

Some prevention tips are just old wives tails, but others work well quite consistently. I am going to present some of the effective cold sore prevention techniques.

First, you have to make sure that you immune system is strong.

There are various cold sore medications available, but that should only be a last resort because taking medications is not a preventative measure. Although, these medications may work well, they only work after you feel the tingling of the fever blister. If you have a strong immune system, then you will have more resistance against fever blister breakouts. The key to preventing cold sores is a strong immune system. According to doctors, if you have a strong immune system then you will have a much lower risk of fever blister breakouts. The best way to strengthen your immune system is eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly and eliminate junk food from your diet. Your doctor will have many more excellent suggestions for you.

Another great cold sore prevention tip is to reduce stress in your life.

If you get fever blisters regularly, the remove yourself from stressful situations as these situations are often responsible for breakouts. So be careful about your daily life and don't get involved in situations that you know will stress you out.

An often-overlooked cold sore prevention technique is applying sunscreen.

Sun has been shown to trigger cold mouth sores, so make sure that you apply sunscreen whenever you go outside. An SPF rated chap stick also goes a long way.

The last cold sore prevention tip I am going to share with you is a killer method.

Vitamin C has been shown to reduce the occurrence of fever blister in many people. So, try to eat food that contains vitamin C, as it will help you in building a strong immune system. You can eat fruits or can take vitamin supplements, just make sure you are getting enough Vitamin C.

There are many other cold sore prevention tips, some are good and some are not so great. I have personally seen all four of the above tips work. They do not work for everyone, but they are worth a try.