What Almost Ruined My Holiday & $25 Amazon Giveaway

Prior to the holidays, I was pretty run-down and probably not taking care of myself as I should have been. Factor in the cold weather and lots of germs from my three kids and I woke one morning to a painful cold sore.  Now, I don't get these often, but when I do, they are HUGE. I don't have to worry IF everyone is looking at me...I KNOW for a fact everyone is looking at me (or it?)

While the holidays is an especially bad time for a cold sore, they are never pleasant. Cold sores are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1), which most people contract in ealy childhood. Depending on the person, some have outbreaks more often than others. 

What causes a cold sore outbreak? 

Common triggers of cold sores include:

○ Fatigue can drain your immune system, making you more susceptible to a cold sore outbreak.
○ Stress can also wear down your immune system
○ Cold weather, dry air and winter wind can dry out lips and cause a cold sore.
○ Ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin and lead to a cold sore.
○ For women, hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle can trigger an outbreak.
○ Trauma to your mouth or lips, like an injury or even dental procedure, can launch a cold sore
outbreak.
○ A fever, a cold or the flu can leave you feeling run-down and on the defense against a cold sore
outbreak.

This last cold sore, right before the holiday, was definitely triggered by a cold, fatigue and just being worn out.  Prior to that, my last cold sore was after my son was born - the day I left the hospital. Talk about hormonal changes! This time around, I knew I did not want the cold sore to ruin my holidays. Not only did I not want to spend all the visits with family and friends feeling self-conscious and ruined pictures, I didn't want to deal with the painful healing. So, at the first signs of this cold sore, I reached for something I have in my medicine cabinet at all times - Abreva.

Treating a Cold Sore

 

When you have a cold sore, treating it quickly and affectively is key. I've tried many OTC medications and none have been as effective as Abreva.  Abreva stops the spread of the cold sore to healthy cells, helping shorten the healing time. It acts like a prescription without the hassle of visiting the doctor. In fact, it's the only over-the-counter medication approved by the FDA that is proven to shorten healing time! If you're prone to cold sores, you should definitely have Abreva on hand because it works best when applied to the cold sore at the first signs - redness, tingling, bumps. Best of all, I love that Abreva lets you try the product RISK FREE, so if it doesn't work, you can get your money back.   

Giveaway

 One (1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Please enter below via Rafflecopter. See widget for complete guidelines. 

 Disclaimer: I am participating in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Abreva, and received free product and compensation in return for my participation.




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