Acyclovir cream (
Zovirax® cream) is a prescription antiviral medication used to treat
cold sores in adults and adolescents age 12 and older.
This article refers to the cream form of acyclovir, which is different from the ointment form
(see Acyclovir Ointment).
Who Makes Acyclovir Cream?
Acyclovir cream is made by Biovail Pharmaceuticals.
How Does Acyclovir Cream Work?
Cold sores are caused by viruses -- specifically, the herpes simplex viruses (HSV). Acyclovir cream is an antiviral medication that helps the body fight the infection by preventing the virus from multiplying.
It is important to understand that once a person has been infected with these viruses, they never go away. Instead, they remain inactive in certain nerve cells of the body, waiting to become active again. In addition, treatment with acyclovir cream does not prevent future outbreaks of cold sores.
Effects of Acyclovir Cream
A few studies have looked at acyclovir cream for the treatment of cold sores in people who have frequent outbreaks. These studies showed that people who used the medication at the first signs of an outbreak had cold sores that healed about half a day sooner, compared to people who did not use acyclovir cream.
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