What you put on a lip sore depends on what type of sore you’re dealing with. A cold sore on the outside of your lip calls for an antiviral cream, while a canker sore inside your mouth responds best to a numbing gel, and cracked corners need an antifungal. Getting the right treatment on the sore quickly, ideally within hours of noticing it, makes the biggest difference in how fast it heals.
Figure Out Which Lip Sore You Have
Before reaching for a tube of anything, take a close look at where the sore is and what it looks like. The three most common lip sores each appear in a distinct spot and have their own signature appearance.
Cold sores show up on the outside of your mouth, around the edges of your lips. They start as a cluster of small, fluid-filled blisters and are usually preceded by a tingling or burning sensation in that spot. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus and typically heal within 5 to 15 days.
Canker sores form inside the mouth, on the inner cheeks, inner lips, or tongue. They look like a single round white or yellow sore ringed with red. They’re not caused by a virus and aren’t contagious.
Angular cheilitis affects the corners of the mouth specifically, causing cracking, redness, and sometimes crusting. It’s usually triggered by a fungal or yeast overgrowth, often from moisture collecting in the skin folds at the corners of your lips.
What to Put on a Cold Sore
The single most effective over-the-counter option for cold sores is a 10% docosanol cream (sold as Abreva). It’s the only nonprescription medicine approved by the FDA to actually shorten healing time, not just mask symptoms. You apply it five times a day until the sore heals. The key is starting at the very first sign of tingling or burning, before blisters fully form. Once blisters have already crusted over, the cream is less useful.
For pain relief while the sore runs its course, look for a topical numbing gel containing benzocaine. Apply a small amount directly to the sore. Don’t use these gels on large areas of broken skin, and keep them away from children under two, as benzocaine can cause a rare but serious blood condition in young kids.
If you get cold sores frequently or catch one early enough, a prescription antiviral can cut about a full day off the outbreak. The standard prescription treatment is a one-day course taken in two doses, 12 hours apart, started at the earliest symptom. Your doctor or an online telehealth visit can prescribe this, and many people who get recurring cold sores keep a course on hand so they can start immediately.
Hydrocolloid Patches
Cold sore patches made with hydrocolloid gel are a good option if you want a hands-off approach or need to cover the sore for cosmetic reasons. The patch absorbs fluid from the blister while keeping the area at the moisture level that promotes healing. It also acts as a physical barrier, protecting the open sore from bacteria and dirt. You can apply makeup or lip balm over most patches. They won’t speed healing the way an antiviral will, but they reduce the risk of secondary infection and keep you from touching the sore throughout the day.
Honey as an Alternative
If you prefer something more natural, medical-grade kanuka honey has been shown in a large randomized trial to heal cold sores just as effectively as standard 5% acyclovir cream. The study, published in BMJ Open, used a formulation of 90% kanuka honey and 10% glycerin. Regular grocery store honey hasn’t been tested the same way, so look for a product specifically marketed for cold sores if you go this route.
What to Put on a Canker Sore
Since canker sores aren’t caused by a virus, antivirals won’t help. Your main goal is pain relief while the sore heals on its own. A benzocaine oral gel applied directly to the sore will numb the area for short-term relief, especially before eating. Look for products labeled for mouth sores or oral pain. Avoid eating or chewing until the numbness wears off so you don’t accidentally bite your cheek or tongue.
Rinsing with warm salt water several times a day can also help keep the area clean and reduce irritation. Some people find that a paste made from baking soda and a small amount of water, dabbed on the sore, helps dry it out and calm the sting. Over-the-counter mouth rinses designed for canker sores typically contain ingredients that form a temporary protective coating over the ulcer, which shields it from contact with food and drinks.
What to Put on Cracked Corners
Sores at the corners of your mouth are usually angular cheilitis, and they need a completely different approach. Because the cause is typically fungal, an antifungal cream is the right treatment. A 2% miconazole cream applied to the corners of your mouth twice a day for 10 to 14 days is the standard first-line option. Wash your hands before and after each application.
While you’re treating the infection, keep the corners of your lips dry. Licking the area feels soothing in the moment but feeds the cycle of moisture and fungal growth that caused the problem. A thin layer of petroleum jelly over the antifungal cream can act as a moisture barrier. If the cracking doesn’t improve after two weeks, the sore may have a bacterial component that needs a different treatment.
Preventing Cold Sores From Coming Back
If cold sores are a recurring problem for you, the amino acid L-lysine has some evidence behind it as a preventive supplement. Taking 1,000 mg daily has been associated with fewer outbreaks, reduced symptoms, and faster healing. During an active outbreak, some people increase to up to 3,000 mg per day. One older study found that 1,000 mg taken three times daily for six months decreased both the number and severity of infections.
Common cold sore triggers include sun exposure, stress, illness, and fatigue. Wearing a lip balm with SPF when you’re outdoors is one of the simplest preventive steps. If you have an active cold sore, wash your hands thoroughly before touching your eyes. The same virus can cause a serious eye infection with symptoms like eye pain, redness, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light. Keeping your hands away from your face during an outbreak significantly reduces this risk.
What Not to Put on a Lip Sore
Rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are common impulse treatments, but both can damage the delicate healing tissue around a lip sore and slow recovery. Toothpaste is another popular home remedy that has no evidence behind it and can irritate the skin further. Essential oils like tea tree oil are sometimes recommended online, but undiluted essential oils can cause chemical burns on broken skin, especially on the sensitive tissue around your lips.
Steroid creams, including hydrocortisone, should not be used on cold sores. Steroids suppress your local immune response, which is exactly the opposite of what you need when fighting a viral infection. They can cause the outbreak to worsen and spread.