Aciclovir 5% Cream 2g

What is Aciclovir 5% Cold Sore Cream?

Aciclovir Cold Sore cream is a topical cream to be used to treat cold sores for application to the lips and face. It can be used at tingling or blistering and is formulated for the treatment of cold sores (Herpes simplex virus infections); it slows the growth of the virus and speeds the healing of cold sore blisters.

Zovirax and Virasorb cold sore creams can both be found at SimplyMeds for branded alternatives for Aciclovir Cream.

Ingredients:
 

The active ingredient is Aciclovir 5% w/w; other ingredients may vary between brands. 

Contains 5% w/w Aciclovir. The other ingredients are stearoyl macrogolglycerides, dimeticone, cetyl alcohol, liquid paraffin, white soft paraffin, propylene glycol and purified water.

Directions:

Ensure you read the leaflet included with the item.

Apply a thin film of cream to the infected and surrounding skin areas five times daily at intervals of approximately 4 hours for five days. If the infection is not healed, you can continue treatment for 5 more days. If your cold sore gets worse or is not healed within 10 days, see your doctor.

Consult your doctor before use if:

• Your cold sore is severe 
• You are pregnant 
• Your immune system is weakened. 

DO NOT USE IN THE EYES, IN THE MOUTH OR ON THE GENITALS.

If you have any severe side effects, stop use immediately and seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

If you notice the following: rash, itchy skin, weal, swelling of the lips, face and/or eyelids, they may be signs of an allergic reaction. Stop using and seek medical attention. 

Uncommon (affects less than 1 in 100 people)

• a burning or stinging feeling after applying the cream that goes away
• itching
• mild drying or flaking of your skin
   

Rare (affects less than 1 in 1,000 people)

• redness of your skin
• skin rash
   

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the above description and patient information leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for “MHRA yellowcard” in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.