Experience Less Pain, Faster Healing Time & A Lower Recurrence Rate
About 40% of adults have repeated cases of cold sores and canker sores.
What are Cold Sores?
Cold sores—also known as fever blisters—are a painful infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV) and may appear anywhere on your body. Most commonly they are found on the mouth, lips and cheeks. There is no cure for cold sores.
What are Canker Sores?
Also known as Aphthous Ulcers, these sores can be extremely painful and occur inside the mouth. The sores are white, round and generally have a red border. Unfortunately, the exact cause is unknown. A canker sore can make eating and talking very uncomfortable for someone who has one of these sores.
Laser Treatment Background & Effectiveness
The laser treatment technology has been in use since the 1990’s and is very safe—We offer laser cold treatments to our patients!
The procedure lasts only about 15 minutes (sometimes less) - there are no needles or injections. The laser takes care of the sores without making contact with the skin - so there is almost instant pain relief. The result is less pain, faster healing time and up to a 1/3 less recurrence of the sores.
Laser treatment is most effective during the onset of symptoms, and may even prevent the formation of the sore to begin with if treated in time. Early signs of a cold sore include tingling, itching, and burning. We recommend a consultation with us if you're experiencing these symptoms.
You should also know:
- Laser treatment is not effective if the sore is already in scab form
- If cold or canker sore is ulcerated (erupted) this treatment has still been proven be very successful
- If the sore is completely formed, the laser will still take away the discomfort and help it heal faster
Other Treatment Options
Oral medications, known as antiviral pills are available by prescription, but are known to have side effects. Or, topical steroid creams are also available to help speed up the process of healing, but are visible to others. Catching a cold sore or canker sore early is the best time to treat it with laser therapy. All of this information is discussed with you at your appointment.