Abreva Docosanol 10% Cream Pump, FDA Approved Treatment for Cold Sore/Fever Blister, 2 grams

The product is misleading, what was once 1 blister became 3 on the corners of my lips. This has never happened before. I've been dealing with this problem for most of my life and this has never happened before. Also the bottle or container it's in is a scam. Lasted me 3 days when it says to use for 10. Thanks abreva.

I started getting cold sores when I was 11. I tried prescription medicines which shortened the duration of my cold sore but made it even more painful. I tried Abreva and was blown away. As soon as I feel any swelling, I start using Abreva (even if it turns out to be nothing more than dry, aggravated skin) 9/10 times it ends up being a cold sore and treating it before I even see blisters greatly reduceds the healing time. I am in the healing stage of my cold sore right now (day 5) Had I not started treating my cold sore, day 5 would normally be the ulceration stage. Not only does Abreva reduce the amount of time it takes to heal but seems to stop the cold sore from becoming larger. When I use Abreva, the sore gets no bigger than it is during the swelling stage (without Abreva, the sore usually doubles in size compared to the swelling stage.) It also greatly reduced the amount of pain associated with the sore.

I noticed the small blisters on Thursday morning and I immediately started using Abreva, reapplying it every few hours. On Friday night, the blisters were gone and I was healing. By Monday morning, I applied my lipstick and you couldn't even tell that 4 days earlier I had a cold sore. Before Abreva, I'd have the cold sore for a week and then it would take another week for my lips to look normal again. Abreva took me from 2 weeks of being uncomfortable to only 4 days.

I give the Abreva ointment 5 stars - excellent product - but the "pump" applicator is most disappointing. It appears to hold a large amount but in fact does not as the inside of the cartridge is hollow and empty. When new, the pump dispenser dispenses far too much product. When not used for some time, the product hardens/dries up and is unusable. The squeeze tubes are much better: can use just the amount desired and it lasts much longer.

Product seems to work ok but is priced ridiculously high. Accordingly I choose to use it in very small amounts and see no difference in effectiveness using small vs larger quantity as long as the outbreak area is covered. That being said, my local stores switched from the small metal tubes to a pump style dispenser that shoots out WAY more than needed and regardless of any "light touch" effort, still pumps the same excessive amount out. Very wasteful to the point that it almost seems that your company intended it? My local stores no longer carry the small tubes I used and was happy with in the past. zip code 99206