* ear wax (cerumen) has some anti-herpes activity.
* [[l-Lysine]] can prevent or control herpes outbreaks.
* Avoid [[Arginine]] rich foods.
* [[Sage]] : when applied as a cream containing sage and rhubarb. Applying a cream containing sage and rhubarb (Rheum officinale and Rheum palmatum) to cold sores may be about as effective as acyclovir (Zovirax) cream. Acyclovir cream heals the cold sores in about 6 days; it takes the sage and rhubarb cream about 7 days to heal them. Sage and rhubarb together work faster than sage alone.
* [[Propolis]] : Preliminary research suggests that topically applying propolis may help heal cold sores. In a study published in Phytotherapy Research in 2010, for example, scientists found that extracts of propolis possess virus-fighting effects that may help knock out against herpes simplex virus type 1 (the virus that causes cold sores).