Herpes affects about 60 percent of adults worldwide [1].
Research suggests that you can use coconut oil for herpes simplex infections. [2]
It is an all natural way of defeating the painful infections caused by the virus.
You should know more about herpes to make treatment and prevention much easier.
Read on to learn more about the properties, benefits, and uses of coconut oil for herpes treatment. Plus you’ll get to know more about herpes, its causes, symptoms, and risk factors.
Properties of Coconut Oil
Many call coconut plant “the tree of life”.
The oil comes from crushing or pressing of the copra. [9]
People have been using coconut oil has around the world for various purposes. Coconut oil is beneficial in culinary, beauty care, and traditional medicine [9].
Coconut oil is an excellent source of medium chain saturated fatty acids (MCFAs). These are easily absorbed in the intestine and used by the liver for production of energy [10].
The following MCFAs can be found in coconut oil:
MCFAs comprise 62 percent of coconut oil, and 91 percent of the fat in this oil is saturated fat.
Why Use Coconut Oil for Herpes and Cold Sores?
Coconut oil is also deemed an excellent solution for herpes.
Coconut oil is a strong antiviral agent. It can ward off a wide range of infection-causing viruses.
The natural virucidal components of coconut oil are lauric acid and monolaurin [11].
Monolaurin is a monoester that’s derived from lauric acid.
A 1966 research establish that these have “profound antiviral and antibacterial activity” [11].
The MCFAs in coconut oil are capable of inhibiting the growth and spread of HSV-1 and HSV-2 [12].
Lauric acid works by destroying the “lipid-coated” herpes viruses [12].
In fact, coconut oil has is effective against viral strains that have grown resistant to medications [13].
If you have a recurrent case of herpes, it would be better to rely on natural remedies like coconut oil.
Most viruses have not yet grown resistant to coconut oil’s antiviral effects.
How to Use Coconut Oil for Cold Sores and Herpes
Here are various ways to use coconut oil for herpes and alleviate its symptoms.
These home remedies for herpes are more effective and safe than traditional medications.
1. Consume orally
Consumption of coconut oil can suppress the activities of viruses that cause herpes.
What You’ll Need:
- 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
Recommended Directions:
- Take one tablespoon of coconut oil in the morning.
- Take another tablespoon after eating lunch, and then another after eating dinner.
2. Use Coconut Oil as Cooking Oil
Coconut oil is one of the healthiest cooking oils. It will combat herpes infection and supply the body with much-needed nutrients.
What You’ll Need:
- 1/2 cup 1 cup of coconut oil
Recommended Directions:
- Do not use butter or other cooking oils for your dishes.
- Instead, make use of coconut oil.
3. Coconut Oil for Mouth Sores- Topical Application
Another way coconut oil helps in control viral infections is by applying it directly on the skin.
What You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
Recommended Directions:
- Use a cotton pad to spot-apply coconut oil on your herpes lesions or mouth sores.
- Do this twice a day for one to two weeks or until lesions or cold sore scab disappear.
Related: 8 Coconut Oil Remedies for Vaginal, Skin, and Oral Yeast Infections
4. Use in Combination with Facial Cream or Body Lotion
You can combine coconut oil with facial cream or body lotion. Just make sure that you choose a product that’s made with organic ingredients.
What You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- 1 cup of organic facial cream or body lotion
Recommended Directions:
- Add coconut oil to body cream or lotion.
- Slather a generous amount of infected skin.
- Follow remedy once a day for up to three weeks.
5. Use in Combination with Tea Tree Oil
Many scientific research claim that tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. [14]
What You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- 5 drops of tea tree oil
Recommended Directions:
- Combine tea tree oil and coconut oil.
- Apply oil blend on herpes lesions.
- Repeat procedure two to three times a day for one week.
Related: Treat Eczema Naturally with Coconut Oil: 6 Simple Ways to Try Now
6. Pair with Lemon Balm Oil
Use lemon balm oil not only to tone down inflammation but also to help control viral infection. [15]
What You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- 5 drops of lemon balm oil
- 2 drops of lavender oil
Recommended Directions:
- Dilute lemon balm and lavender oil in coconut oil.
- Pour oil blend into a glass jar with lid.
- Shake to blend.
- Use a cotton pad to apply oil mixture to herpes lesions.
- Let it sit for 30 minutes before wiping it off.
- Do this every day until lesions are gone.
7. Mix with Chamomile Oil
There are many benefits that you can get from chamomile oil. One of these is to fight off viral infections like herpes. [16]
What You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- 5 drops of chamomile oil
- 1 drop of star anise oil
- 1 drop of geranium oil
Recommended Directions:
- Put all the oils in a bowl.
- Mix well.
- Soak a cotton ball in the oil blend.
- Apply the mixture to the infected skin
- Wait for 30 minutes before wiping it, off.
- Repeat procedure once or twice a day for one to two weeks, or until the infection clears.
Related: Coconut Oil for Wrinkles : 20 Effective Home Remedies
8. Mix Coconut Oil with Lavender Oil
Lavender essential oil has refreshing aroma and is one of the most popular aromatic oils. The therapeutic oil has active antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, sedative, analgesic, and detoxifying properties. [17] Lavender oil makes a perfect pair with coconut oil for genital herpes relief.
What You’ll Need:
- 5 drops of lavender oil
- 3 drops of tea tree oil
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- Cotton ball
Recommended Directions:
- Mix both the essential oils with the carrier coconut oil.
- Soak a cotton ball on the oil solution.
- Now apply the soaked cotton ball on the herpes sores or lesions.
- Wipe off the oil mixture after 20-30 minutes.
- Repeat the treatment twice daily to get rid of herpes sores fast.
Related: 6 Coconut Oil for Toenail Fungus Remedies and How to Use Them
9. Add Coconut Oil to Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil is a good remedy for sores, fever blisters, and other infections cause by herpes simplex virus.
Recent medical experiments have shown that peppermint oil is very effective in killing both HSV-1 and 2 infections. [18]
A noncytotoxic concentration of peppermint oil can fight off 99% of the viral infection in less than 3 hours.
You can mix peppermint oil with coconut oil to inhibit recurrent outbreaks of herpes simplex lesions.
What You’ll Need:
- 5 drops of peppermint oil
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
Recommended Directions:
- Dilute peppermint oil with coconut oil.
- Dip cotton ball on the soil solution.
- Now apply the oil soaked cotton ball on the herpes lesions and sores.
- Allow the oil combo to work on the affected skin area for 20-30 minutes.
- Wipe off the oil residue.
- Repeat the treatment twice or thrice daily to cure herpes infections fast.
Related: 9 Reasons to Use Coconut Oil for Nails Immediately
Additional Tips
Here are some important points to remember before using coconut oil for herpes or any other ailments:
- Coconut oil may elevate blood pressure. It’s best that you consult your doctor before taking coconut oil orally. It may worsen hypertension.
- Oral consumption is more effective in combating viral infections such as herpes.
- It would be a smart move to do oral intake and topical application of coconut oil for the best results.
Other Benefits of Coconut Oil
Dubbed as one of the healthiest foods in the world, coconut oil can benefit your health in more ways than one:
- Reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- Prevent heart disease
- Lower blood pressure
- Protect liver health
- Treat urinary tract infection
- Reduce inflammation
- Lower the risk of cancer
- Boost the immune system
- Empower brain function
- Shoot up energy levels
- Aid in digestion
- Promote skin health
- Prevent oral diseases
- Help manage diabetes
- Aid in weight loss
- Combat yeast and Candida infections
- Maintain hormonal balance
- Coconut oil is good for cold sores relief
What is Herpes- Some Basics
Herpes is a viral infection that comes in two different types: oral herpes and genital herpes. [3]
Also called cold sores, oral herpes happens due to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1).
It causes the appearance of red and inflamed sores around the mouth and face. [4]
Genital herpes is typically triggered by an infection of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Although there are some cases in which it is caused by HSV-1.
It affects the genital area, including the buttocks, genitals and anal area [5].
Both infections are highly contagious.
You may get the first type through kissing or sharing of utensils. While the second one can pass on through sexual intercourse [6].
It’s important to know that herpes may exist with or without symptoms.
Even if you do not have blisters on the mouth or genitals, it is still possible that you are infected with herpes. You may transmit the virus to other people as well.
Apart from the blistering sores, other indicators of infection include:
- Itchiness
- Painful urination
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Loss of appetite
- A headache
- Fever
- Exhaustion
In some cases, the viral infection can affect the eyes. It results in a condition known as herpes keratitis.
Some of its symptoms are:
- Eye pain
- Eye discharge
- Gritty sensation inside the eye
Who Are At Risk of Herpes?
Herpes can affect all ages [7].
In the case of genital herpes, the following factors up to the risk of contracting the infection:
- Sexual intercourse with different partners
- Weak immune system
- Sexual intercourse without the use of condoms
- Another sexually transmitted disease
If a pregnant woman has a herpes infection, the virus can pass to the child during delivery. Thus the infant may be at risk. [7].
Anyone who’s already had this condition will have the virus in his or her system permanently.
The virus can become dormant and not cause any unpleasant symptoms. But will continue to exist in the person’s nerve cells [8].
An outbreak can recur by any of the following:
- Stress
- Menstruation
- Fever
- Illness
- Fatigue
- Trauma to the affected area
- Excessive sun exposure
The outbreaks become less severe as time goes by. The body produces antibodies necessary for fighting off the infection.
When to See a Doctor
Herpes is a serious medical condition. Coconut oil and other natural ingredients are only complementary remedies. You should visit a doctor to diagnose and treat the condition properly. [19]
Make an appointment with your doctor in case you experience the following:
- You have rashes and cold sores.
- You have infection on the genital areas; penis, vagina, anus, etc.
- You have multiple sex partners.
- You had sex with a person who has genital herpes.
- You had sex without using condoms.
Some Q&A About Herpes
- How common is herpes among the general public?
- In the US, more than 50 percent adult has oral herpes or cold sores. Genital herpes occurs in those who are sexually active. Some groups of people are at higher risk than another.
- After the herpes virus has entered the body, next to what?
- Herpes simplex and other herpes viruses create a small but permanent colony in the body. This colony is there for a lifetime, though, mostly inactive. The virus attacks suddenly. Outbreaks happen when an irregular lesion forms on the skin
- How do I self-diagnose genital herpes?
- Usually, herpes stays in the body in an inert state. That is why people do not show any symptoms. However, mild symptoms may appear which can be mistaken for something else. Herpes sores usually appear as blisters around the genital areas. If these blisters break away, leave painful sores or take more than a week to heal chances are you have contracted genital herpes.
For starters, you can try using home remedies to treat herpes. However, if the symptoms really go bad then you should go and get yourself examined by a doctor.
- Does herpes affect pregnant woman gravely?
- If you are an expecting mother, then it is very rare for you to pass on herpes to your child. Usually, a mother passes on the antibody to the child during pregnancy. But they usually don’t pass on herpes. But women who contract genital herpes during the third trimester of their gestation period are at a higher risk of passing herpes to their babies. Therefore, you should be very careful about it!
- Can herpes be prevented in the future?
- A. Yes. They can. To prevent yourself from contracting herpes, you should abstain yourself from having sex with someone who may have it. If your partner and you are both herpes-free then you will not get herpes. Also, trying a healthy way to safe sex can help you from contracting or getting infected with herpes.
Wrapping Things Up
Herpes can be a life-stopper.
Whether you are suffering from oral or genital herpes, you really would like to tone it down and get well.
Natural ingredients such as coconut oil has strong antiviral activity.
Coconut oil can effectively cure herpes infections and the related symptoms.
It is effective, safe and readily available from any shop around your home.
Coconut oil is a natural moisturizer. It is a natural ingredient to treat herpes. You may boost its efficacy by combining it with other antiviral substances.
Read More: 11+ Home Remedies for Herpes That Work and How to Use Them
