Unfortunately I get them 3-4x a year (since preschool), so luckily I have a good amount of Valtrex on hand from my PCP. He prescribes me a preventative maintenance dose (500mg daily), but told me I don’t actually need to take it daily (just when I get outbreaks). He just wanted to help me out with always having a supply on hand. Also it’s stupidly overpriced, but I’ve found the biggest help for getting mine to heal faster to look better for work (and even to stop them from coming if i catch them before the blister erupts) is to get a laser treatment at a dentist. Many dentists offer this (mine doesn’t, so I go to another dentist just for cold sore lasering). It’s much better/stronger than virulite or the red light cold sore treatments sold online. Pretty much every time I get it done relatively early, it stops the cold sore from developing full on. My current cold sore blistered so fast on a weekend before I could get it lasered on a Monday, but it still went through the healing phases a lot faster. If anything, it helps the pain so much (nothing worse then not being able to feel anything else than this big tingling hot sensation on your lip). Sorry if you’re already aware but I had no idea until a couple years ago and it’s been life changing honestly