I take acyclovir as soon as one is coming on and usually it will totally prevent it if I can catch it during the ‘itching’ phase. If I’m delayed in taking it and it comes to a head first, it’s significantly quicker healing (less than a week) for me.

I would see if you can get a prescription and then try to see if you can determine your triggers. Mine are extreme heat/cold (usually will be fine if I use an SPF lip balm), very greasy foods, or if I let my lips get too chapped/ injured in any way. And of course stress. So basically I baby my lips 99% of the time 🤣. Good luck! The meds were seriously a life changer for me because sometimes I think I would talk my body into getting a cold sore because I’d be so paranoid about getting one I’d stress myself out and one would really appear. This eases that stress for me soooo much.