Discover how light therapy can reduce cold sore pain, accelerate healing, and prevent flare-ups. A safe, non-invasive solution for healthier skin.
Most people don’t realize that the herpes simplex virus (HSV) is very common.
There are two types of herpes simplex virus: type 1 (HSV-1) and the less common type 2 (HSV-2). Both can cause fever blisters—tiny, fluid-filled blisters around the mouth or genitals that scab and take weeks to heal.
What concerns many people is not the infection itself, but the appearance of the sores. When inflamed, they can affect self-esteem.
Outbreaks often arise during vulnerable moments such as stress, fatigue, or hormonal shifts. A tingling or itching sensation usually precedes the blister, which then oozes and scabs over.
The virus spreads through microscopic skin tears, often within the mouth. People can carry and transmit the virus without visible signs. Sharing drinks, kissing, or using common lip products or razors can pass it on.
There is currently no cure for herpes.
Treatments aim only to ease symptoms or shorten outbreaks. Options include topical creams, prescription antivirals, or home remedies, but results vary.
Some people now explore red light therapy as an adjunct option.
How might light therapy help cold sores?
Not all light is beneficial: sunlight or UV is not recommended. Red light therapy uses specific red and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths to support healing and calm inflammation.
The light penetrates the skin and may stimulate mitochondria, encouraging cells to repair more quickly. Early reports suggest cold-sore recovery time might improve.
A small 2009 study noted faster healing of mouth ulcers in 69 patients after one red-light session. A five-year observational series of 232 people found longer intervals between flare-ups with repeated treatments, though larger trials are still needed.
Cold sore overview – Mayo Clinic
A 2013 study examined herpes outbreaks around the mouth. Patients were split into two groups: one received infrared light, the other a placebo. Mean healing time for the infrared group was 129 h versus 177 h for placebo.
A 2018 review of three clinical studies reported that red light therapy shortened healing time and lessened pain from oral herpes lesions.
Understanding how light therapy works—and the evidence that it may help—is the first step in deciding whether it suits you. Kayian Medical offers red-/infrared-light devices for cold-sore care in clinics or at home. The units are MDA-registered and, for U.S. sale, have FDA 510(k) clearance for the indicated use; side effects are generally mild or absent. Compact design lets users self-treat conveniently.
