Description

What ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream is used forZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream contains the active ingredient aciclovir. Aciclovir belongs to a group of medicines called antivirals, used for treating infections caused by the Herpes simplex virus.ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream is used to treat cold sores on the lips and face. Cold sores are caused by Herpes simplex virus infection. ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream does not get rid of Herpes simplex virus infection from your body, so it cannot prevent cold sores from coming back. It does, however, reduce the severity and duration of cold sore symptoms when they appear.You should only use ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream if your doctor has already told you that your sores are caused by the Herpes simplex virus.You can buy ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream from your pharmacist as a Pharmacy Only Medicine.Before you use ZOVIRAX Cold Sore CreamWhen you must not use itDo not use ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream if:You have had an allergic reaction before to aciclovir or to any of the ingredients in ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream listed at the end of this leaflet. You have had an allergic reaction before to propylene glycol, an inactive ingredient contained in a number of products applied to the skin, including ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream. The packaging is torn or shows signs of interference, or the tube seal or pump dispenser looks damaged in any way. The expiry date on the packaging has passed. If you take this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well. Before you start using ZOVIRAX Cold Sore CreamTell your doctor or pharmacist if:You are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. You are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. You are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives. You have an underlying condition, which might have weakened your immune system, such as HIV infection, or bone marrow or organ transplant. If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about any of the above, please do so before using ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream.Taking other medicinesSome medicines may affect the way others work.As yet there are no medicines known which affect the way ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream works, or which are affected by ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream. However, you should not mix this medicine with other creams, lotions or ointments and apply them to the affected area(s).Using ZOVIRAX Cold Sore CreamUse ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream exactly as your doctor or pharmacist tells you.Instructions on how to use ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream are supplied on the pharmacist's label on the packaging.Apply a thin layer of cream to the affected area (s) five times a day for five days. You can use the cream every four hours and miss applying it in the middle of the night.Use ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream as soon as the first symptoms of a cold sore appear, such as burning, tingling or itching.If your symptoms do not improve after five days, you can use it for a further five days. If your cold sores don't heal after 10 days of treatment with ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream, you should tell your doctor.Never use the cream more often or for longer than recommended by your doctor or pharmacist.If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.If you forget to use itIf you forget to use the cream at any time, use it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the cream to be used, skip the missed application and go back to your normal routine of using it.In case of an overdoseOverdosing with ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream when it is applied to the skin is unlikely. However, if you think that someone has accidentally swallowed the cream, contact your doctor or the National Poisons Information Centre (03-474 7000), or go to your nearest accident and emergency centre. Do this even if there are no signs of poisoning or discomfort.While you are using ZOVIRAX Cold Sore CreamThings you must doUse your ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream for at least five days, even if your cold sores appear to have gone away sooner, otherwise they could return very quickly.Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you become pregnant while using ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream.Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not used ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream exactly as instructed. Otherwise, your doctor or pharmacist may think it is not working for you and recommend a change of medicine unnecessarily.Tell your doctor if you feel that ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream is not helping your condition.You should wash your hands thoroughly before and after applying ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream. Avoid rubbing your cold sores or touching them with a towel. These measures will help to avoid aggravating your own infection and reduce the risk of giving it to others.Things you must not doDo not mix ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream with other creams, ointments or lotions for application to the affected area(s).Do not use ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream more often or for longer than directed by your doctor or pharmacist.Do not use ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream inside your mouth or near your eyes.Do not use ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream to treat genital herpes infection.Do not give ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream to anyone else even if they appear to have the same condition as you.Do not put your face in close contact with others until your cold sores are healed. You may give the virus to others.Side-EffectsAll medicines can have unwanted side effects. Sometimes they may be serious, but often they are not.Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.If you think that ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream is causing you to have an allergic (hypersensitivity) reaction, TELL YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY. Symptoms include:Severe skin rash, itching or hives Swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat Difficulty breathing or swallowing Fever Low blood pressure (feeling faint or dizzy). ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream can occasionally cause temporary burning, stinging, itching, redness, drying and flaking at the area where it is applied. These side effects are usually mild. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if they continue to be troublesome.As with many other products applied to the skin, allergic contact dermatitis (a hot, itchy rash where the cream has been applied) can occur very occasionally. This is usually caused by one of the inactive ingredients in ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream, rather than the active ingredient, aciclovir. If any of these symptoms occur and they worry you, contact your doctor or pharmacist.After using ZOVIRAX Cold Sore CreamStorageAlways screw the cap or lid down tightly after using ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream. If the cream is exposed to air for too long it may not work as well.Keep ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.Do not store ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream or any other medicine in a bathroom or near a sink.Do not put ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream in a refrigerator.Do not leave it in a car or on window sills.Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.Keep ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream where young children cannot reach it.A locked cupboard at least one and a half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.DisposalIf your doctor tells you to stop taking ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream, or the medicine has passed its expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any cream that is left over.Product descriptionWhat ZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream looks likeZOVIRAX Cold Sore Cream is a smooth white cream, and comes in either a 2g aluminium tube or a 2g pump dispenser pack.IngredientsAciclovir, Poloxamer 407, White soft paraffin, Cetostearyl alcohol*, Liquid paraffin, Dimethicone, Sodium lauryl sulphate*, Propylene glycol, Purified water (*or emulsifying wax)Further informationYour doctor and pharmacist are the best people to give you advice on the treatment of herpes simplex infection. You may also be able to find general information about its treatment from other sources, for example, books in public libraries and on the Internet.