Prescription Cold Sore Medication Online

Treat cold sores at home

  • Prevent and treat cold sores at home
  • Use insurance or pay affordable out-of-pocket prices
  • Shipping is free with discreet packaging

A glass of water, a blue vase with pink orchids, a pill bottle labeled
24-7-access-to-care 24/7 access to care
affordable-with-or-without-insurance Affordable with or without insurance
unlimited-messaging-with-providers Unlimited messaging with providers
free-shipping-and-automatic-refills Free shipping and automatic refills

How it works

1

Request treatment

Complete our online medical consultation, which asks questions about your health history and concerns.

2

Connect with a provider

After evaluating your consultation, a provider licensed in your state will prescribe treatment (if clinically appropriate).

3

Get it delivered

Your prescription will be delivered fast and for free in discreet, unbranded packaging. Refills are automatic for one year.

Valacyclovir for cold sores

The antiviral medication valacyclovir (generic Valtrex) is a pill that lessens the frequency and symptoms of oral herpes, and reduces the chance that you’ll pass the virus to a partner. You can take valacyclovir when you feel an outbreak coming on to lessen symptoms, or take a dose every day for prevention. Valacyclovir is safe and effective, side effects are rare. Nurx prescribes valacyclovir online and discreetly delivers it to your door.`

Note: We only prescribe medication if you’ve previously had an oral herpes diagnosis. If you haven’t been diagnosed with herpes we suggest you see your local provider for diagnosis during your next outbreak.

A hand holds a small, blue pill between the thumb and index finger against a neutral background.

Genital herpes prevention + treatment

If you experience both cold sores (oral herpes) and genital herpes outbreaks we can write you a single prescription for valacyclovir to prevent or treat both types of herpes.

A prescription bottle labeled

Treatment options + pricing

If you experience outbreaks often, a daily dose of valacyclovir can prevent them*. But if your outbreaks are less frequent you might choose to only take valacyclovir when you feel an outbreak coming on — this will lessen the severity of your symptoms and help your outbreak heal faster. Our medical team will recommend a treatment strategy for you.

*A Nurx medical provider may prescribe valacyclovir with instructions to take it every day to prevent oral herpes outbreaks. This is called “suppressive” treatment and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved valacyclovir as a suppressive treatment for oral herpes, which means this is an “off label” use of the medication. It is legal and not uncommon for physicians to prescribe FDA-approved medications for off-label uses if they conclude that it is the ideal course of treatment for their patients.

What We Offer Price with Insurance Price without Insurance
Valacyclovir for Outbreaks $0 + applicable co-pays or deductible $45 for a 3 month supply
Valacyclovir for Daily Prevention $0 + applicable co-pays or deductible $75 for a 3 month supply*
Medical Consultation (includes unlimited messaging with the Nurx medical team for 1 year) $30 $30

*For a 90-day supply of daily valacyclovir the out-of-pocket price is 83 cents per pill.

Real patient stories

Common questions

  • How much does prescription cold sore treatment cost through Nurx?

    Consultation
    Anyone who requests herpes treatment will be charged a $30 consultation fee. Please note that at this time, we do not submit claims to insurance for the medical consult fee.

    Medication
    For those paying with insurance: We will bill your insurance directly for your medication and the price to you will depend on the specifics of your plan. Please connect with your insurance company if you would like to learn more about your copay.
    For those paying without insurance: Medication costs $45 for a 3-month supply of outbreak treatment (meaning you only take the medication when you experience an outbreak or feel one coming on). It costs $75 for a 3-month supply of preventive therapy (meaning that you take a pill every day to prevent outbreaks). If you have both oral and genital herpes and need outbreak treatment, the price will be $60 for a 3-month supply.

    Support Fee
    Nurx will charge a flat $3 support fee each month one or more of your orders are processed. This fee covers your unlimited, on-demand access to our customer care team as well as certain processing fees. This fee will only be charged once in any month, even if you have multiple orders processed that month. This fee applies whether the order is filled through Nurx or at your local pharmacy. If your order is filled via Nurx, the support fee is billed at the time of fulfillment. If your prescription is sent to a local pharmacy, a support fee will be applied at that time. In the future, the support fee will be applied on a cadence that matches your medication refill cadence.

  • Does Nurx accept insurance for herpes treatment?

    Yes, we accept most forms of private health insurance for medications. If you’d like to know if we accept your health insurance plan, please connect with our team at [email protected]. Please note that at this time, we do not submit claims to insurance for the medical consult fee.
    Nurx does not accept any federal or state government insurance plans, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, or any of their affiliated managed care plans, nor can Nurx service such patients. We recommend that you find a local provider in your community that participates in your government payer program.

  • What type of prescription cold sore treatment does Nurx prescribe?

    We prescribe valacyclovir (the generic version of Valtrex), a pill which is the most effective medication for treating or preventing herpes outbreaks. When taken at the start of an oral herpes outbreak, valacyclovir will decrease the intensity of symptoms, decrease the duration of the outbreak, and reduce the risk of spreading herpes.

    Valacyclovir may also be prescribed to be taken daily to prevent outbreaks. Taking valacyclovir daily for oral herpes prevention is an “off label” prescription, meaning the FDA has not approved the medication for this purpose, though it has approved this use for the prevention of genital herpes. It is entirely legal for healthcare providers to write off-label prescriptions if they conclude that it is safe and appropriate.

    Valacyclovir is quite safe and generally has few side effects, but possible side effects include headaches, dizziness, depression, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, stomach pain, and joint pain.

  • Who can use prescription cold sore treatment from Nurx?

    We offer treatment to patients who have already been diagnosed with herpes by a healthcare provider or lab test. If you haven’t had a diagnosis but believe you may have herpes, we recommend that you see a local healthcare provider for evaluation the next time you have an outbreak. If you are diagnosed with oral herpes, our medical team would be more than happy to help manage your herpes treatment moving forward.

    Nurx provides oral herpes treatment to patients in the states we are currently available in, except Washington where there are additional regulations.

    We prescribe herpes treatment to patients age 13 and up, with the exception of patients in South Carolina, where we prescribe to patients 16 and up.

  • What’s the difference between preventative and outbreak treatments?

    For outbreak treatment, patients take a valacyclovir pill at the first sign of an outbreak (when you experience tingling, itching, burning, or whatever your typical first symptoms are), then take a second pill later in the same day. When taken at the start of an oral herpes outbreak, valacyclovir will decrease the intensity of symptoms, decrease the duration of the outbreak, and reduce the chances of spreading herpes to others.

    Patients who experience more frequent outbreaks (usually more than six per year) may choose to take valacyclovir daily as preventive treatment, which can suppress oral herpes outbreaks by up to 80%. Taking valacyclovir daily also decreases the chances that you will transmit herpes to others. Daily valacyclovir therapy is an FDA-approved treatment for genital herpes, but prescribing valacyclovir to be taken daily for oral herpes prevention is an “off label” prescription. It is legal for medical providers to write off-label prescriptions if they conclude that it is safe and appropriate.

  • Why is the medication the same for cold sores and genital herpes?


    The oral medication valacyclovir is an antiviral treatment for both types of herpes. Oral and genital herpes are caused by the two types of herpes virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Oral herpes is more often caused by HSV-1 infection, and genital herpes is associated with HSV-2 infection, but it is possible to have an oral infection with HSV-2 or a genital infection with HSV-1. In any of these cases, valacyclovir is very effective at preventing or treating outbreaks.

  • Do you prescribe cold sore treatment to pregnant women?


    Although Nurx does not replace comprehensive prenatal care, we do prescribe and deliver oral herpes medication to pregnant women. Valacyclovir is safe for pregnant women and their unborn children. Both oral and genital herpes can pose serious risks for a newborn baby, so if you are infected with herpes it is important that you discuss these risks with your OB-GYN or midwife, who can advise you on the best way to protect your infant.

  • Are Nurx’s services available in languages other than English?

    At this time, we only provide care in English. We are committed to creating an inclusive experience and are exploring options to expand language support in the future.

DR. NAVYA MYSORE, MEDICAL DIRECTOR

Meet your medical team

We are doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and physician assistants who are passionate about providing patient care. The Nurx medical team believes that everyone deserves access to personalized, non-judgmental healthcare, and that open and honest communication is key.

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*Individual results may vary.
‡The information provided here is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely upon the content provided here for specific medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your provider.
◊Services not offered in every state. Medications prescribed only if clinically appropriate, based on completion of the required consultation.

Exceptional care at every step

At Nurx, we make it easy to get the expert healthcare you deserve. From schedules to health history, everybody is different—so we provide treatment and care that’s personalized to you. Through life’s cycles, changes, and transitions, we’re here to help you make informed choices about your health.

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