When to stop using the Acyclovir ointment?

[whatnow12]

I am having my first OB of HSV2, which was cultured to diagnose. I have been taking Acyclovir 400mg BID, and using the 5% ointment BID (every 3 hours is really not an option). My sores have healed and now I only have red patches and a few red spots. But I find when I put the ointment on that it irritates things and causes burning. When should I be stopping the ointment? I am worried at this point it is causing more harm than helping but since my OB is going on 4 weeks now, I don't want to be premature and extend it any.

Thanks,

WhatNow12

[lilkoka]

Hiya, I'm having a similiar experience... with my lips/face, glad the ointment's worked for you so far. I have been using the cream and I feel like i just have big patches of redness and that the cream is in fact burning my skin now, the sores in some sense are gone... not growing or expanded, on their way out, but my skin is really patchy and dry. I have also been using tea tree ointment with aloe vera to clean it 2 x day, don't know whether that has made my skin worse. I don't know what the answer is but I am going to try using something more soothing like vasline/ lemon balm/ aloe gel and alternate it with zovirax. I imagine a simple antiseptic cream might be more soothing. I guess its just a matter of trial and error, everyone reacts differently. Just dont use perfumed moisturiser or something that could irritate it.

Hope it ends soon!