Shingles
In one study, people younger than 50 years of age with shingles were treated with valacyclovir within three days of the beginning of a rash. In people who were not treated with valacyclovir, it took three days for the formation of new blisters to stop. For the people who were treated with valacyclovir, the blisters stopped forming one day sooner. It will not, however, change the length or severity of
postherpetic neuralgia, which is severe pain that can occur after the
shingles rash has healed. In addition, valacyclovir is not a
cure for shingles.
Cold Sores
In a study of valacyclovir for cold sores, people were given the drug to take at the very first symptoms of a cold sore. The cold sores healed one day faster in people who took valacyclovir compared to people who did not. Although valacyclovir helped cold sores to heal faster, it did not stop the cold sores from appearing once symptoms had started. As with shingles, valacyclovir is not a cure for cold sores.
Genital Herpes
For people who took valacyclovir to treat their initial genital herpes infection, the lesions healed in nine days, on average, and people had pain for five days, on average. For outbreaks in people who had previously been infected, it took an average of four days for the lesions to heal (compared to six days for people who were not taking valacyclovir).
About 65 percent of people who took valacyclovir every day were outbreak-free for six months, compared to only 26 percent of people who were not treated. Taking valacyclovir every day also decreased the chance of spreading genital herpes to sexual partners. After eight months, less than 1.9 percent of partners of people who were taking valacyclovir daily were infected, compared to 3.6 percent of partners of people who were not taking valacyclovir. However, keep in mind that valacyclovir is not a cure for genital herpes.
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