Acivir Cream 10g

Acivir Cream is an acyclovir (aciclovir) 5% w/w antiviral cream for cold sores, made in India by Cipla. Each tube holds 10 g. We sell it in packs of 3, 6 and 12 tubes, from $6.67 a tube in the 12 pack before shipping.

Three points before you buy. First, acyclovir cream does not cure cold sores and the benefit is modest: in the two main trials in the US label, episodes healed about half a day sooner than with a placebo cream (about 4.5 days against 5 days). It works best when started at the first tingle. Second, the labels limit where it goes: on the outside of the lips and face only, never in the eye, inside the mouth or nose, and (under the UK and US cold sore labels) not on the genitals. Third, check what is cheaper where you live. In the UK, a 2 g tube of aciclovir cold sore cream costs £4.29 at Boots, which is far less than our smallest order with shipping ($49). In the US, acyclovir cream needs a prescription and US pharmacies pay about $44.24 for a 5 g generic tube (our arithmetic from the NADAC price), so per gram ours costs much less, but it takes 7 to 14 business days to arrive.

Acivir Cream at a glance

Price per tube

Prices below are as of October 2026; the pack selector shows the current price.

Every pack is under the $149 free shipping line, so an order of one pack carries $25 shipping. The larger packs are cheaper per tube before shipping too. Per gram, that is $0.80 in the 3 pack and $0.67 in the 12 pack before shipping, or $1.63 and $0.88 with shipping (our arithmetic).

How much you need. The labels give no fixed amount per application; the US label says to apply enough to cover the affected area, including the outer edge. UK cold sore creams are sold in 2 g tubes, and US Zovirax Cream in a 5 g tube. One 10 g Acivir tube is the same amount as five UK 2 g tubes (our arithmetic). One UK maker (Pinewood) says to use its tube within 6 weeks of opening; the Indian listings we checked do not give an opened tube rule for Acivir, so read the carton. Even our smallest pack (30 g) is far more than one cold sore needs (our view). If you get cold sores often enough to want a stock of cream, see a doctor: antiviral tablets are an option for sores that keep coming back (see below).

What it does, and how much it helps

Acyclovir stops the herpes simplex virus copying itself inside infected skin cells. It does not remove the virus from the body: the NHS says that once you have the virus, it stays in your skin for the rest of your life. The US label says plainly that the cream "is not a cure for cold sores".

• US label (section 14.1): two placebo-controlled trials in adults who averaged five cold sore episodes a year. People started within 1 hour of the first signs and used the cream 5 times a day for 4 days. Episodes lasted about 4.5 days with Zovirax Cream (682 people) against 5 days with placebo cream (703 people). The label adds: "No significant difference was observed" in preventing cold sores from progressing.
• UK label (Zovirax Cold Sore Cream, section 5.1): two studies with 1,385 people (the same total as the two US trials, 682 plus 703; our observation): mean time to healing 4.6 days against 5.0 days; median pain 2.9 days against 3.0 days. About 60% started at an early stage (tingle or redness) and 40% at a later stage (bump or blister).

So the cream shortens an episode a little; it does not stop most sores from forming. The NHS says antiviral creams "do not always work after blisters appear".

Cream, ointment or tablets: which acyclovir product fits

• Acyclovir 5% cream (this product) is for cold sores on the lips and face.
• US Zovirax Ointment 5% is a different product: a polyethylene glycol ointment labelled in the US for initial genital herpes and limited non life threatening herpes infections of the skin and mucous membranes in people with weakened immune systems, used 6 times a day for 7 days. It is not labelled for cold sores, so do not take its schedule for this cream.
• Genital herpes. The UK prescription label for Zovirax Cream covers initial and recurrent genital herpes (5 days, up to 5 more if not healed). The US cream label and the UK cold sore labels do not, and the UK cold sore label says the cream "must not be used to treat genital herpes". The US CDC guidelines say: "Topical therapy with antiviral drugs offers minimal clinical benefit and is discouraged." Genital sores need a doctor or sexual health clinic, where antiviral tablets are the usual treatment (our summary of CDC and NHS).
• Frequent or severe cold sores. The NHS says: "A GP may prescribe antiviral tablets if your cold sores are very large, painful or keep coming back." The UK cold sore label says people with particularly severe recurrent cold sores "should be encouraged to seek medical advice". We list acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir tablets, but tablets need a doctor's diagnosis and dose.
• Eye infections. Never use this cream in or near the eye. The UK label says it "must not be used for treatment of ocular herpes infections". Herpes in the eye needs an eye doctor.

We also list Herpex Cream, another Indian acyclovir 5% cream (Torrent), which costs less per tube before shipping; check its tube size before comparing.

Compared with what you can buy locally

NADAC is the average price US pharmacies pay, not the price on the shelf. The generic acyclovir 5% cream rate of $8.84780 per gram took effect on 21 October 2026 (the rate before it was $8.99159, effective 23 September 2026); the 5 g figure is our arithmetic. We found no Zovirax Cream (brand) row in the 2026 NADAC file. The Boots price was checked on 27 October 2026.

• US: per gram, ours costs far less than what US pharmacies pay for generic acyclovir cream, even with shipping. But acyclovir cream is a prescription medicine in the US, and the FDA says personal importation of unapproved medicines is illegal in most circumstances. If you have a prescription, compare US cash prices too.
• UK: 2 g aciclovir cold sore creams are on general sale or sold by pharmacies, the same day, for a few pounds. For one cold sore, that is cheaper than any order from us (our view). The NHS Drug Tariff price for a 10 g tube of aciclovir 5% cream is £13.32 (OpenPrescribing, price from 1 October 2025); this is the NHS reimbursement price, not retail, and the 10 g size is a prescription medicine in the UK.
• Australia: healthdirect lists aciclovir cold sore creams in 2 g and 5 g packs as "Not Scheduled", so they can be bought without a prescription.
• Canada: Zovirax Cream 5% (DIN 02039524) is a prescription medicine in the Health Canada Drug Product Database.

How to use Acivir Cream

1. Start as soon as you feel the first signs: tingling, itching, redness or burning, or when the sore appears (US patient information). The UK Zovirax Cold Sore Cream label says treatment can also be started at the later bump or blister stage.
2. Wash your hands with soap and water. The skin should be clean and dry.
3. Apply enough cream to cover the sore, including its outer edge (US label). Pinewood's UK label says a thin film on the sore and the skin right next to it.
4. Use it 5 times a day. The UK labels say about every 4 hours; Zovirax Cold Sore Cream and Pinewood say to leave out the night time application.
5. How long. US label: 4 days. UK Zovirax Cold Sore Cream and Pinewood: at least 4 days, up to 10 days if the sore has not healed. UK Virasorb: normally 5 days, up to another 5. If a sore is still there after 10 days, see a doctor (UK labels; NHS).
6. Wash your hands again afterwards. Avoid unnecessary rubbing of the sore (US and UK labels) or touching it with a towel (UK labels), because this can spread the infection.
7. Do not put other skin products on the area while using it (US label).
8. Cold sores spread easily. The NHS says not to kiss anyone while you have one, and warns that kissing a baby can pass on neonatal herpes, which is very dangerous to newborns.

Truemeds' listing for Acivir gives conflicting frequencies on the same page (five times a day in one place, once daily in another). Follow the labels above or your doctor, not a pharmacy listing.

Side effects

US label (6.1): in five placebo-controlled trials (1,124 people on the cream, 1,161 on placebo), reactions at the application site were reported by 5% on the cream and 4% on placebo. The most common were dry lips, peeling, dry skin, cracked lips, burning, itching, flaking and stinging; each happened in less than 1% of people on either cream. In a separate patch test study in 22 healthy adults, both the cream and placebo showed a "high and cumulative irritation potential"; in another study, possible skin sensitisation was seen in the same 4 of 202 evaluable people (2%) with both. Reports after marketing (6.2), with no frequency: angioedema, anaphylaxis, contact dermatitis and eczema.

UK labels (4.8): uncommon: brief burning or stinging, mild drying or flaking, itching. Rare: redness, contact dermatitis (where tested, usually caused by the cream base rather than aciclovir). Very rare: immediate allergic reactions including angioedema and hives.

The UK labels say the propylene glycol in aciclovir cream can irritate skin, sodium laurilsulfate may cause stinging or burning, and cetostearyl or cetyl alcohol can cause contact dermatitis. We have not seen the ingredient list of the Indian Acivir pack; read the carton. If irritation is troublesome, stop and speak to a pharmacist or doctor.

When to get urgent help

• Signs of a serious allergic reaction: swelling of the lips, face, tongue or throat, trouble breathing or swallowing, widespread rash or hives. Angioedema and anaphylaxis are listed in the US label (6.2). Stop the cream and get emergency help (our advice).
• A sore near the eye, or a red, painful eye, light sensitivity or blurred vision during a cold sore. The cream must not be used for herpes in the eye (UK label 4.4); see an eye doctor or emergency department the same day (our advice).
• A newborn baby with sores or who seems unwell after contact with someone with a cold sore. The NHS says neonatal herpes is very dangerous to newborns; get medical help straight away (our advice).
• A weakened immune system (for example from chemotherapy or a transplant) with cold sores: see a doctor rather than self treat. The US label says the effect of the cream has not been established in people with weakened immune systems (5.2), and the UK prescription label says oral treatment should be considered in severely immunocompromised patients (4.4).
• Someone has swallowed the cream. The UK labels say no harm would be expected from swallowing a whole 2 g or 10 g tube, but call a poison line for advice if a child has swallowed any (US 1-800-222-1222; Australia 13 11 26; our advice).

Who should not use Acivir Cream

Never use it if you are allergic to acyclovir, valacyclovir or any ingredient of the cream (US label section 4). The UK labels also name propylene glycol (4.3).

Do not use it:

• in the eye, inside the mouth or nose, or on the genitals (US label 5.1 and 17). The UK prescription label says it is not recommended in the mouth, eye or vagina "as it may be irritant" (4.4). The UK cold sore labels say it must not be used for genital herpes or herpes in the eye.
• diluted, or mixed with other creams (UK prescription label 4.4).
• on newborn babies with open wounds or large areas of broken or damaged skin, such as burns (UK prescription label 4.4, listed with its propylene glycol warning).

Talk to a doctor first if:

• you have a weakened immune system. The UK cold sore label says the cream is not recommended for people who know they are immunocompromised (4.1, 4.4).
• the person is under 12. The US label says safety and effectiveness under 12 have not been established; the UK cold sore labels cover adults and children.
• you get severe or frequent cold sores (UK label 4.4; NHS).

Pregnancy and breastfeeding. The US label (8.1, 8.2) says acyclovir is minimally absorbed through the skin, so use in pregnancy is not expected to expose the baby, and decades of use have not identified a link with birth defects or miscarriage; breastfeeding is not expected to expose the child. The US patient information says to tell your doctor before use if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding. The UK labels (4.6) say use in pregnancy "should be considered only when the potential benefits outweigh the possibility of unknown risks", while noting that exposure from the cream is very low, and that the dose a nursing baby would receive is expected to be insignificant. Do not put the cream on the breast or nipple area where a baby feeds (our advice).

Other medicines. The US label says no interactions have been identified and systemic interactions are unlikely (7); the UK labels say no clinically significant interactions have been identified (4.5).

Prescription and legal status

In India, Truemeds and Tata 1mg list Acivir Cream as a prescription medicine; PharmEasy shows only its general prescription notice. In the countries we ship to:

• US: acyclovir cream is prescription only (Zovirax Cream and the generics are labelled "Rx only").
• UK: 2 g aciclovir cold sore creams are on general sale (GSL) or sold in pharmacies (Zovirax Cold Sore Cream and Pinewood Cold Sore Cream are GSL on emc; Boots lists its own brand as a pharmacy product). Zovirax Cream, which comes in 2 g and 10 g tubes and covers genital herpes, is prescription only (POM).
• Australia: aciclovir cold sore creams (2 g and 5 g packs) are listed on healthdirect as "Not Scheduled". We did not find a 10 g pack listed.
• Canada: Zovirax Cream 5% is prescription only (Health Canada Drug Product Database).

Acivir Cream itself is not registered with the FDA, MHRA, TGA or Health Canada. In the US, the FDA says personal importation of unapproved medicines is illegal in most circumstances. Check the rules where you live.

Buying genuine Acivir Cream

The MHRA warns: "Any medicine not authorised for sale in the UK can be unsafe or ineffective and there is no way of knowing what is in them or the negative health effects they can have." It advises UK buyers: "Only use UK-registered pharmacies, including online pharmacies displaying the official green cross logo". That warning covers this Indian pack, which is not authorised in the UK. When your order arrives, check that the carton and tube name Cipla and Acivir, show acyclovir 5% w/w, a batch number and an expiry date, and that the tube seal is intact. These checks cannot prove a tube is genuine, because counterfeiters copy packaging. If a tube causes unusual symptoms, stop using it, seek medical advice, and report it to your medicines regulator (the MHRA Yellow Card scheme in the UK, FDA MedWatch in the US, the TGA in Australia or Health Canada) as well as to us.

Delivery

We ship Acivir Cream to the US, UK, Australia and Canada in plain packaging with tracking. Standard delivery takes 7 to 14 business days. Shipping costs a flat $25 on orders under $149 and is free from $149. Because a cold sore needs treatment at the first tingle, a tube ordered during an outbreak will arrive too late for that episode; a local pharmacy is the better choice for a sore you have now (our view).

Related guides

• Is it safe to buy medicine online?

Sources

• ZOVIRAX (acyclovir) Cream 5% US prescribing information and patient information, Bausch Health, DailyMed setid 125dbe4e-94ba-45bd-a714-f9c4b8e8b5c2, SPL version 10, published 20 April 2021, sections 1, 2, 4, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7, 8.1, 8.2, 8.4, 14.1, 16, 17. DailyMed
• Acyclovir Cream 5% US label, Alembic Pharmaceuticals, DailyMed setid 878615c2-09ea-44ce-8c30-7a7f16acb20c, SPL version 5, 19 June 2026 (5 g tube, Rx only). DailyMed
• ZOVIRAX (acyclovir) Ointment 5% US prescribing information, Bausch Health, DailyMed setid 50278e0e-da1e-45ee-9fcb-672b2a219911, 12 January 2021, Indications and Usage, Dosage and Administration. DailyMed
• Zovirax Cold Sore Cream, UK SmPC, Haleon UK Trading Limited, PL 44673/0039, text revised 30 November 2023, sections 4.1 to 4.9, 5.1, 6.4, 6.5; legal category GSL on emc. emc
• Zovirax Cream, UK SmPC, The Wellcome Foundation Ltd (GlaxoSmithKline UK), PL 00003/0180, text revised 29 January 2025, sections 4.1 to 4.9, 6.4, 6.5; legal category POM on emc. emc
• Pinewood Cold Sore Cream, UK SmPC, Pinewood Laboratories, text revised 11 June 2024, sections 4.2, 6.3; GSL on emc. emc
• Virasorb Cold Sore Cream, UK SmPC, Thornton and Ross, text revised 6 November 2020, section 4.2; GSL on emc. emc
• NHS. Cold sores, page last reviewed 19 February 2024. NHS
• NHS. Genital herpes, page last reviewed 27 June 2023. NHS
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines 2021: Genital herpes, last reviewed 21 September 2022. CDC
• healthdirect Australia. Zovirax Cold Sore (2 g) and Aciclovir Cold Sore (Pharmacy Choice) (5 g), both "Not Scheduled", checked 27 October 2026. healthdirect
• Health Canada Drug Product Database: Zovirax cream, acyclovir 5%, DIN 02039524, Bausch Health Canada, schedule Prescription, marketed; searched 27 October 2026. Health Canada
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) 2026: acyclovir 5% cream $8.84780 per gram, effective 21 October 2026 (previously $8.99159, effective 23 September 2026); no Zovirax cream row. data.medicaid.gov
• OpenPrescribing (NHS dm+d). Aciclovir 5% cream 10 gram, Drug Tariff Part VIIIA Category A, 1332p from 1 October 2025. OpenPrescribing
• Boots. Boots Antiviral Cold Sore 5% w/w Cream 2g, £4.29, pharmacy product, checked 27 October 2026. Boots
• Indian listings for Acivir Cream 10 g (Cipla, acyclovir 5% w/w): PharmEasy, Truemeds and Tata 1mg, checked 27 October 2026.
• MHRA. 20 million illegal erectile dysfunction pills seized as MHRA warns against risky online buys, 13 February 2026. GOV.UK
• US Food and Drug Administration. Personal Importation. FDA

This page is for information and is not medical advice. Acyclovir cream does not cure cold sores. See a doctor if you have a weakened immune system, sores near the eye or on the genitals, or cold sores that are severe, do not heal within 10 days, or keep coming back.