Picture may be TMI for some

I had this cold sore since last week and It's driving me insane. Because of it, I missed school for a week and a half. I'm a Cosmetology student and I deal with the public. Anyways, it formed a scab, yesterday it was black and before I went to bed, I dabbed some rubbing alcohol on it ( my mom told me to) then gently put chapstick on it so the scab wouldn't get dry and crack (if it did, it would start It's wholeee process of forming a scab again and it'll take longer for it to go away). Then I took Women's One A Day vitamin. I woke up to this, I don't know if It's healing or if I messed up and will never escape this hell. This is my first cold sore and It's been giving me hell. Please Please Please someone help me get rid of this thing and tell me how long I have til It's gone.