Have you been exposed to genital herpes?
Like most sexually transmitted diseases, herpes gets a lot of bad press, but most people don’t actually know much about it. There are two types of herpes simplex virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2. The type 1 virus usually causes oral herpes (commonly known as cold sores or fever blisters), and the type 2 virus usually causes genital herpes, although both viruses can infect either area.
Herpes is much more common than most people think, but on the other hand, the disease is not as serious as you might believe. It’s a double-edged sword: while herpes is incurable, up to 90% of infected people never show any symptoms, and may have no idea that they are infected. If you have had multiple sexual partners, chances are very good that you’ve slept with someone with herpes. Chances are just as good that you are infected yourself.
In fact, some sources indicate that at least 40 to 60 million Americans are infected with dormant HSV-2, and 500,000 more people are infected every year. Once a person becomes infected, the herpes virus lies dormant most of the time, with occasional outbreaks that may or may not be accompanied by visible symptoms. It is estimated that in 70% of cases, genital herpes is transmitted through sexual contact with a person who has asymptomatic shedding of the virus.
What do herpes look like?
Of course, many people do have outward symptoms, especially within the first few weeks after the initial infection. Chances are, if you suspect you have herpes, it’s because you’re suffering from an outbreak of sores. How do you know if herpes is the cause?
Genital herpes sores look a lot like a cold sore: a cluster of small fluid-filled blisters that break and crust over before healing. The sores may appear in and around the vagina, on the penis and scrotum, around the anus or on the buttocks and thighs. While herpes is incurable, the severity and frequency of outbreaks do tend to diminish over time.
Be aware that there are many types of herpes viruses. If you’re looking at herpes pictures online to determine whether you have an HSV-2 infection, make sure that you only look at genital herpes pictures. Other pictures that may come up in an image search include cold sores, gestational herpes, chicken pox and shingles.
