Large scale general dating sites were the first to reach the internet, gaining a lot of popularity. Once these dating sites had saturated the online dating market, the next step was to create dating sites that focused on specific niche audiences. Herpes dating sites are one example of these specialized niche dating sites, catering to specific people that have something common amongst them.

People who have herpes may feel uncomfortable looking for friends and potential mates on general dating sites, because admitting that they are suffering from a sexually transmitted infection is not always easy. However, by signing up for herpes dating sites rather than general dating sites, these people can feel more comfortable with the dating scene.

Herpes dating sites are designed to cater to people with Herpes. When two people suffering from Herpes date, it is obviously much safer as there is no worry about transmitting anything from one person to another.

Not only do herpes dating sites exist to provide an avenue for dating for people who have herpes, but they also tend to provide a wealth of information relating to health and wellness and other topics of concern for people who use the site. Some Herpes dating sites, like MPWH (Meet People with Herpes) have as many as 68,000 subscribers, meaning that there is a real community out there that you can become a part of.

In addition to dating resources, herpes dating sites like the above also offer information on:

• diet information
• helpful advice
• about how gentile herpes affects men and women differently
• mistaken conditions and properly diagnosing herpes
• scientific and statistical information about herpes
• prognosis of disease
• prevention
• symptoms
• outbreaks
• safe sex / transmission
• and a great deal more

The focus of these herpes dating sites is to create a true community for people who are dealing with herpes, rather than making them feel left out in the dating scene.

Having herpes is not the end of the world for anyone, and herpes dating sites online are beginning to prove this. By creating communities where people with herpes are welcome to come together and talk, chat, get to know each other and even go on dates together. Niche dating sites like these, herpes dating sites, are an excellent example of how dating sites can capitalize on choosing and focusing on one single niche rather than trying to please an entire community.

When like-minded or similar people can come together and have a good dating experience through the internet that is when you know that a particular dating site has been successful. Herpes dating sites are no exception, as they give people suffering from gentile herpes a place to feel comfortable sharing themselves and getting to know other people that are compatible with them.

Not only are these herpes dating sites places where people can connect, but they also serve as support groups and communities where information can be shared and found.

For a great dating site for those suffering from herpes or other STD’s we recommend STD Dating Service.com. In addition to having a huge community of active members, you can also chat live with an STD counselor during certain hours.

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How To Tell if Your Herpes Outbreak Is Over

The external signs or symptoms of genital herpes can vary on an individual basis for each patient with each outbreak.  Only your doctor can provide an accurate diagnosis of the symptoms and whether they are related to a genital herpes outbreak.

The virus most commonly responsible for genital herpes is the HSV-2 virus.  However, with the increased number of variant sexual behavior HSV-1 has been found both above and below the waist, as has HSV-2.

A herpes outbreak can be painful, uncomfortable and change your daily activities until the signs your herpes outbreak is over.  There are some questions about how to tell if your herpes outbreak over, which are a result of studies that have determined that people can continue to shed the HSV-1 virus even when they don’t have a current active infection.

If the question is whether how to tell is your herpes outbreak over so you aren’t uncomfortable the answer may be different than if you were to ask if you were still able to shed the virus and infect someone else.

The external symptoms of genital herpes are varied from patient to patient and from outbreak to outbreak in the same patient.  The general symptoms include sores that look like red bumps or blisters and can be on the vagina, penis, anus, buttocks, thighs, internal vaginal, cervical, urinary tract or areas of the body where the virus enters through broken skin.

Most often these sores or outbreaks are episodic and recurrent that are interspersed with periods of remission that can last several years.  Patients will experience pain, itching and burning the area of the sores.

Typically in the first outbreak of genital herpes the symptoms will appear within 2 to 20 days after the contact and may continue for up to 2 weeks or more.  The first infection can be so mild that it goes unnoticed but it is just as likely that the first attack will cause sores that are visible and painful.

Other symptoms during the first infection can include a second crop of sores or a flu-like episode complete with fever and swollen glands.  But others may have very mild signs or not even notice they have an infection.

When the herpes virus first reactivates the person will have early symptoms that include itching or burning feeling in the genital or anal area, pain in the legs, buttocks or genitals, discharge fluid from the vagina or a feeling of pressure in the abdomen.

Within days sores appear as red bumps that progress to blisters and result in open sores.  The person may also experience headache, muscle aches, fever or swollen glands.  However, not all people with genital herpes experience visible sores during an outbreak and may not know they infectious.

As the infections progresses there are signs your herpes outbreak is over which include a movement from a wet ulceration on the skin to dry crusty scab like formations over the ulcer as the sore begins to heal.  The crust hardens and the sore dries as new skin grows underneath the scab.

Healing of the external HSV-1 or HSV-2 sore is complete when the crust falls of or the sore dries without forming a crust.  The area may continue to look red and different from the surrounding skin.

Is this how to tell if your herpes outbreak is over?  Not necessarily.  During this asymptomatic phase the virus is usually dormant, which means it’s not active on the level of the skin.  But even if your body doesn’t recognize that there is an outbreak the risk is real that the virus is actively replicating and you are shedding the virus to the environment and can spread the virus.

This is why even though a person with genital herpes doesn’t have any symptoms they should use a latex condom as a barrier during sex.  While the virus can’t get through the latex condom it is important that the barrier covers the area of the skin that is infected to avoid skin-to-skin contact.

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How Do You Treat Herpes Zoster?

Herpes zoster is the virus that causes the common infection known as shingles and chicken pox.    The initial exposure to the virus is caused from the development of chicken pox.

Chicken pox is common in children between the ages of 2 and 6.  Once children are older than 6 or 7 the disease becomes more painful and uncomfortable for the child and past adolescents it can become dangerous.

After this exposure the virus herpes zoster becomes dormant along certain nerve fibers and can reactivate during periods of stress, with aging, suppression of the immune system and taking certain medications.  It is more common for one attack to occur with a recurrence.

Because of the way that the nerves are laid out in the body and the way that the virus attaches to certain fibers an outbreak will only affect one side of the body or face or the other.  An outbreak will usually begin with a rash that leads to blisters and sores on the skin.   If nerves of the face are affected then the infection can reach the eyes and nose, which can lead to long term eye damage.

The typical shingles rash will start approximately 2-3 days after the virus has migrated to the skin.  The patient will find small blisters similar to early chicken pox.  The rash continues to increase over the next 3-5 days and the blisters break causing small ulcers that dry and form a crust.

The trunk of the body is most often affected with a rectangular belt of a rash from the back (spine) to one side of the chest.

Many people who experience this infection find that it’s painful and this phase can last for several weeks.  However, some people may find that they continue to experience the nerve pain long after the outbreak has cleared.  This is called post-herpetic neuralgia and is most often experienced by the elderly.

People who are suffering from a herpes zoster infection may experience flu-like symptoms, rash, red and sensitive skin, blisters and pain.  Doctors rarely use tests to confirm the illness because the pattern is very distinct.  If tests are used then the doctor may order a viral culture of the skin, a Tzanck test, a complete blood count or specific antibody for varicella antibodies.

Patients may question their doctor about how to treat herpes zoster.  The treatments will depend upon where the infection has migrated.  If the eye is infected treatment will be more aggressive to prevent side effects that include double vision, corneal damage or iritis.

Treatment includes the use of anti-viral medications (Acyclovir) as well as treatments to decrease pain and inflammation.  Most of the time herpes zoster will heal on it’s own and patients require only supportive care for pain and discomfort.  Corticosteroids may also be used to reduce inflammation and decrease the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia.  They have been shown to be most effective in the elderly population.

Eye drops and ointments may be prescribed to treat any ocular problems.  In more severe cases involving the eye surgery may be required.

When people have an active infection with herpes zoster, whether an initial infection with chicken pox or the subsequent shingles, they should avoid contact with people who are susceptible to contracting the disease such as the elderly, pregnant women and people with a compromised immune system such as AIDS and cancer.

Herpes zoster can affect any age group but is more common in adults over 60 and children who had the chicken pox before they were 1 year old.  If patients find that they have recurrent shingles it may be because of an underlying problem with the immune system such as HIV, cancer or organ transplant.

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In a study released in early 2005 researchers found that close to 98% of the general population has been exposed to and is shedding the HSV-1 virus, or the herpes virus that is commonly thought to cause mouth sores.

Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease but the spread of HSV-1, commonly found above the waist, is highly contagious and easily transmitted through casual contact – such as that big kiss that Aunt Jane planted on your lips at the last family picnic.

In the study in 2005 the researchers found that the virus was shed when people didn’t have an active infection and spread through the tears, saliva or blood.  While this wasn’t the first study of it’s kind the researchers reported that it did use the most sensitive techniques to test for the presence of HSV-1.

Doctors know that HSV-1, and to a lesser extent HSV-2, is responsible for virus-induced blindness in Western cultures with approximately 500,000 suffering from herpetic eye disease in the US alone.

In another study released in late 2003 and reported by Science Daily researchers from Brown University found a physical connection between the herpes simplex virus and the precursor protein that forms a major component of plaques consistent with people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists cautioned that there wasn’t enough evidence to draw conclusions from the results but do believe that there may be a common link between the common HSV-1 virus with the neurodegenerative disorder of Alzheimer’s.

In another study by British scientist Dr. Ruth Itzhaki a link between HSV-1 and sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (Alzheimer’s that doesn’t run in families) was found.  Researchers found that the HSV-1 virus was prevalent in the brains of older people whether they showed symptoms or not.

An infection doesn’t mean that each person will be ‘affected’.  This means that although a high percentage of people had HSV-1 in their brains not all suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.  Instead researchers searched for another link or common denominator and found that the genetic variant APOE4 could be linked to those suffering from Alzheimer’s.

The APOE4 variant had already been identified as an increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s but it isn’t necessary or sufficient to cause the disease on it’s own.  It was already known that the APOE could determine the effect of a virus when studies found that the risk of cold sores from HSV-1 is higher in people with the APOE4 mutation.

There are close to 100 types of the herpes virus that cause genital herpes, oral herpes, shingles, chickenpox and cytomegalovirus to name a few illnesses.  During their research the scientists found that other herpes viruses weren’t as prevalent in people with vascular dementia.  HSV-6 was found in the brains of those suffering from Alzheimer’s but it wasn’t clear if it was a cause or consequence of the disease.

More research is needed to untangle this information but because pharmaceutical companies don’t find this to be financially lucrative and there is some hostility toward the idea the funding is sadly lacking.

In another study results released in early 2007 showed that drugs used to help herpes infections may also help to slow the progression of HIV.  Many people with HIV are also infected with HSV-2 or genital herpes.

In a recent study conducted in Africa and published in the New England Journal of Medicine women who were treated with valacyclovir for herpes had less HIV in their blood and in their genital secretions, which may also decrease the spread of the HIV infection.

Other studies at the University of Washington that are currently under way are looking at the tolerability and immune response of people with HSV-2 to AG-707; evaluating the suppressive effect of Acyclovir vs. Valacyclovir in HSV-2; the effect of dosing suppressive therapy for HSV-2 in patients with HIV and the resolution of HSV-2 after beginning Acyclovir.

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How to Tell Someone You Have Genital Herpes - Herpes Disclosure - aka “The Discussion”

Herpes is often a silent disease.  Especially genital herpes, which can go undetected by both the sufferer and the partner.  Although many people suffer from lesions and ulcerations, others may have only an occasional burning or itching.

Combined with the fact that this disease has a negative impact on both emotional and social behavior of people, how to tell someone you have genital herpes can be a challenge.

Once a sufferer has figured out that the disease isn’t lethal and that people who experience this infection can go on to live normal and happy lives, they find that the hardest thing about the condition is having to tell someone that you have it.

The partner of a person suffering from genital herpes should have the right to make an informed decision.  The consequences of not telling someone that you have an STD includes possibly infecting that person as well as the issue of trust.

Telling someone that you care about that you have genital herpes may be difficult but in the long run it is the best thing for a relationship.  You may worry that if you tell your family or partner they won’t be supportive or will be judgmental or angry.

It’s important to remember that herpes is a common infection that doesn’t carry shame or embarrassment.  And you shouldn’t let someone else make you feel that way.

The more you know about the condition the more confidence you’ll have in discussing it with others.  Many have found that it isn’t necessarily the words or the setting that make the most difference when telling others, but rather how comfortable with their own condition they were.

Some people choose to not tell and abstain from sex during outbreaks.  However this leads to miscommunication when your partner imagines situations far worse than genital herpes when you make excuses to avoid sex.  You create distance in the relationship and then if the partner contracts the condition they’ll be hurt and angry in the first place.

And the longer you put it off the harder it is to have “the discussion”.

Be sure to talk to your partner before having sex rather than afterwards.  You may have come to terms with the condition in your life but your new partner may have different ideas if you introduce this to their lives without their permission.

How to tell someone you have genital herpes should happen in a setting in which you both have privacy and you are comfortable.  In other words this isn’t a discussion for a cocktail party, crowded bar, traveling on a romantic weekend or any other intimate situation.  Instead choose a quiet restaurant, dinner at home or a walk in the park.

The words or the setting may not make the difference in the person’s ultimate decision but having respect for their privacy and your ability to communicate your condition will.

Be confident and natural.  Speak calmly and keep the same body language you always have.  If you normally look at your partner directly in the face then continue to do it.  The more comfortable you are, the more positive your attitude the more positive their initial response is likely to be.

Try to use positive words and not to become overly negative.  Don’t degrade yourself or your past actions.  It isn’t awful, it isn’t lethal, nothing bad happens.

Just as it took some time for you to adjust to the new diagnosis when you first heard you had genital herpes it will take your partner some time to adjust as well.  Some people will over react while others may not show a reaction at all.  The initial reaction isn’t indicative of the final decision.

Don’t ever rush someone into a decision about your condition.  Include information about how this condition has affected your daily life now and how it may or may not affect your relationship.

Some partners will react out of misinformation.  Encourage your partner to talk with someone at a sexual health clinic or provide them with written information that can be read and digested when their emotions aren’t running at full tilt.

Starting this conversation doesn’t have to be awkward.  Try some of these starters to help you engage in conversation about genital herpes:

• “We’ve been getting along very well and I really enjoy spending time with you.  I believe that we should be honest with each other.  I’d like to talk about our sexual histories”
• “We are sharing more and more about our lives.  I think it’s important that we talk about sex.  Can we talk now?”
• “You’ve trusted me with some information about ….  I’d like to share something that is very personal with you…..”

It’s important to remember that by sharing this information with your partner you are demonstrating that you care about him or her and the relationship that is developing.  This can very well bring you closer together and strengthen your bond.

People who experience the occasional genital herpes outbreak find that it is more of a nuisance than a mind altering or life-changing event.  And by sharing that reality with your partner you are more likely to find that their final decision is a positive one.

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Eye & Herpes

Each year in the US there are approximately 25 million people who suffer from flare ups of facial herpes and there are about 500,000 people in the US with a history of herpetic eye disease.

Herpes is commonly thought of as a sexually transmitted disease but HSV-1 (the virus responsible for oral sores, cold sores and fever blisters), is easily transmitted through casual contact.  In fact a recent study showed that 98% of the healthy population in the US most likely shed the HSV-1 virus through their blood, tears or saliva even if they didn’t have or had never had an open lesion.

When there is involvement of the eye & herpes simplex it usually occurs only on one side and most often involves the cornea.  This type of corneal infection is called Herpes Keratitis.

This eye & herpes infection can be superficial or it can involve deeper layers of the cornea.  When the infection is deeper it can leave scar tissue, loss of fields of vision or even blindness. Herpes eye infections are actually the most common cause of infectious blindness in the US each year.

Less commonly the infection will involve the inside structures of the eye or the retina.  People find that they experience blurred vision, sensitivity to light and pain and redness of the eye. After reactivation the virus can travel down the nerves in the face and land in the eye.  The factors that determine if the infection will be only in the skin or will also infect the eye aren’t known.

Unlike the skin infections that appear to decrease in intensity and frequency with recurrences eye & herpes infections can become more frequent.  After the first episode of corneal infection one in four people will have another infection in the next two years – and then the odds of recurrences after that increase greatly.

The treatment of eye & herpes infections will depend upon the location and depth of the infection.  People who suffer from a superficial infection, which will heal without scarring, will require only antiviral ophthalmic ointments or drops to treat the infection.

Other ophthalmologists may also use a dry cotton tipped applicator to remove infected cells from the cornea to help speed healing.  This process is called debridement.  After this process a soft contact lens might be prescribed to cover the cornea while it heals.

If the infection is deeper ophthalmologists find that the antiviral eyedrops currently available aren’t effective.  Steroids drops may be used to help decrease the inflammation and prevent some corneal scarring.  However, there are some patients who don’t respond well to available treatments and may have prolonged infections that result in permanent scarring and blindness.

Several organizations, including the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases, have awarded funding to further evaluate the transmission, growth and potential treatment methodologies to improve treatments and reduce the number of people who suffer the devastating consequences of this condition.

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OTC Herpes Relief

In addition to natural methods to help prevent a herpes outbreak, there are several over the counter (OTC) herpes relief products that can help with pain, discomfort and help to speed healing.
Herpes is the virus that causes both genital infections and mouth sores.  There are over 100 different herpes viruses that can attack the body but the most common are HSV-1 (oral mouth sores), HSV-2 (genital herpes), and herpes zoster (chicken pox and shingles).

Because of the ease of transmission and how common these infections have become there are several over the counter (OTC) herpes relief products that can help with pain, discomfort and help to speed healing.

OTC herpes relief products for an outbreak are often turned to after patients realize that the new anti-viral medication prescribed by physicians may take up to several weeks to make an impact on the development and progression of their illness.

Instead other topical ointments may afford the sufferer a way to reduce the pain and inflammation.   An OTC herpes relief product you might consider is Herpicine that will help reduce the length of the inflammation and pain.  Another product is H-Balm that is all natural and available online.

One way that people who suffer from herpes outbreaks can decrease the number of outbreaks they experience is to decrease the factors that initiate another infection.  These factors can include:

• Stress
• Poor Nutrition
• A Compromised Immune System

Stress can be exposure to UV light (sunlight) which as been shown to reactivate a dormant HSV virus, as well as emotional stress, prolonged anger, menstrual period and the rise and fall of hormones, and anxiety.  Interestingly, people who have poor nutrition also have problems with a compromised immune system.  Although the term ‘compromised immune system’ may be equated with people with HIV, cancer or organ transplants people who have a poor nutritional base also have problems with their immune system.

The immune system is supported by nutrition.  The saying that ‘you are what you eat’ is very true.  If you don’t give your body the nutrition, vitamins, minerals and amino acids it needs to develop and grow healthy cells then your immune system, and your health, will suffer.

Some comfort foods that most of us turn to in times of stress such as chocolate, soda and nuts are known triggers for herpes outbreaks.  However, don’t get too concerned about this since many people are known to live out their lives enjoying the occasional candy bar without an outbreak of herpes.

The goal is to get to know your own personal triggers and to avoid them.  If your body reacts severely to chocolate but not coffee then make the accommodations necessary to relieve the problem.

Another OTC herpes relief product is sleep!  Researchers have long known that lack of proper amounts of sleep (6-8 hours per night) will trigger a herpes outbreak.   And while awake, exercise will also help to bolster the immune system and keep those outbreaks at bay.  Simply incorporating 20 minutes a day of exercise into your routine can be enough to help improve your health and strengthen your immune system.

Already mentioned previously, H-Balm is a topical remedy for oral and genital herpes and can be purchased online or offline.  It is made of organic essential oils and has been shown to decrease the outbreak in clinical studies.  H-Balm comes in two preparations – one to prevent outbreaks and an extra-strength preparation to treat outbreaks.

Other options for OTC herpes relief that also include essential oils and are natural preparations are H-Away and H-Prevention. Both preparations use oils that are different from H-Balm so if one preparation doesn’t work on your strain of virus the other may.

Herp-eeze is another OTC herpes relief product that helps prevent the recurrence of the virus.  It contains prunella vulgaris and olive leaf extract which are known to inactivate the virus in vitro (in the test tube), Vitamin C known to increase oxygen levels and promote immune function,  Lysine found to suppress infections when taken regularly and zinc which is usefully against herpes as an internal and topical agent.

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Female Herpes and Menstruation

The link between herpes and menstruation is a common one that is related to the impact that the process has on the immune system of the woman.
Genital herpes, caused commonly by the Herpes Simplex Virus –2 (HSV-2), is a sexually transmitted disease.  Most commonly the infection occurs on the vagina or the penis but it can also occur on the buttocks, anus, thighs or mouth, lips or face if the person practices oral sex.

The virus that usually causes the sores along the mouth and lips is the HSV-1 virus but with the variations of sexual activity the virus found above the waist isn’t always HSV-1 and the virus found below the waist isn’t always HSV-2.

The virus will infect the body through an open area in the skin or through the mucus membranes of the mouth or genital area.  A person can shed the virus even when they don’t have an active lesion so practice of safe sex should always include a barrier method.

The virus causes an initial infection or stomatitis and then retreats back into the body along the nerves.  Once there is a trigger the condition will continue to reappear consistently.  The person may experience remissions that last months, or even years, if they learn their individual triggers and avoid them.

If a person does suffer a recurrence, then the subsequent outbreaks are shorter and less severe than the initial outbreak.  When subsequent outbreaks occur there are usually warning signs (medical term –prodromal symptoms) – that include burning, itching, tingling or pain.

One such trigger for many women are the fluctuations in hormone levels that happen each month through the menstrual cycle.  These hormone fluctuations will impact the immune system and thus may trigger a herpes outbreak.

Recent studies also indicate that stress and anxiety can also trigger an outbreak and result in recurrences.  Many women find that their menstrual periods are stressful and produce anxiety because of the hormonal influence on their emotions as well as potential physical problems they may experience such as endometritis, pain, or bloating.

Studies have also shown that the prevalence is 25% of the US population has genital herpes but that the majority of those people don’t recognize the symptoms or don’t have symptoms.  Even if people don’t have symptoms of the disease they are still able to transmit the virus to others during sexual activity.

Some women may find relief from herpes and menstruation with the use of oral birth control pills to control the fluctuations of hormones during the month as well as control menstrual cramping that can increase the stress level of the woman.

The link between herpes and menstruation is a common one that is related to the impact that the process has on the immune system of the woman.  Aside from oral birth control pills there aren’t other ways to control the negative effect on the immune system.  Woman who want to improve their chances of not having an outbreak of herpes and menstruation should look to improving their immune system through good nutrition, sleep and exercise.

The potential exists that when the immune system is able to fight the virus adequately when provided with the necessary tools the changes to the body during the menstrual process won’t cause an outbreak.

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Is A Herpes Vaccine Available?

Herpes is an infection that is very common among individuals.  There are two different types of herpes: Herpes Simplex Type 1 (also known as HSV-1) and Herpes Simplex Type 2 (more commonly known as HSV-2).

Herpes Simplex Type 1 is characterized by fever blisters or cold sores on either the mouth or the area surrounding the mouth on the face.  It is also referred to as oral herpes.  Most people contract this type earlier in their childhood from either kissing someone who has a cold sore or from other physical contact in a group setting such as school or daycare.

A large majority of people do not have any symptoms.  It is noted that only up to 40% of people have cold sores when they reach their adult years.  These symptoms manifest themselves in the way of a blister or group of blisters on the lips or other areas of the face.

Herpes Simplex Type 2, or genital herpes, is characterized by the same type of blister although this type is located in the genital area.  In instances of genital herpes, there may be additional symptoms such as a fever, flu-like symptoms, and swollen glands.  These symptoms do not appear in everyone though.  It is possible that there will be no symptoms at all.  This type of herpes occurs in one out of five adults.

Most people, however, have herpes simplex type 2 and are not aware of it.  Outbreaks of herpes can occur randomly sometimes within months or maybe even years between episodes.  Prodromal or warning signs are often experienced before an outbreak, which are noted in the form of itching or a burning sensation in the offending area.  Tingling or sometimes pain in the lower back, back of the legs, or buttocks may also occur at this time.

Although clinical studies are being done towards finding a cure or prevention of herpes, there is no herpes vaccine available at the present time.  The only sure way of not contracting genital herpes is abstinence from sexual contact in the genital area.  Currently, there are approximately 40 study sites in the United States and Canada that are working toward a means of prevention by developing and making a herpes vaccine available to extinguish this virus.

If you are involved with someone who has herpes simplex type 1 or herpes simplex type 2 take necessary precautions to guard yourself against this virus.  If you have herpes simplex in either form there are medications that may be able to help you.

Antiviral medications, such as valacyclovir, taken as a 500 mg dose per day can decrease risks to your partner by a substantial degree.  Other medications for oral herpes are available as well that will limit or cause a lessening in the symptoms and will also accelerate the healing process.

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Protection From Contracting Herpes

There are many people who are living with the herpes virus, so it is up to you to do whatever you can to protect yourself.  If your partner is honest, you will be better prepared, but you also need to know how to have protection from contracting herpes from a partner who either does not know they are infected, or who is not being honest about their personal health.

Luckily, there are ways to protect yourself from contracting the herpes virus yourself, even if your partner is infected.  Here are some ways that you can ensure you are taking every precaution to protect yourself:

•    Talk Openly With Your Partner – Be sure to open discussion with your partner, and let them know that you are not judging them or planning on leaving them even if they are infected with a sexually transmitted disease.  Many people fear rejection once their partner finds out, so they may try hiding important information.  Let them know that it is in the best interest of both of you to know all the facts so that all precautions can be taken to avoid spreading the disease.
•    Avoid Sex During Outbreaks – This period of time is when the virus will be the most likely to be transmitted to others, so avoiding sexual activity during this time is important.  The time considered to be an outbreak includes the time that the infected person first begins to experience symptoms, such as tingling and burning in the genital area, right up until the time that the last sores have healed.  Sexual activity has also been shown to prolong the healing of an outbreak, so avoiding sex will help ensure faster recovery.
•    Keep Your Sexual Partners to a Minimum – Having sex with many different partners increases your risk of coming into contact with and spreading the herpes virus.  Having only one partner in a monogamous relationship will help to keep both of you safe.
•    Avoid Contact With Other Infected Areas – Sores can appear in other areas than the genitals and are just as contagious.  They can appear on the buttocks or thighs, and fingers, eyes and other parts of the body can be infected by touching a sore, so avoiding these areas is very important.
•    Use Latex Condoms Between Outbreaks – Using condoms will not offer complete protection, but will help to keep you safer between outbreaks of open sores.  They will limit the chances you will contract the virus, providing there are no visible sores.

Other than complete abstinence, there is no guaranteed protection from contracting herpes.  But, following some simple measures to try and keep the spread limited will offer the peace of mind that the virus is not being spread.  Open discussion and understanding of the virus is crucial for both partners to be able to keep the virus under control.

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