Genital Herpes: How do You Avoid Passing it on?

Posted April 15th, 2004 by jack

Genital Herpes

The only way to avoid giving Genital Herpes to others is to avoid physical
contact from the genitals with another person. Genital Herpes is
mostly contagious via sexual activity.

Genital Herpes is caused by the virus
Herpes Simplex 2 (HSV2). Once you've caught the virus, it's for life, it
doesn't leave your body. Fortunately it is latent most of the time. The symptoms
of Genital Herpes are a rash around the genital area, in principle
anywhere between the knees and waist. This rash turns into blisters
which then turn into a dry scab. Genital Herpes will come back with
intervals of typically months or years.

Precaution & Prevention of Genital Herpes

Genital Herpes is a fairly harmless disease.
There are rarely any complications though you may also experience
headaches or a fever aswell as the symptoms mentioned above.
It is a very common disease (estimated that 50-80% of the world population
have one form of the herpes virus) and most people don't even know they have it.

It is mostly contagious when there are visible symptoms of an outbreak,
but also in the viral shedding period.

You are not expected to stop having sex - But there are certain precautions you should take when in outbreak

Avoid sexual activity
This includes oral sex as you might give your partner Oral
Herpes
Do not touch the affected area
Wash your hands regularily
Take antiviral treatment
Do not share wash cloths, towels or clothing

Treatment of Genital Herpes

Antiviral treatment will not only reduce the risk of spreading Genital
Herpes, it will also reduce the duration, frequency and severity of
outbreaks. For some people it may even eliminate the outbreaks,
although you can never eliminate the virus completely.

The antiviral treatment is a tablet available on prescription
from your doctor. The active ingredients are:

Acyclovir
Famciclovir
Valacyclovir

You may have to try several to find the one that works for you.
Your doctor will advice you on this.

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Comments

Boyfriend has it

On April 1st, 2005 Anonymous says:

I am dating someone who tells me they have gtenital herpes. I would like to have a serious relationship and worried about catching this. Does my partner always have to wear a condom or only during a breakout? Is it passed from exchange of fluids or from the sours? Can married couples have children and prevent the non-infected partner from catching this? I have many concerns before I allow this to get more serious....Thanks

prevent infection from asymptomatic shedding

On April 2nd, 2005 Anonymous says:

I use saran wrap wraped horizontally around my pelvis and another piece of saran wrap that goes vertically from my belly button down and around my genitals that I take all the way up my back to the top of my buttocks. I have devised a water proof seal where all this joins at the base of my penis and the condom also connects to this seal at this location. I have tested this apparatus by filling it with water and leaving it for a period of 16 hrs. without any visible signs of a leak, I then wear a pair of under pants over this to provide for an additional layer of protection between me and my partner. If I have no visible outbreaks at this time is this sufficient protection against asymptomatic shedding? Would it help if I actually made a pair of
saran wrap pants that extended from waist to knee's? Is saran wrap truly an effective barrier against the virus? If the man has the virus and stays on the bottom and the woman on top would this also help due
to gravity to prevent the spread of the virus? I really like this girl but I have told her that if I cannot provide a positive means of
protection to her that we cannot have sex. Thankyou!

I don't understand you say

On May 11th, 2006 niki says:

I don't understand you say in your first thing your boyfrind has it and you don't want to catch it, then the second thing you say your a guy and how you cover your parts up with saran wrap and that you really like this "girl" key word here, so what are you m/f, joking/serious?

Herpes Doctor