Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is an infection on the genitals caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).

There are two types of the virus, HSV1, most commonly affecting the mouth, and HSV2, which most commonly affects the genital area. Both viruses look the same, and the only way to tell them apart is by lab testing.

You can get HSV from having unprotected vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex, or close skin-to-skin contact with someone. Unprotected sex is when you have sex without a condom or an oral dam.  

About 80% of people with genital herpes have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.

Common symptoms of genital herpes are: painful blisters, ulcers, or sores in the genital area. You can even get sores on the buttocks and upper thighs.  
 
The first time you have a genital herpes outbreak is usually the most severe. As well as blisters and ulcers, you may also feel generally unwell with:

• Tiredness
• Fever
• Muscle aches

You will be most infectious:

• Just before you get a sore
• When you have a sore
• Just after you have a sore

However, people often spread the virus even if they have no symptoms. This is due to viral shedding, which is when the virus becomes infectious even if the person has no symptoms.    

You can test for genital herpes when you have symptoms. 

Testing for genital herpes is done by: 

• An external or internal examination, to check the visible signs of infection 
• Taking a sample from the infected area using a swab 

Your nurse or doctor will take this sample. 

Your test samples will be sent to a laboratory for testing. You should be contacted with your test results within a week. 

Make an appointment with us — we can test for genital herpes. 

Genital herpes is treated with anti-viral medication. This medication will make your sores go away faster.

If you think you are having another outbreak of herpes, it is best to get anti-viral medication as soon as you notice symptoms — this will improve your symptoms faster.

If you get sores very frequently — more than six times a year — you can take anti-viral medication all the time. 
  
You can also help your symptoms by:

• Wrapping ice in a cloth and placing it over the area for a few minutes 
• Wearing loose clothing and cotton underwear — to help with healing 
• You can squirt water over the area while you mimi — if it's painful to mimi. Drinking a lot of water can help dilute your mimi and make it sting less to mimi
• Taking pain relief such as paracetamol and ibuprofen 
• Washing the area with warm salty water 
   

Condoms and oral dams can protect against genital herpes, and other STIs. Using lube with condoms can make sex more pleasurable for some people, and can prevent the condom from breaking by reducing friction.

Lots of STIs don’t have obvious symptoms — so it’s important to get tested for STIs before and after unprotected sex, or anytime you have sex with a new person. 

If you’re having sex with several people — or the person you have sex with is having sex with several people — talk to us about how often you should be screened for genital herpes and other STIs. 

If you develop symptoms of genital herpes, there are a few really important things that you need to do:

• Get tested and treated. Make an appointment with us — one of our nurses or doctors will help you
• Tell people you've had sex with. If it is safe for you to do this: tell the people that you have had sex with recently that they might need to get tested or treated for genital herpes
• Use protection. It’s a good idea to use condoms or oral dams when you have sex — this will help reduce the spread of genital herpes from person to person