Genital Herpes: What You Need to Know



Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the herpes simplex virus. It is one of the most common STIs in the United States, affecting around 1 in 6 people aged 14 to 49. Genital herpes can cause painful sores and blisters on or around the genitals, buttocks, and anus. It can also be asymptomatic, meaning that you may have it but not show any symptoms.

Genital herpes is spread through skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity with someone who has the virus. This includes oral, anal, and vaginal sex with someone who has genital herpes — even if they don’t have any visible sores or blisters. You can also get genital herpes from touching an infected person’s skin or sharing objects like sex toys that have been in contact with their skin.

If you have genital herpes, it’s important to take steps to reduce your risk of spreading it to others. This includes avoiding sexual activity when you have visible sores or blisters on your genitals and using condoms correctly every time you engage in sexual activity — even if there are no visible signs of infection present. It’s also important to let any potential partners know that you have genital herpes before engaging in any kind of sexual activity with them so they can make an informed decision about whether or not they want to take part in such activities with you.

If you think you may have been exposed to genital herpes or are experiencing symptoms such as itching, burning sensations, sores/blisters on your genitals or around your anus area, contact your doctor for testing right away so treatment can be started as soon as possible if needed. Treatment for genital herpes typically involves antiviral medications which help reduce the duration and severity of outbreaks while helping prevent future outbreaks from occurring as well. Your doctor will discuss treatment options with you based on a variety of factors including how often outbreaks occur and how severe they tend to be each time one occurs.

By being aware of what genital herpes is and taking steps to protect yourself against contracting it (or spreading it) through safe sex practices like using condoms correctly every time and informing potential partners about your status before engaging in any kind of sexual activity together —you can help reduce your risk of contracting this STI while protecting yourself against potentially serious complications associated with having this virus over time

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. genital herpes, sexually transmitted infection (STI), herpes simplex virus, painful sores/blisters, skin-to-skin contact, sexual activity, visible sores/blisters, condoms, antiviral medications, outbreaks, complications,

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