RESOURCES - HERPES AND COLD SORES

THE KEY STAGES OF A COLD SORE OUTBREAK

Let’s start with the basics. The flowchart schematic is a rough estimate of a HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus) outbreak. Note that any of the stages could be longer or shorter for any particular cold sore outbreak episode. The stages for an outbreak of genital herpes is about the same as a cold sore outbreak.

EDUCATE YOURSELF FIRST

The best way to develop your treatment is to first research the disease and understand the options of how best to treat it for the quickest and safest healing cycle.

THERE IS HOPE

If you have a cold sore, or genital herpes, the last well-intentioned words of encouragement you want to hear are: “Don’t worry. It’s not big deal. Most people get infected by herpes in their life.” However, we understand that a cold sore on the lip can be very frustrating and can carry a social stigma with it. And, we understand how Genital herpes can affect relationships, also creating challenges of trust. A good outlook will help the healing. A few positive check points to focus on:

You can still have a healthy sex life
You can have children
You can have great relationships
You are not a disgusting individual
You should still believe in your overall self-worth
You will get through the outbreak
Safe & effective treatments like Zap-H dissolve the anxiety and frustration

HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS OVERVIEW

There are 2 types of herpes simplex viruses, HSV1 and HSV2. They have a similar viral envelope but with different dynamics in how they infect the individual. A different type of herpes virus causes shingles and, interestingly, it has a similar viral envelope to HSV1 and HSV2.

HSV1 is the main cause of oral herpes, also called cold sores or fever blisters. It has recently become the main cause of new genital herpes cases.

HSV2 had been the main cause of new genital herpes until recently. HSV2 outbreaks are generally more frequent and more severe than HSV1.

Contracting HSV1 does not provide full immunity against HSV-2 exposure. However, if you have a prior HSV-1 infection, it may offer some protection, as it reduces the risk by providing at least some level of immunity to acquiring HSV-2 and may also reduce the severity of the initial HSV2 infection.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Female 73%

Male 26%

Transgender female 0.1%

Transgender male 0.3%

Gender non-conforming 0.3%

Under 18 0.2%

18-24 16%

25-34 35%

35-44 22%

45-54 14%

55-64 8%

65+ 4%

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES

Be careful where you get your information. A lot of good information is available covering all aspects of Herpes Simplex Virus infections, both oral (cold sores/ fever blisters) and genital. Instead of rewriting what has already been covered, we suggest the following as a few good sites you may want to read for more background information.

American Sexual Health Association - good summary of herpes Fast Facts on the following website.

https://www.ashasexualhealth.org/herpes/

Basics on herpes can be found on the CDC (Federal government Center for Disease Control) website.

https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/herpes.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/herpes/about/

MedShun is a blog about medical care. Good statistics and background information.

https://medshun.com/article/is-a-cold-sore-common

Journal of the American Medical Association

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2822474

At-home test for HSV using PCR swabs.

https://patients.microgendx.com/products/hsv