What are the Signs and Symptoms of Herpes?

At the onset of infection of the herpes virus, most signs and symptoms may not appear. When they do appear, they could include any of these:

• A feeling of tingling, itching, or burning, lasting just a day in most common cases. The blisters appear just after on the skin.
• Presence of sores. These sores are painful and caused by the blisters, which break open and ooze fluid. Crusts appear on the surface of these sores before healing commences. The first sores appear between 2 and 20 days after contracting the disease from a person infected with the virus. Sores usually can last from 7 to 10 days before they heal. These sores appear in various areas of the body, usually depending on the type of herpes:

1. Oral herpes (HSV-1): According to the name, blisters usually will appear on the lips or around the mouth. For some people, these blisters also can form on other areas of the face, and even the tongue. Other than these usual places, sores in oral herpes can appear on any part of the skin.
2. Genital herpes (HSV-2): with this type of herpes, sores are common on the penis, vagina, buttocks, or anus. Some women find they have sores inside their vagina also. Like oral herpes, these sores are not restricted to the areas we have mentioned, but they can appear on any skin surface.

Some other signs or symptoms of herpes simplex include:

• Feelings of fever or muscle aches
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck in cases of oral herpes. For genital herpes, swelling occurs in the groin.
• Feelings of burning in the vagina or penis during urination. This problem is most common to women infected with herpes.
• Pain in the eye in the presence of an infection by the herpes simplex virus to one or both eyes. This eye infection is called herpes keratitis. Other symptoms could be light sensitivity and a gritty feeling in the eye. Also, a discharge could occur from the infected eye in certain cases. Proper and early treatment is needed for infection, to prevent the eye from scarring. In cases of scarring, the infected eye could develop a cloudy vision, and in some people, an entire loss of vision is possible.

Contact ClearSkin London on 020 71833648 to learn even more about these signs and symptoms. Visit our Dermatology Clinic in London if you find you develop any of these signs or symptoms.

How long does the signs and symptoms of Herpes simplex last?

Outbreaks usually will appear around the mouth or on the genitals in cases of oral and genital herpes respectively, but sores will appear on any surfaces on the skin.

For oral (mouth) herpes, signs and symptoms last for 3 weeks, while in cases of genital herpes, it could anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks, in cases of the first outbreak of sores.

Do call Clear Skin London on 020 71833648 today if you encounter any of these symptoms.

Who is likely to get herpes simplex?

Type 1 virus of herpes simplex (HSV-1) usually occurs in infants. The virus lies dormant as the child grows, and is spread by skin-to-skin contact with an adult who carries the virus. An infected adult, who is yet to develop the sores, is still capable of spreading the HSV-1 virus.

HSV-2 (herpes simplex type 2) is spread majorly through sexual contact. The virus is present in 20% of sexually active adults in the UK. Some factors increase the likelihood of getting HSV-2. They include:

• Gender: The virus is more common in females, and they bear a greater risk of getting infected.
• Large sex partners: Chances of the virus increases in persons who’ve had many sex partners.
• Age: People who had sex for the first time at a young age are more likely to have the virus.
• Presence of other sexually transmitted infection.

Weakened immune system: This can be as a result of a disease or medicine taken to suppress the immune system. It makes it easier for the virus to be contracted.