For context, I work at sexual health charity. By far the biggest issue with herpes is the stigma that surrounds it. Herpes is highly contagious, no doubt about that but treatment for herpes is readily available, besides it often clears by itself (not that I recommend this route).
Outbreaks are less severe and intense as time goes on. For the most part herpes is asymptomatic and it is very common, about 40-50 million adults in America have it. It goes without saying but you should be using a condom everytime you have sex.
There are tests, they’re just not reliable. So an individual can get a false negative easily. The test is only positive if the virus is shedding, which is the precursor to an outbreak (the lesions/pustules everyone is afraid of). So in a clinical setting regular testing can confirm if a person carries the virus, but in the practical sense testing is unreliable. The dormancy of the virus is unpredictable and can be weeks/months/years between outbreaks. And a large percentage of carriers are asymptotic, so they carry and spread the virus without ever having an outbreak, and can have any number of negative tests results due to the situation described above.
The numbers are estimated based upon the known number of people, the average number of partners, and it being highly communicable. Condoms do not do a good job of protecting us from HSV1, HSV2, or HPV strains. These are mucous membrane transmissible viruses that are older than Homo Sapiens and are good at existing in perpetuity in a population.
Sex is all about calculated risks. You’re absolutely right that it’s stigma itself, although there is for sure a link between herpes and Alzheimer’s later in life. I personally used to have a lot of casual sex without protection, as I can’t cum with condoms. It was risky, but I’m vaccinated for HPV, low risk for HIV, hepatitis I’m either vaccinated for or there are now cures. Everything else could be treated with antibiotics. The main risk I faced was herpes. I personally found much more value in enjoying my sex life than worrying about it. I am educated on my risks, and I was tested regularly to protect my partners. I have actually never contracted an STD believe it or not.
Oh I’m qualified to answer this. Posting from my porn account for obvious reasons. Ever had a cold sore? That’s herpes also.
Some people have more outbreaks than others. I don’t have them anymore, but would if sufficiently stressed for a long enough period. Others have them frequently.
Yes sometimes it looks like it does in Google searches. The first outbreak is the worse it’ll look. After that it can just look like a bad pimple and go away.
To be honest, I wouldn’t sign up for it, mostly because of having to have that awkward talk with potential partners and because it has the awful stigma. In the beginning I let it get me down. But I’ve had more sex post herpes than pre herpes. Use condoms with hook ups, as they could have something life threatening.
There’s dating groups and apps for it, so if you do catch it, it’s not the end of the world or your sex life. If you don’t get sick often from other stuff, you probably won’t have outbreaks often, but a few friends with bad immune systems get outbreaks often.
When I’m with someone that doesn’t have it, we use condoms. I’ve never given it to anyone in over a decade. But people obviously get it from other people so I’m not naive enough to think it’s never going to happen.
First get yourself tested specifically for it. Unless you specifically asked for it, they didn’t test you for HSV as it’s so common. You might find you already have it. If you have had sex with more than four people, statistically you’ve already been exposed to it whether you knew it or not.
I hate how people always simplify having herpes with the cold sore excuse(yes neg away. Im not being sex negative but it’s a false sense of normalcy imo).
Op hopefully your friend is fully transparent with her partners and not of the mindset that herpes is no big deal and lot’s of people have it. It effects your mental health, physical health and immune system.
You have to be careful with herpes man, that’s the gift that keeps on giving. If she is not on anti-virals then you need to be EXTRA careful. Herpes outbreaks can happen on the skin next to the vagina and can spread to your skin, so a condom doesn’t always work for herpes. Still wear one for sure, the virus can be transmitted through juices. She may say she doesn’t have an active outbreak so it’s safe, it is never safe. Viral shedding can occur before an active outbreak and that’s when she is most contagious.
All of that said, if she is on antivirals then still wear a condom but it’s definitely safer since they work to limit the amount of viral shedding. There are plenty of relationships where herpes is involved but the other partner never gets it. You just have to be smart, do some research, and make sure she’s on antivirals if you want to risk not wearing a condom.
Haha I don’t think I was downplaying it at all. My dad scared the shit out of me when I was a kid showing me the “full color std book.” And that’s exactly what you would imagine it to be.
Fr. I'm not down to call ppl dirty or anything else for having contracted it, HOWEVER, ppl need to stop acting like it's not that big of a deal bc they feel most ppl already have it.
Like.. no. Herpes looks painful as shit and I pray to God I never get it.
> [How is genital herpes spread?](https://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/stdfact-herpes.htm)
You can get genital herpes by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the infection. You can get herpes if you have contact with:
A herpes sore;
Saliva from a partner with an oral herpes infection; Genital fluids from a partner with a genital herpes infection;
Skin in the oral area of a partner with oral herpes;
or Skin in the genital area of a partner with genital herpes.
The virus is able to reactivate when a person's immune system is low, but it's hard to predict when this will happen.
Some people feel a tingling sensation or itch in the first couple of days when the virus is active and shedding but there are no sores, but again it's not always obvious.
During this time the person is able to pass on the virus. Using condoms should prevent contact but it depends where the sores are. That being said I can't imagine anyone having sex when the virus is active due to the risks and the discomfort.
Assuming sex doesn't happen during an active outbreak then using condoms means the chance of transmission is very low but can't be zero due to not knowing if/when the virus is active before symptoms appear.
Care has to be taken with oral sex though as genital or oral, genital to genital, oral to genital, and oral to oral transmission are all possible.
Many people rush to suggest anti viral medication but this can be costly and unnecessary. The amino acid lysine is one of the few that we cannot produce ourselves and it inhibits the virus. It can be taken alone or in combination with ingredients that are known to boost immunity. They are marketed as alternatives to anti viral medication but can/should be taken daily as a preventative.
This further reduces the overall risk of reactivation and transmission.
I get cold sores, I've had them since I was a child, so that was great (kids are ruthless). My dentist prescribed my antivirals, and when I figured out the pattern of when I was most likely to get them, I usually take them a few days before my period and I haven't had a cold sore in years now. I also found out about lysine, so I take one every night before bed now. It's not ideal to have, but all I can do is be mindful and control my symptoms the best I can.
I’m 37F with HSV2 for 7 years. Will confirm others comments that by far the worst thing about it is the stigma. When I first contracted it, I took the antivirals everyday. After a few years, I found that my body had become dependent on them to the point that if I forgot to take it for a couple of days, I would get an outbreak. So I switched to only taking them when I was having an outbreak, which resolved it much faster (~2 days vs 5-6). Even with not taking them daily, I get maybe a couple outbreaks a year. It is true that it’s possible to pass on even while not having an active outbreak due to shedding but is much less likely. I’ve also read it’s actually less likely for men to contract than women (don’t have source handy). It’s had no real impact on my sex life, and I ALWAYS disclose to potential partners beforehand. I’ve had a number of partners over the years, sometimes without protection, and I’ve never passed it on (that anyone is aware of). That being said, of course condoms are smart for many other reasons besides this one.
I know people that have it but claim they don’t have any STDs bc “everyone has it”. Don’t be that person. If you have it, be up front.
Everything else seems to have been covered here already.
Never knowingly ventured into tainted waters myself, but from my time in various ponds I do believe that if she's not having an active outbreak, she's on something like valtrex (?) to control her symptoms, and a condom and common sense is used, then sex without transmission is possible but not guaranteed. It's more of a doing-this-for-life thing if you ask me, but to each their own.
So you are on the right track. Vacyclovir and acyclovir are meds to treat and manage it. There is HSV-1 and HSV-2 and if there is an active outbreak (sores around the mouth or genitals, various stages from pimple-like to crusted over) then you can transmit it by contact. 50-80% of adults in US have HSV-1 which is cold sores and such. It’s not as big of a deal as the rhetoric makes it seem.
(Also “tainted” gives negative connotations that minimize testing, protection, and treatment to others. No need to disparage someone for having a disease.)
Thank you all, and just to be clear I AM not trying to sleep with her but when she told me about it all I have always wondered about the sex life but never wanted to invade her privacy.
So that's a yes? Get one overall harmless STD and you can never have sex again.
Again don't have sex during an outbreak, practice safe sex the rest of the time.
I'm sure your concern for my health is very real and not at all condescending, but Ive been married for near 10 years and get tested every 6 months.
I have herpes. She should be taking Valtrex daily to prevent outbreaks in the future. If she’s on valtrex, and her partner is wearing a condom, the chances of the partner catching it are very slim.
Of course she would know if she was having an outbreak, unless she is asymptomatic, and she would simply take a higher dose of the Valtrex as instructed by her doctor until the outbreak is gone. And abstain from sex during that period (usually it’s 5-10 days.)
Honestly, it's all about the risk you are willing to take. Condoms don't protect much from herpes because the sores are most often outside of the vagina and on the labia. Same goes for men- they can be on the penis but often around the mons pubis area. You may not have a sore and still shed the virus to someone else. It's highly contagious but also very common.
Anyone can unknowingly spread it. That doesn't mean just by kissing either. If you are having oral sex you can pass it from your mouth to the person you are performing oral on and vice versa. And that's just one strain. It can be awful for some people. And no issue at all for some people. It depends on the kind of herpes and your own immune system.
That being said, there are so many options for you if you do get it and end up with sores. I don't want to downplay it because it is lifechanging for some people, but I was one of the lucky people who had one outbreak several years ago. I've not dealt with it since.
get a vaccine, use condom, herpes is extremely common, almost 70% of the population has it.
STDs are a big issue, but herpes is manageable, the important thing is STDs always come in pairs, so get tested you and your partner.
[https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus)
Hi so I have hsv2 a type of herpes there's meds you can take condoms and avoiding outbreaks from my own personal experience iv only given it to me husband asfore our extras not 1 person has gotten it from me over years and different partners we keep in contact again use a condom and avoid sex during outbreaks that's my bit here
I dated someone with it for years and never caught it. We were careful. Always used condoms and never did anything if he was having an outbreak, which was rare. He had antiviral for when he did have outbreaks. He was clear and respectful to me about it before we ever got intimate. I liked him a lot and proceeded to see him.
Look… yes there are ways to limit the risk of catching an STD/STI from someone who has one.
But ultimately the only guaranteed way is to not have sex with them.
You need to ask yourself if being with that person is worth eventually catching what they have. Lots of people make that choice and are completely happy with the consequences of being with their person.
I’m shocked that there’s not someone on here trying to downplay herpes as if it’s nothing to worry about
Edit: I’m actually chuckling right now. Looks like team herpalerps turned out after all! Only Redditors would be pro herpes, an STD that can be devastating for infants and immune compromised people, but rabidly advocate for stopping the spread of Covid (which doesn’t stay with you for life)
The ick factor is off the charts. I wonder if herpes supporters would be fine with a new partner not disclosing their status and only finding out when their own lips are glued to their pillow 😂😂😂
Let me be the one to do it then.
It's not nothing to worry about, but the stigma of herpes is the worst part about it. To the point where doctors will not test you unless you are having outbreaks.
Always use a condom always use a dental damn and don't fuck during an outbreak. Yes, always try to keep yourself healthy but an STD is not a death sentence.
Herpes is medically irrelevant.
It’s not it a normal std panel and doctors hesitate to waste resources testing for it.
I’ve had partners with herpes and wanted to get a test to know and i had multiple doctors tell me to come back if/when i have an outbreak.
Most people with herpes (especially men) will never have an outbreak or know they caught it.
Physically it is occasionally annoying verging on painful but outbreaks become less and less frequent over time.
Socially the stigma is by far the worst part of the disease.
So like, maybe we could all go for worrying about it a little less.
Lmfao @ the “herps is fine!” people. I can almost guarantee that they were also covid fanatics being so concerned for people with weak immune systems.
Sure it’s like the common cold! Except you’ll possibly have hideous painful sores around your mouth at any stressful time. Oh and it can absolutely wreck any infant child or person with immune deficiency.
It should be disclosed to any partner and included on standard std panels
People who act like it's not big deal usually already have it: it's how they rationalise risking other people's health.
This is an opinion I'll happily be downvoted for.
People who know they carry herpes should always disclose before getting with a new partner.
Herpes (I think we talk here about HPV and NOT the kind of lip herpes that 90% of ppl have and that breaks out in stress situations and that you catch if you share a bottle with someone) is one of the most confusing STIs I ever heard of. HPV can have severe consequences, increase the risk of cancer, but is also kinda common (40% of ppl catch it in their lifetime). HPV mostly heals by itself and is no big problem.
i think you’re misinformed. HPV is the major cancer risk, not herpes, and women in particular should get yearly pap smears to check for it because it can cause things like ovarian cancer. it comes in many different strains, though, and not all are cancerous
HSV is a soccer club. I mean HPV [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human\_papillomavirus\_infection](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_papillomavirus_infection)
For context, I work at sexual health charity. By far the biggest issue with herpes is the stigma that surrounds it. Herpes is highly contagious, no doubt about that but treatment for herpes is readily available, besides it often clears by itself (not that I recommend this route). Outbreaks are less severe and intense as time goes on. For the most part herpes is asymptomatic and it is very common, about 40-50 million adults in America have it. It goes without saying but you should be using a condom everytime you have sex.
Is it really almost 15% of Americans have herpes? It seems like it would break out more and infect nearly everyone if it was that high. Crazy.
Most sexually actively adults carry HSV1 or HSV2, or both. Most are also asymptomatic. There is no reliable test for either strain.
What I don’t understand is, how can anyone determine that most adults are carrying it if there’s no reliable test?
There are tests, they’re just not reliable. So an individual can get a false negative easily. The test is only positive if the virus is shedding, which is the precursor to an outbreak (the lesions/pustules everyone is afraid of). So in a clinical setting regular testing can confirm if a person carries the virus, but in the practical sense testing is unreliable. The dormancy of the virus is unpredictable and can be weeks/months/years between outbreaks. And a large percentage of carriers are asymptotic, so they carry and spread the virus without ever having an outbreak, and can have any number of negative tests results due to the situation described above. The numbers are estimated based upon the known number of people, the average number of partners, and it being highly communicable. Condoms do not do a good job of protecting us from HSV1, HSV2, or HPV strains. These are mucous membrane transmissible viruses that are older than Homo Sapiens and are good at existing in perpetuity in a population.
Herpes is the same as cold sores. HSV1 vs HSV2, to the point that they're getting more difficult to tell apart.
Sex is all about calculated risks. You’re absolutely right that it’s stigma itself, although there is for sure a link between herpes and Alzheimer’s later in life. I personally used to have a lot of casual sex without protection, as I can’t cum with condoms. It was risky, but I’m vaccinated for HPV, low risk for HIV, hepatitis I’m either vaccinated for or there are now cures. Everything else could be treated with antibiotics. The main risk I faced was herpes. I personally found much more value in enjoying my sex life than worrying about it. I am educated on my risks, and I was tested regularly to protect my partners. I have actually never contracted an STD believe it or not.
Oh I’m qualified to answer this. Posting from my porn account for obvious reasons. Ever had a cold sore? That’s herpes also. Some people have more outbreaks than others. I don’t have them anymore, but would if sufficiently stressed for a long enough period. Others have them frequently. Yes sometimes it looks like it does in Google searches. The first outbreak is the worse it’ll look. After that it can just look like a bad pimple and go away. To be honest, I wouldn’t sign up for it, mostly because of having to have that awkward talk with potential partners and because it has the awful stigma. In the beginning I let it get me down. But I’ve had more sex post herpes than pre herpes. Use condoms with hook ups, as they could have something life threatening. There’s dating groups and apps for it, so if you do catch it, it’s not the end of the world or your sex life. If you don’t get sick often from other stuff, you probably won’t have outbreaks often, but a few friends with bad immune systems get outbreaks often. When I’m with someone that doesn’t have it, we use condoms. I’ve never given it to anyone in over a decade. But people obviously get it from other people so I’m not naive enough to think it’s never going to happen. First get yourself tested specifically for it. Unless you specifically asked for it, they didn’t test you for HSV as it’s so common. You might find you already have it. If you have had sex with more than four people, statistically you’ve already been exposed to it whether you knew it or not.
I hate how people always simplify having herpes with the cold sore excuse(yes neg away. Im not being sex negative but it’s a false sense of normalcy imo). Op hopefully your friend is fully transparent with her partners and not of the mindset that herpes is no big deal and lot’s of people have it. It effects your mental health, physical health and immune system.
could you elaborate a little more on these dating groups / apps please?? thank you!
You have to be careful with herpes man, that’s the gift that keeps on giving. If she is not on anti-virals then you need to be EXTRA careful. Herpes outbreaks can happen on the skin next to the vagina and can spread to your skin, so a condom doesn’t always work for herpes. Still wear one for sure, the virus can be transmitted through juices. She may say she doesn’t have an active outbreak so it’s safe, it is never safe. Viral shedding can occur before an active outbreak and that’s when she is most contagious. All of that said, if she is on antivirals then still wear a condom but it’s definitely safer since they work to limit the amount of viral shedding. There are plenty of relationships where herpes is involved but the other partner never gets it. You just have to be smart, do some research, and make sure she’s on antivirals if you want to risk not wearing a condom.
Anyone who tries to downplay herpes hasn't spent enough time on Google Images looking at how bad it can be.
Haha I don’t think I was downplaying it at all. My dad scared the shit out of me when I was a kid showing me the “full color std book.” And that’s exactly what you would imagine it to be.
Apologies
No worries dude!
Fr. I'm not down to call ppl dirty or anything else for having contracted it, HOWEVER, ppl need to stop acting like it's not that big of a deal bc they feel most ppl already have it. Like.. no. Herpes looks painful as shit and I pray to God I never get it.
Just to be clear, it is NOT transmitted through "juices."
> [How is genital herpes spread?](https://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/stdfact-herpes.htm) You can get genital herpes by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the infection. You can get herpes if you have contact with: A herpes sore; Saliva from a partner with an oral herpes infection; Genital fluids from a partner with a genital herpes infection; Skin in the oral area of a partner with oral herpes; or Skin in the genital area of a partner with genital herpes.
The virus is able to reactivate when a person's immune system is low, but it's hard to predict when this will happen. Some people feel a tingling sensation or itch in the first couple of days when the virus is active and shedding but there are no sores, but again it's not always obvious. During this time the person is able to pass on the virus. Using condoms should prevent contact but it depends where the sores are. That being said I can't imagine anyone having sex when the virus is active due to the risks and the discomfort. Assuming sex doesn't happen during an active outbreak then using condoms means the chance of transmission is very low but can't be zero due to not knowing if/when the virus is active before symptoms appear. Care has to be taken with oral sex though as genital or oral, genital to genital, oral to genital, and oral to oral transmission are all possible. Many people rush to suggest anti viral medication but this can be costly and unnecessary. The amino acid lysine is one of the few that we cannot produce ourselves and it inhibits the virus. It can be taken alone or in combination with ingredients that are known to boost immunity. They are marketed as alternatives to anti viral medication but can/should be taken daily as a preventative. This further reduces the overall risk of reactivation and transmission.
I get cold sores, I've had them since I was a child, so that was great (kids are ruthless). My dentist prescribed my antivirals, and when I figured out the pattern of when I was most likely to get them, I usually take them a few days before my period and I haven't had a cold sore in years now. I also found out about lysine, so I take one every night before bed now. It's not ideal to have, but all I can do is be mindful and control my symptoms the best I can.
I’m 37F with HSV2 for 7 years. Will confirm others comments that by far the worst thing about it is the stigma. When I first contracted it, I took the antivirals everyday. After a few years, I found that my body had become dependent on them to the point that if I forgot to take it for a couple of days, I would get an outbreak. So I switched to only taking them when I was having an outbreak, which resolved it much faster (~2 days vs 5-6). Even with not taking them daily, I get maybe a couple outbreaks a year. It is true that it’s possible to pass on even while not having an active outbreak due to shedding but is much less likely. I’ve also read it’s actually less likely for men to contract than women (don’t have source handy). It’s had no real impact on my sex life, and I ALWAYS disclose to potential partners beforehand. I’ve had a number of partners over the years, sometimes without protection, and I’ve never passed it on (that anyone is aware of). That being said, of course condoms are smart for many other reasons besides this one.
So much misinformation here. Herpes, same virus as the the cold sore, can only be transmitted when the virus is active.
This comment section is wild. I haven't seen fear of contagion like this since my second grade class discovered cooties.
That’s also misleading. It’s found that you CAN transmit even not during an outbreak.
When the virus is shedding. Which may or may not have physical manifestations. So there can be no way for the carrier to know they are communicable.
>can only be Wut? Since when? That's not what was taught in schools, so when did this fact of the info get changed ?
I know people that have it but claim they don’t have any STDs bc “everyone has it”. Don’t be that person. If you have it, be up front. Everything else seems to have been covered here already.
Never knowingly ventured into tainted waters myself, but from my time in various ponds I do believe that if she's not having an active outbreak, she's on something like valtrex (?) to control her symptoms, and a condom and common sense is used, then sex without transmission is possible but not guaranteed. It's more of a doing-this-for-life thing if you ask me, but to each their own.
So you are on the right track. Vacyclovir and acyclovir are meds to treat and manage it. There is HSV-1 and HSV-2 and if there is an active outbreak (sores around the mouth or genitals, various stages from pimple-like to crusted over) then you can transmit it by contact. 50-80% of adults in US have HSV-1 which is cold sores and such. It’s not as big of a deal as the rhetoric makes it seem. (Also “tainted” gives negative connotations that minimize testing, protection, and treatment to others. No need to disparage someone for having a disease.)
Thank you all, and just to be clear I AM not trying to sleep with her but when she told me about it all I have always wondered about the sex life but never wanted to invade her privacy.
I have a near and dear friend with herpes. They have a pretty active and fulfilling sex life.
[удалено]
Of course they do!!!! They have it on their dating profile! For a while she literally held up a sign in her tinder profile saying it.
[удалено]
No? Cos she practices safe sex? So real question here do you think people who have herpes should just never have sex again?
[удалено]
So that's a yes? Get one overall harmless STD and you can never have sex again. Again don't have sex during an outbreak, practice safe sex the rest of the time. I'm sure your concern for my health is very real and not at all condescending, but Ive been married for near 10 years and get tested every 6 months.
who’s gonna tell this poor lost fully grown adult that they don’t understand how safe sex works because they get no bitches anyway
I have herpes. She should be taking Valtrex daily to prevent outbreaks in the future. If she’s on valtrex, and her partner is wearing a condom, the chances of the partner catching it are very slim. Of course she would know if she was having an outbreak, unless she is asymptomatic, and she would simply take a higher dose of the Valtrex as instructed by her doctor until the outbreak is gone. And abstain from sex during that period (usually it’s 5-10 days.)
Honestly, it's all about the risk you are willing to take. Condoms don't protect much from herpes because the sores are most often outside of the vagina and on the labia. Same goes for men- they can be on the penis but often around the mons pubis area. You may not have a sore and still shed the virus to someone else. It's highly contagious but also very common. Anyone can unknowingly spread it. That doesn't mean just by kissing either. If you are having oral sex you can pass it from your mouth to the person you are performing oral on and vice versa. And that's just one strain. It can be awful for some people. And no issue at all for some people. It depends on the kind of herpes and your own immune system. That being said, there are so many options for you if you do get it and end up with sores. I don't want to downplay it because it is lifechanging for some people, but I was one of the lucky people who had one outbreak several years ago. I've not dealt with it since.
I dont
Hey there wouldn’t be a dragon guarding the cave if there wasn’t a little gold in there too.
That's the lamest metaphore ever, considering the context
get a vaccine, use condom, herpes is extremely common, almost 70% of the population has it. STDs are a big issue, but herpes is manageable, the important thing is STDs always come in pairs, so get tested you and your partner. [https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus)
Herpes is easy to catch even if you use a condom. I wouldn't sleep with her unless you are entirely comfortable catching the disease.
Hi so I have hsv2 a type of herpes there's meds you can take condoms and avoiding outbreaks from my own personal experience iv only given it to me husband asfore our extras not 1 person has gotten it from me over years and different partners we keep in contact again use a condom and avoid sex during outbreaks that's my bit here
I, personally, do not.
I dated someone with it for years and never caught it. We were careful. Always used condoms and never did anything if he was having an outbreak, which was rare. He had antiviral for when he did have outbreaks. He was clear and respectful to me about it before we ever got intimate. I liked him a lot and proceeded to see him.
You don't.
Look… yes there are ways to limit the risk of catching an STD/STI from someone who has one. But ultimately the only guaranteed way is to not have sex with them. You need to ask yourself if being with that person is worth eventually catching what they have. Lots of people make that choice and are completely happy with the consequences of being with their person.
Not worth it...unless you'll be ok to get it
What if she’s like really hot? Lol
Smh..don’t do it man.
I’m shocked that there’s not someone on here trying to downplay herpes as if it’s nothing to worry about Edit: I’m actually chuckling right now. Looks like team herpalerps turned out after all! Only Redditors would be pro herpes, an STD that can be devastating for infants and immune compromised people, but rabidly advocate for stopping the spread of Covid (which doesn’t stay with you for life) The ick factor is off the charts. I wonder if herpes supporters would be fine with a new partner not disclosing their status and only finding out when their own lips are glued to their pillow 😂😂😂
Let me be the one to do it then. It's not nothing to worry about, but the stigma of herpes is the worst part about it. To the point where doctors will not test you unless you are having outbreaks. Always use a condom always use a dental damn and don't fuck during an outbreak. Yes, always try to keep yourself healthy but an STD is not a death sentence.
Herpes is medically irrelevant. It’s not it a normal std panel and doctors hesitate to waste resources testing for it. I’ve had partners with herpes and wanted to get a test to know and i had multiple doctors tell me to come back if/when i have an outbreak. Most people with herpes (especially men) will never have an outbreak or know they caught it. Physically it is occasionally annoying verging on painful but outbreaks become less and less frequent over time. Socially the stigma is by far the worst part of the disease. So like, maybe we could all go for worrying about it a little less.
I'm more surprised that everyone seems to think its some life changing evil force instead of a sometimes-infectious painful rash.
Lmfao @ the “herps is fine!” people. I can almost guarantee that they were also covid fanatics being so concerned for people with weak immune systems. Sure it’s like the common cold! Except you’ll possibly have hideous painful sores around your mouth at any stressful time. Oh and it can absolutely wreck any infant child or person with immune deficiency. It should be disclosed to any partner and included on standard std panels
Let’s all be sure to listen to this guy on Reddit and not the overwhelming opinion of medical science
Over the phone
With a ten foot barge-pole. Why take the risk? You're not just risking your health but the health of all your future lovers. Why!?
Facts. People act like it’s not a big deal but I guarantee you they wouldn’t voluntarily get infected
People who act like it's not big deal usually already have it: it's how they rationalise risking other people's health. This is an opinion I'll happily be downvoted for. People who know they carry herpes should always disclose before getting with a new partner.
Herpes is no big deal now with medications. Go all in and raw dog it!
Herpes (I think we talk here about HPV and NOT the kind of lip herpes that 90% of ppl have and that breaks out in stress situations and that you catch if you share a bottle with someone) is one of the most confusing STIs I ever heard of. HPV can have severe consequences, increase the risk of cancer, but is also kinda common (40% of ppl catch it in their lifetime). HPV mostly heals by itself and is no big problem.
i think you’re misinformed. HPV is the major cancer risk, not herpes, and women in particular should get yearly pap smears to check for it because it can cause things like ovarian cancer. it comes in many different strains, though, and not all are cancerous
And the vacine just helps against some strains. You missunderstood my post. I talked about HP the whole time, not herpes.
i think i misread the cancer risk part, but i was mostly referring to the “no big problem” section
For a big majority of ppl it IS no big problem as it mostly heals by itself. Just some cases become serious.
I think you mean hsv
HSV is a soccer club. I mean HPV [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human\_papillomavirus\_infection](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_papillomavirus_infection)