Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that develops in five characteristic stages.
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What Is Genital Herpes?
While theimmune systemcan usually keep the virus under control, it cannot eradicate them.
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If they do, you may not recognize anything is wrong until the blisters develop.
As such, the blisters are more prone to rupture than merging.
This phase can also last from one to three days.
The crusting can aid with healing by preventing bacteria from entering exposed tissues.
As healing occurs, the crusts will fall off, leaving no scars.
Without treatment, genital herpes will heal within anywhere from two to four weeks, depending on its severity.
During this stage, called latency, the virus will mainly embed itself in nerve cells calledganglion.
These are the cells that serve as “relay stations” in the nervous system.
Once embedded, the virus can remain in hiding for weeks, months, or years.
This is especially true when genital herpes is due to HSV-1.
What Causes Herpes to Flare Up?
Oftentimes there is no rhyme or reason as to why herpes suddenly reactivates.
Antiviral options include:
For the first episode, treatment will be prescribed for seven to 10 days.
For subsequent flare-ups, treatment may be anywhere from one to five days.
For people with frequent recurrent, a daily, low-dose antiviral may be prescribed.
Reactivation can occur weeks, months, or even years later.
If reactivation occurs, a course of antiviral drugs can reduce the duration and severity of the flare-up.
For people with frequent recurrence, daily antivirals can be prescribed.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About genital herpes.
American Academy of Dermatology.Genital herpes: signs and symptoms.
International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses.Virus taxonomy: 2020 release.
Cohen JI.Herpesvirus latency.J Clin Investig.2020 Jul 1;130(7):3361-3369. doi:10.1172/JCI136225
Mount Sinai.Herpes simplex.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021: genital herpes.
