Sunday, December 4, 2011

Have You Ever Wondered, "What Does Herpes Look Like?"

By Devin Brindinshire


The question "What does herpes look like?" is a difficult one to answer because the visible symptoms of the disease do not appear the same in every individual. Furthermore, other sexually transmitted diseases can produce symptoms that appear similar to a genital herpes outbreak. For these reasons, if you suspect that you may have been infected with genital herpes (also known as the HSV-2 virus), diagnosis by a physician is the only sure way to know.

Despite the aforementioned challenges, it is possible to identify several, common visual signs of a genital herpes outbreak. When reviewing the following information, however, the potentially infected person should keep in mind that these symptoms will only be visible during an outbreak. It is also imperative to remember that, in many cases, there will be no obvious indications of infection while an individual is experiencing an outbreak.

The most common visible signs of a herpes outbreak are:

Reddened, swollen, irritated skin on, or around, the genitals

A typical early sign of a herpes outbreak is a tingling, burning, or itching sensation in the genital region. This will usually be followed, shortly thereafter, by the appearance of reddened, swollen skin in isolated patches.

The eruption of blisters on the genitals, groin area, thighs or buttocks

The most commonly-recognized symptom of genital herpes, "fluid-filled blisters on the genitals or groin area" is usually the answer given when one asks the question, "What does herpes look like?" Initially, the blisters appear as small, pimple-like bumps filled with clear liquid. Over the next few days, however, they steadily enlarge until they have grown together into reddened, painful clusters.

Draining sores and ulcers on the thighs, buttocks, groin area, or genitals themselves

Within several days of the first appearance of blisters, the herpes outbreak moves into its final, and usually most painful stage, as leaking sores and ulcers develop. The accompanying irritation and sensitivity subsides as the sores dry out and heal, but the individual remains highly contagious during this period.

Tiny, reddened bumps in the area where outbreaks typically occur

Because it is possible to experience an outbreak of herpes blisters under the skin, the appearance of small, reddish bumps (forming above the blisters) sometimes indicates that a herpes outbreak has taken place. These bumps are often mistaken for insect bites, or some other innocuous skin irritation, and provide another prime example of how difficult it can be to answer the question, "What does herpes look like?"

The appearance of any of the visible symptoms discussed in this article is not a definitive sign that you are infected with genital herpes. It is, however, an indication that you should get yourself tested by a licensed physician. It is entirely possible that your symptoms are from genital herpes, but it is also possible that it is a more serious sexual disease.

In cases of Syphillis, it is not uncommon for an infected person to develop blisters on the genitals, much like those experienced in genital herpes outbreaks. At the same time, there are equally-common, easily-cured skin irritations that produce some of the same visible phenomena.

In short, there is no definitive answer to the question "What does herpes look like?" If you experience any of the aforementioned physical symptoms, it is imperative that you see a physician and submit to a test. This is the only definite way to determine whether you are infected by the virus or something else.




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