Dating Someone With Herpes

In order to fully understand the risks behind dating someone with herpes, we need to understand how the virus works, how it is transmitted from one person to the other and how it can be prevented from causing outbreaks.

I have never transmitted herpes.

To put some of you at ease, I have been in a number of relationships over the years and have never transmitted the virus to a partner. This is because I am very responible with my virus and my infections. If you or your partner take your infections seriously, the chances of spreading the virus are very small. Usually. if the cirus is spread it will occur within the first 6 months of a relationship.

The herpes simplex virus

Once a healthy person comes into contact with a herpes simplex infected person, there is a risk that the healthy person will become infected as well. This is especially true when an infected person is in the outbreak phase.

Once the virus gets to a healthy person, it will start a journey along the nerves until it reaches their roots along the spinal cord. There it will settle and start to multiply. Our body is not equipped to deal with the virus, although it will try. When herpes simplex is detected, we will produce antibodies which will try and fight it off. This is the moment when we might experience fevers and headaches, sort of like having the flu. Usually, this only happens in the first week, right after we have been infected with the virus. Dating someone with herpes can be risky from this stage forward.

The Good News About Bad News: Herpes Everything You Need to Know

Symptoms

Once settled and multiplied, the virus will wait for the opportune moment to start traveling again along the nerves to the area which it will affect. This is the start of an outbreak. Once the virus gets to that area (around the mouth, eyes or genital area) it will start to multiply again, causing our body to react to it. A mild rash will appear, followed by the forming of one or several blisters filled with liquid. After a while, the blisters will burst, leaving painful sores in their place.

The crucial phase when it comes to risk of contagion is the outbreak phase. This is because when the virus attacks the surface of the skin; it will be present there, making it easier for it to “jump” to another person. Dating someone with herpes can be safe, as long as you take precautionary steps during this outbreak phase. Wash your hands if they came into contact with an infected area and try to keep your immune system in top form, reducing risk of infection.

True Risks

The true risk in dating someone with herpes is the fact that you might not even know that person is infected. Even the person in question might not be aware of the presence of the virus. Studies show that in the US, 50 million people are suffering from genital herpes, caused by the herpes simplex virus type 2. Out of these 50 million people, only 5 million know they have the infection and are taking steps to prevent outbreaks and in treating symptoms. This happens because the herpes virus has the tendency to remain asymptomatic or latent for long periods of time, making it thus very hard to figure out that you are infected. Also, an outbreak might develop only mild symptoms that come and go fast and that are unlikely to be linked with the virus.

Last, but not least, there are some herpes symptoms that are easily confused with other conditions, such as yeast infections, ingrown hairs, canker sores or genital warts. It is best to go to the doctor before starting to date someone in order to know for sure, rather than risk infecting another human being.

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