When you hear the term herpes, the first thing that comes to mind is genital herpes, but there are two types of herpes – herpes simplex type 1, and herpes simplex type 2. I will explain to you very shortly why they are both important to know. But first let me tell you a little bit about each type.

Herpes simplex type 1 is a simple cold sore on or around your mouth. You will be able to visibly see these small blisters on your face, and you would generally call them cold sores or fever blisters. Many people have had their fair share of these very annoying sores.

Herpes simplex type 2 is known as genital herpes, the most common sexually transmitted disease. While it is not life threatening, it can however be a very painful condition that is occasionally recurrent. Some of the most common symptoms of this type of herpes are visible sores on your genitals that can sometimes be painful.

Now that we are aware of the difference let me tell you why I felt that it was important for you too know that there are two types – they do go hand and hand when it comes to spreading. This infection is easily transmitted from someone who is currently infected with this disease. Here’s the scary part, it can be caused from being with someone who has herpes simplex one. If you are thinking that you are slick and you know who has it and who doesn’t, you are sadly mistaken. You can contract genital herpes from someone who has that very commonly seen cold sore.

Let me explain to you exactly how this infection works because it’s sneaky and is hard at work even when you believe that it doesn’t stand a chance.  There is not always any warning signs that can be given from simply looking at someone who has genital herpes, unless their sores are visible. Someone who has genital herpes will not have these sores all of the time, what happens is the virus becomes dormant, meaning it goes into hiding. And then it will resurface, but before the onset of it showing visible sores, it will be contagious. So there is absolutely no way of knowing the person you are being with has it. There is a good chance that he or she doesn’t even know that they are currently contagious at that exact moment.

Here’s something else that is very scary, you can be dating someone right now that has genital herpes and they may not even be aware that they are infected with it, because they are asymptomatic, meaning that they don’t have any signs of the disease, so they are not even aware that they are infected.

About two to twenty days after your initial contact with herpes you will begin to show signs of the infection. The most common sign that you may have genital herpes is blister like sores on your genitals. There are of course many other signs that may lead you to believe that you have herpes simplex 2 – swollen lymph glands, muscle ache, fever, headache, vaginal or penis discharge, burning during urination, a burning sensation in the genitals, and small red bumps around the genital area. There are many instances that people never even notice a single symptom, so they are unaware that they even have the herpes virus. This can happen because there are many cases of people who have built up immunity to the virus because they often suffered from fever blisters/cold sores.

The best way to prevent yourself from ever contracting this way too common sexually transmitted disease is of course by abstinence, if you are not currently married. I know you just laughed in my face, but it’s true. But there are other ways to prevent this, by knowing who you are with, and discussing your partner’s outbreaks that is if you are aware that they are infected with this disease.