What Do Herpies Look Like

“What do herpies look like?” is a common question, and is hopefully easily answered. Keep in mind that there are two types of herpies viruses, herpes 1 and herpes 2. Herpes 1 sores appear above the waist, generally in and around the mouth, and herpes 2 sores appear below the waist, generally on and around the genitals. Herpes 2 sores can also occur inside a woman’s vagina or on their cervix as well as externally. In both men and women it is possible to get herpes sores inside the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder, or in your throat if you have been involved with oral sex.

Pictures of genital herpes will not always provide a clear-cut diagnosis for an untrained individual. There are a wide variety of ways that herpes can look. In some cases there are not any symptoms, meaning the infected person never has any way of knowing that they are infected.

Still Wondering “What Do Herpies Look Like?”

OK, for those who do have actual sores they are wondering about, there are a range of appearances and presentations that are common. At the mild end of the spectrum, herpes sores (also known as lesions) can be nothing more than an area on the skin that feels different to the touch or is slightly red and scaly.

More typically a herpes sore starts with a blister with irregular edges that then cracks or bursts and forms a yellowish crust which eventually heals over. This is the time when herpes is the most infectious. The size can vary from just a few millimeters to large, spreading sores, depending on the severity of the infection and the particular outbreak.

Cold sores and canker sores are not the same thing. Canker sores are not contagious and are caused by stress, allergies, or a reaction to some type of bacteria. They generally appear as small, whitish sores inside the mouth.