What does herpes look like? Identification of symptoms is an important part of early diagnosis and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases like herpes. Not all STD’s look alike, and some have no physical appearance at all, making it all the more difficult for infected persons to seek treatment, either medical or alternative, for their herpes infection.

Herpes is caused by the Simplex 1 and Simplex 2 virus, which more often than not are responsible for the oral and genital versions, respectively. The actual presence of the virus in the body exhibits no signs at all. During a flare-up of the virus, however, the skin is the predominantly affected area on the body, and the severity of the symptoms vary from case to case and can range from mild redness to clusters of painful blisters on the skin.

When answering what does herpes look like, it depends on what part of the body is exhibiting the symptoms. Let's take a closer look:

What does genital herpes look like?

Other than the location of the sores, the symptoms of genital herpes are almost identical to those of oral herpes, and the sores look similar. With genital herpes, lesions appear in and around the genital area of the infected person. They can appear on and around the penis and testicles in men, on the exterior and interior vaginal areas of women, and in the anal area and inside the urethra of both sexes. Particularly in the vagina, genital herpes lesions can be impossible to see, unlike oral sores that are more obvious.

What does oral herpes look like?

You might be surprised at how often you've actually seen the symptoms in those you have contact with on a regular basis. An oral herpes blister is what is commonly referred to as a cold sore. The outbreak of such a sore begins with a tingling and mild redness of the skin that then develops into a blister that can be quite large and painful. These blisters are usually located very near the lips of the infected person.

The blister contains clear fluid and will burst in time and dry up as the cycle of the infection comes to a close. It is important to note that this fluid is highly contagious, and when it is present in and around the sore, the infected person is most likely to pass the disease to another.

Because many people are not sure of what does herpes look like, and because symptoms can mimic other skin disorders and sexually transmitted diseases, it’s important to have unexplained sores checked by a professional. If oral or genital herpes is the cause, there are many treatment options available.

Medications, both prescription and over the counter, exist for the treatment of herpes symptoms, and alternative, natural remedies have also been found that are often as effective or more so than their conventional treatment counterparts. The key is for people who think they might be infected to get information first so that they can make informed decisions about their own health, coping with symptoms, and limiting the spread of this highly contagious disease.