Genital Herpes- How to Reduce the Risk

Genital Herpes is a non-curable disease and it is desirable what we try to reduce the risk of contacting it. As we know it is mostly spread by skin-to-skin contact mainly during sexual act. To minimize your exposure to HSV follow the following- 1. Avoid any sex if your partner is having an active outbreak. Using condom may not protect transmission from exposed areas. Herpes virus is most active during active outbreak and any contact is best avoided during this period. Inform your partner if you are having an active outbreak. This includes the period called prodrome phase when the person realizes that active outbreak will be setting in soon. During this period tingling and or burning sensations occurs on the genital skin. 2. Most cases of Genital Herpes are transmitted by people who are affected by it, but do not realize that. Get yourself and your partner tested to find out the presence of herpes antibodies. The good news is that if you and your partner have same kind of herpes you may not need to take precautions. 3. Use latex condoms during every sexual encounter. Use latex condoms even when no signs of an outbreak are present. Some people shed virus even if they show no outbreak. This is called asymptomatic shedding. Protection is never 100% with condoms because exposed areas may shed virus. 4. You and your partner may wish to consult your doctor about suppressive antiviral therapy. This therapy reduces the chances of transmission and increases the gap between active outbreaks. This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.