Genital Herpes Pictures

Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2 (herpes simplex virus-2). When signs occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. These ulcers can be very painful. We would like to warn you that pictures of genital herpes ulcers can be upsetting, so before you visit these links please be aware that the genital herpes picture, although clinical and real, may be disturbing to you.

Photo Sites:

• DermAtlas.org (Dermatology Image Atlas) from John's Hopkins University provides a search engine with several photos. View.
• MSHC.org.au *Melbourne Sexual Health Care) has a reference page with several male and femail genital herpes photos. View.
• HealthAC.org (Health Awareness Connection) displays a small collection of photos. View.

Several studies in recent years, conducted by reputable organizations, show that genital herpes infection is common in the United States. Nationwide, at least 45 million people ages 12 and older, or one out of five adolescents and adults, have had a genital herpes infection. Between the late 1970s and the early 1990s, the number of Americans with genital herpes infections increased 30 percent. Genital herpes infection is more common in women (approximately one out of four women) than in men (almost one out of five), and this may be due to male-to-female transmissions being more likely than female-to-male transmission.

HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be found in and released from the sores that the viruses cause, but they also are released between outbreaks from skin that does not appear to be broken or to have a sore. Generally, a person can only get an infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital herpes infection. Transmission can occur from an infected partner who does not have a visible sore and may not know that he or she is infected.

HSV-1 can cause genital herpes, but it more commonly causes infections of the mouth and lips, so-called "fever blisters." HSV-1 infection of the genitals can be caused by oral-genital or genital-genital contact with a person who has HSV-1 infection. Genital HSV-1 outbreaks recur less regularly than genital HSV-2 outbreaks.

Most people when first infected with HSV-2 are not aware of their infection. However, if signs and symptoms occur during the first outbreak, they can be quite pronounced. The first outbreak usually occurs within two weeks after the virus is transmitted, and the sores typically heal within two to four weeks. Other signs and symptoms during the primary episode may include a second crop of sores, and flu-like symptoms, including fever and swollen glands.

Most people diagnosed with a first episode of genital herpes can expect to have several (typically four or five) outbreaks within a year. Those symptomatic recurrences can and most often do include blisters that ulcerize.