“The right person will know that herpes is not a deal breaker,” says Henderson, “They will be able to work with you, get over it, and accept it.” If someone cannot deal with it, then they are not the right person, she says. Give yourself credit for being honest with partners.

Is herpes still a big deal?

Millions of people have herpes, and plenty of them are in relationships. For most couples, herpes isnt a huge deal. Try to go into the conversation with a calm, positive attitude. Having herpes is simply a health issue — it doesnt say anything about you as a person.

Will herpes always contract?

People who experience an initial outbreak of herpes can have repeated outbreaks, especially if they are infected with HSV-2. Repeat outbreaks are usually shorter and less severe than the first outbreak. Although the infection stays in the body for the rest of your life, the number of outbreaks may decrease over time.

Is HSV 1 a deal breaker?

During this initial infection, you may also experience a fever, muscle aches, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes. Once the cold sores go away — and they will — they may or may not make a reappearance, as the herpes virus is a life-long infection that can lie dormant for years.

Can you test for herpes if there is no outbreak?

PCR test: The PCR test can tell if you have genital herpes even if you dont have symptoms. The PCR test looks for pieces of the viruss DNA in a sample taken from cells or fluids from a genital sore or the urinary tract. This is a commonly used test to diagnose genital herpes and is very accurate.

Can you hide having herpes?

Carolyn Deal, who heads the sexually transmitted diseases branch at NIH. Symptoms may first appear about 2 weeks after infection. After that, the herpes virus goes into hiding in your nerve cells. It may re-emerge several times a year.

What are my chances of getting herpes if my partner has it?

In general, women have a higher risk of becoming infected than men. Having other sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV also increases the risk of transmission. In studies with couples where one partner had genital herpes, the other partner became infected within one year in 5 to 10% of the couples.