How Do I Prevent/Get Rid of It?
A blood test can tell if you are infected with HSV-1 or HSV-2, even when you don’t have symptoms. Herpes is a virus, and that means there is no way to get rid of it; even if your symptoms go away, you still have the virus in your body. However, you can take drugs that reduce the frequency and duration of recurrence. Keeping a healthy immune system can also help your body naturally suppress recurrences.
Preventing the spread of herpes is tricky. Make sure you don’t have sexual contact if you feel an outbreak coming on, even sex with a condom. Wait until seven days after a sore heals to have any kind of sex. The virus can spread by places not covered by a condom, so using one is not herpes-proof. Between outbreaks, use a condom to reduce the risk of transmission and take anti-herpes drugs, which can reduce the risk of transmission.
Because touching an open sore may spread the virus, it is important to wash your hands with soap and water after contact.
Genital Warts
What Is It?
Warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). There are more than one hundred types of HPV, most of them cause the warts we see on the body. About thirty types infect the genital area; some cause warts, some cause changes in cells that can increase risk of cervical cancer, and the body clears some naturally. Between 500,000 and one million cases of genital warts occur yearly.
Your Symptoms (Women and Men).
Genital warts look like regular warts—flesh-colored, soft to the touch, painless. They’re always described as cauliflower-shaped, and as disturbing as this makes your next veggie stir fry, it seems to be accurate.
How Did I Get It?
Vaginal, anal, and oral sex can spread genital warts. (I’m seeing a theme here …)
How Do I Prevent/Get Rid of It?
Condoms reduce the risk of genital warts but they are not as effective against HPV as they are with other sexually transmitted diseases.
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