Sex with Herpes – Oral Sex with Herpes – Safety Sex with Herpes

I have herpes: Is my sex life ruined? Herpes is a BIG Deal, but Herpes Won't Ruin Your Sex Life.

According to statistic about 45-60 million Americans have genital herpes. That's roughly 14-20 per cent of the U.S. population. And this statistic only includes the people who are aware that they have the virus. According to statistic "Most people with genital herpes have infrequent, mild, or no noticeable symptoms, and 90 per cent of them are totally unaware that they even have it." And that, according to statistic of www.herpesdatingsite.biz is because "surprisingly, most doctors do NOT include a blood test for herpes even when they are testing their patients for other common STDs."

So, even if you and your partner wait to be tested before having sex -- if you haven't asked for the specific herpes blood test -- there is STILL the risk that one or both of you have the HSV1 or HSV2 virus and don't know it.

HSV-1 and 2: Apples and Oranges or Just Apples?  Under a microscope, HSV – and 2 look nearly identical. Both types infect a mucosal surface, usually the mouth or the genitals and then ascend the nerves and lay dormant latency in the nervous system.

For both types, at least 2/3 of those infected have no symptoms or symptoms to mild to notice.

BOTH types can recur and spread even when symptoms aren’t present.  Studies show that people with recurrent oral HSV-1 shed virus in their saliva about 5% of the time even when they show no symptoms.I n the first year of infection, people with genital HSV-2 shed virus from the genital area about 6-10% of days when they show no symptoms, and less often over time.

The primary difference between HSV 1 and 2 are where they tend to establish latency.  HSV tends to live in a collection of nervesnear the ear.  From there it tends to recur on the lip or face.  HSV 2 likes a collection of nerves at the base of the spine and tends to recur in the genital area.

However, did you know that either type can reside in either or both parts of the body and infect BOTH areas?  In some parts of the world,genital infection with HSV-1 is as common as HSV 2 genital infection.

But, if you already have one type of HSV, it is harder to get the other type.  That’s because the virus causes the body to produce antibodies that provide some crossover protection against the other type should it entering the body.

That’s why when a person with a prior HSV infection does contract the other type, the first episode tends to be less sever than in a person who has no prior antibodies.

  • You have genital HSV-1 and your partner has genital HSV-2 and you have unprotected sex.

Not likely. Almost 100% of HSV-2 infection is genital.  Part of the reason is that most people have oral HSV-1 – providing some immunity against infection against HSV-2.

  • Your partner has genital HSV-2 and you perform oral sex on him or her.  Will you get oral HSV-2?

There is a small risk that you will get HSV-2.  However, it’s not verylikely that your partner will get genital HSV-1.  It’s rare for a person with genital HSV-2 to get HSV-1.

  • You have genital HSV-1.  Can you give your partner a genital  HSV-1 with genital sex?

Yep.  But not as easily as it istransmitted through oral sex. Remember.  The mouth is the preferred site for HSV-1 infection and the virus sheds less often outside its site of preference.  A study in 1995 shows that about 25% of people with asumptomatic genital HSV-1 shed virus vs.55% of people with genital HSV-2.


herpes dating sitesSex with Herpes, Oral sex with Herpes, Safety is the most important. There are dating sites for people with herpes that can help you to meet potential partners with the same type of HSV as you. (We recommend Positive Singles — read our review here).