Is having herpes something to be ashamed of?

Question

I’m 18 and I recently found out i have oral herpes. i don’t know how i got it but i get huge gross sores on my lips and face and i feel embarrassed about going out in public because of it… how do i prevent breakouts and how do i be less embarrassed of it?

Answer

Most people end up with herpes eventually. I got oral herpes as a small child from an adult kissing me. No reason to be ashamed when it's literally something that you can get as a baby through no fault of your own, that's just how common it is.

Answer

No, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Honestly most people have it and don't even realize it because it can be gotten in so many ways as a baby or child. The only way I would say someone should be ashamed is if they purposely hide it from their partners if they decide to be physical as it's the easiest std to catch the the one that you can't get rid of.

Answer

It’s not something to be ashamed of. About 65% of the population has it. ￼With that said, ￼it’s not a fun virus to have by any means and it certainly can affect your self-esteem￼. You can get a prescription for Valtrex pills from your doctor to get rid of outbreaks fast. They can even prescribe it in ￼a way to suppress future ones from happening, which can also reduce the risk of transmission. My dermatologist said as soon as you feel a tingle or an itch or any signs that you are getting a cold sore, ice it for 20 minutes, apply Abreva (over the counter ointment), and pop a Valtrex ASAP. ￼ ￼That method works for me very well. ￼Instead of having to deal with it for almost 2 weeks, it will take the sore away within 2 to 3 days. ￼

Answer

Honestly the amount of people that have it without a breakout is pretty high. Overall 50-80% of Americans have hsv1. So don’t feel ashamed! I used to get made fun of in school, but no one says anything in college

Answer

My mom takes medication for hers. Sometimes you can’t prevent the breakouts (high stress, hormones, etc) but she doesn’t get them horribly like she used to before being on meds

Answer

Nobody just gets herpes out of no where you were putting your mouth somewhere it shouldn't have been

Answer

Please do research on natural remedies to prevent outbreaks and long term care to get rid of it. People typically have outbreaks when they're fighting illness like a cold so actively strengthening your immune system should help

Answer

I’m embarrassed when I have a cold sore but I’m trying not to be. Thankfully, I just wear a mask when I have one now since wearing a mask is normalized now.  There’s medication your doctor can prescribe but I use Abreva as soon as I can tell one is coming in and it helps a lot.

Answer

Nothing to be ashamed of..

Is having herpes something to be ashamed of?

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