Signed,
Wants the facts

Dear Wants the facts,

Herpes infections are extremely contagious when a sore is present. When you have open lesions, you should avoid direct contact with others, including kissing. When someone leans to kiss you on the mouth when you have an active sore, how about offering your cheek? Also, be careful not to touch an active sore yourself, because the virus can be transmitted through your fingertips. If you do, wash your hands as soon as possible. Transmission is also possible, although much less likely, even if no sore is present, through the "shedding" of the virus particles from the skin.

In terms of new relationships, it doesn't mean that you can't kiss anyone. It means that you should be as informed as possible about herpes, t and that after you start seeing someone with romance in mind, and some trust is built up, you can tell them about your herpes, along with some good education. Let them know that you only get the blisters occasionally, that many people already have the antibodies to Herpes Simplex I from childhood and will be able to counteract the virus, that you will both be careful when your sores are active, that it's not the end of the world, that you are still a sexual being, that stress, anxiety, poor nutrition and skin irritation bring on flare-ups, etc. For more information on herpes, call the Herpes Resource Center's National Hotline at (919)361-8488. There are also brochures available through Health Services located in John Jay.

Alice

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